Staff Writer
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| Music from classic films such as "Gone with the Wind" was featured throughout the night/ Photo by Charles Hood |
“Symphonic Cinema” incorporated some of the Hollywood’s most beloved movies and television shows with the musical talent of the Antelope Valley Symphony Chorale Orchestra and Master Chorale, which boasted some of AVC’s own music students.
The production was based around certain movies and television shows and the music that made them famous. They would show a medley of silent scenes, and the orchestra would play the music in the background. The entire experience was surreal.
The first movie displayed was Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo.” The movie began to play on the projection screen, and the audience prepared themselves for what they thought would be a few short minutes of the movie. Then the movie stopped and the orchestra picked up where the film left off, abruptly transporting us into “Vertigo.” It was as if the notes jumped out at you one at a time in a way that simply listening to the score in the background of the film could never do.
The theater filled with an eerie aura, and suddenly everyone around me shivered as I just had. The orchestra didn’t just mimic the score; it brought it to life as if you were wearing 3D glasses and the notes were heading right towards you, bearing their teeth and ready to bite.
The same feelings surrounded us all as we heard the score to “Psycho,” another Hitchcock film. The theater became that dark and ominous hotel. As the violins picked up in that legendary screech, we all found ourselves backed up against that shower wall, awaiting our fate. It was as if the violins were paying homage to the killer’s knife, and it was our turn to fall to the bathroom tile floor, deceased.
Similar feelings of paranoia, fear, anger, and fright were experienced as we went on the 3D musical experience of “Taxi Driver,” which was directed by Martin Scorsese and “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” directed by Robert Wise. Then came the theme songs to a couple of TV’s most famous shows. These included “The Twilight Zone” and a medley of American composer Earle Hagen’s best work such as “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C,” and “I Spy.”
Other works featured were the main scores from “Chinatown,” “A Street Car Named Desire,” and “Tara” from “Gone with the Wind.” Then a wave of happiness and romance swept over us all when the projection screen lit up with “Days of Wine and Roses,” written by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini. The audience’s hearts soared, and we all imagined our lives in the days of wine and roses. A choir appeared almost magically; their heavenly voices swept us all off our feet.
The romantic experience never ended as we were then treated to “Moon River,” the forever famous song from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The choir sang a song of a hopeful young woman with big dreams. She dreamt of romance and a better life with luxury and love. The violins intensified and we could almost see Audrey Hepburn and her dream man waltzing across the stage, dancing along to the heavenly notes of the orchestra.
The night ended with a bang. First came the legendary music from “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” The orchestra rang with drums, flutes, violins, and guitars filling the theater with an old western vibe that only a Clint Eastwood film could bring. The choir rang in with the comical “Wa, Wa, Wa” sound bite that accompanies most western films. This did little to lessen the seriousness of the situation. We were all in the Old West with the sun on our faces, ready for a showdown with Clint Eastwood. We all knew who would win.
Then, at the very end of the night, we were sent into “Star Wars.” Nobody could ever forget the epic score written by John Williams. The orchestra highlighted their drum, violin and trumpet players to send us all into a galaxy far, far away. A wave of emotions crashed into the theater and into the audience. We were all on the Death Star preparing for battle and instantly on Tatooine looking into the sky. We were training with Yoda, watching Obi-Wan Kenobi die, fighting for our lives and saving the universe at the same time.
All in one night we were terrified, fell in love, fighting, and saving lives. The emotions would not have come the same if we were seated in a movie theater, the smell of popcorn surrounding us. The raw orchestral sounds took us there and kept us in its grip until it was ready to release us. I can safely say that we will be expecting more fantastic things from the AVC Performing Arts Theater.
