Two classics for silent movies series

The Manoel Theatre's silent movies resume this evening with Giovanni Pastrone's Cabiria at the Sala Isouard.

Through The Silent Movies series, which kicked off this summer, the Manoel Theatre is seeking to bring a series of classic films from the silent era to a new audience within a unique setting.

During the screenings, guests will be able to help themselves to the bar while enjoying the accompaniment of live music, reminiscent of the silent film days when pianists used to accompany the action on screen. Alex Vella Gregory will be creating a live score.

Cabiria is one the grandest epics ever produced for the silent silver screen. The film was shot in various locations including Tunisia, Sicily and the Alps. The result was a tremendous success and ensured Pastrone's name would be enshrined in the history of world cinema.

The film, set in Rome's conflict with Carthage during the Second Punic War, contains some memorable scenes including Hannibal crossing the Alps with elephants and one of the most ostentatious suicides ever filmed.

Robert Wiene's The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari will be screened on November 29. This 1920 movie is considered to be a horror classic and one of the most influential silent films ever made.

Complementing the strange world of Dr Caligari will be a unique score by Kris Spiteri.