The Adventures of Prince Achmed

Last weekend I took the family to see an old fashioned showing of The Adventures of Prince Achmed. The Silent Film Society of Chicago presented the Lotte Reiniger classic stop motion puppet movie from 1926 complete with a restored Hammond cinema organ from the era at the Portage Theater. The organ raised from a pit so the organist could accompany the movie and lowered back into the pit after the movie was done.

The photoplay organist was Jay Warren. We asked him if the purpose of raising from the pit was so the the could see the screen easily. He said  no. It was purely for overall theatrical effect. The house lights go down, the projector turns on and the organ rises from the pit.

Animator Jacqueline Smessaert Brennan gave an introduction before the show began. It was an amazing experience to see how the first picture shows were presented to the public, prior to the “talkie” age of vocal and musical sound tracks. If you ever get a chance to go to one of the older, more artistic movie venues to see an old style production I encourage you to do so. In the mean time rent The Adventures of Prince Achmed and imagine a classic on a theater screen.