The Genius of Hitchcock: The Sound Of Silents | Little White Lies

The Genius of Hitchcock: The Sound Of Silents | Little White Lies:


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From the article:

Ivan Radford
Tuesday, July 17 2012 12:08 BST

The BFI’s The Genius of Hitchcock season is now underway, showcasing the British filmmaker’s entire catalogue of work. It starts with the restoration of The Hitchcock Nine, his silent films from the 1920s, each presented with a newly commissioned soundtrack.

First up is the 1929 crime thriller (what else?) Blackmail, one of Hitch’s best. Famed for its chase over the dome of the British Museum, the BFI screened the film at the museum last week with live orchestral accompaniment from Neil Brand’s score – a resounding success.

But of course, that’s just one version of this landmark production. The Master knew the tricks of the silent trade well by this point – Blackmail was his tenth film – but it is perhaps most notable for marking his first foray into the world of sound. Indeed, it’s regarded as Britain’s first talkie feature, a title that the studio (British International Pictures) planned to earn by shooting the final reel in sound. But cheeky young Alf had other ideas, re-shooting several key scenes to create a complete 90-minute sound print.

Lots of attention has been given to Blackmail – and with good reason – so it’s great to see such a sumptuous restoration . . .