A&E
Alloy Orchestra to perform live for this week’s F.I.L.M. event
By Bridget Braley ’18
April 3, 2015
This Sunday, the F.I.L.M. (Forum on Image and Language in Motion) series will be hosting the Alloy Film Orchestra, performing their original score to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1939 film Blackmail. The Alloy Orchestra composes their own scores to a variety of short and feature-length films, travelling across the country to perform at film festivals. They have composed scores for many classic silent films, such as Nosferatu (1922), The General (1926) and Metropolis (1926). Additionally, they have worked with contemporary filmmakers to compose original scores for their films. The orchestra consists of Terry Donahue, Ken Winokur and Roger C. Miller, each of whom play a variety of instruments.
Their creative prowess is given proof in the kind of interesting instruments they play, including the musical saw and junk percussion.
At the event, the orchestra will be playing directly in front of the movie screen, giving the audience the opportunity to watch the musicians produce the soundtrack of film as they watch it. This also recreates the experience of attending films during the silent era, which is a rare opportunity for filmgoers today. The audience will be able to see everything from their clarinet to the electronic percussion instruments and how they are incorporated into the score. Generating almost any and every sound imaginable, each score created by the Alloy Orchestra is deeply engaging. According to the late film critic Roger Ebert, they are “the best in the world at accompanying silent films.” The Alloy Orchestra is a unique and talented group that provides an individual viewing experience to any film.
Their original score will immerse the audience in Blackmail, one of Alfred Hitchcock’s early thriller dramas. A commercial and critical hit upon its release, the film tells the story of young Alice, who becomes mixed up in a tale of murder, rape and blackmail. The film originally began as a silent film, but during production British International Pictures decided to make two versions, one silent and one sound. Blackmail is one of Hitchcock’s first great films and will keep you on your seat until the very end. Anyone with an interest in film will be able to enjoy this masterpiece.
Throughout the year, F.I.L.M. has brought a variety of artists, from the Oscar-winning filmmaker Chuck Workman, to the video archivist Jen Proctor. Visting Professor of Art History Scott MacDonald asks a variety of filmmakers from all over the world to present on their work. With the support of the Kirkland Endowment and the Experimental Television re-grant program, filmmakers from Canada to Japan to the United States have presented films ranging from experimental films to documentaries.
Not only could the Alloy Orchestra make any film interesting, but the unique combination of an incredible Hitchcock film and the Alloy Orchestra’s fantastic original score are sure to be a great addition to your afternoon. The experience is not to be missed. Seeing the Alloy Orchestra is a once in a lifetime experience.The event will be on Sunday, April 5 at 2 p.m. in the KJ Auditorium and is free and open to the public.