The second Saturday of every month, the Circle Cinema shows silent movies as a part of their series “Second Saturday Silents.” This month’s feature was Harold Lloyd’s famous film, “Safety Last,” followed by an episode from Harry Houdini’s “Master Mystery” series.
Second Saturday Silents is a unique event which celebrates the Circle Cinema’s long history in the city of Tulsa. Each month, the films are accompanied by the Circle’s original theatre organ, stationed in Screen 1 with pipes running the length of the entire screen. The organ was renewed last year by volunteers, and the musical accompaniment is provided each month by the Sooner State chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society.
Silent movies are always a cool experience. In a way, the silent masters are often more impressive to watch than the flashy films of today. Even though modern films are a more fleshed-out storytelling medium, the use of visual gags and carefully choreographed stunts in silent films were highly innovative and often still hold up. There’s a sense of realness to the sets and stunts in silent films, one that the audience could definitely feel when watching Lloyd climb a twelve-story building in the feature film.
Even if you’re not impressed by nearly 100-year-old stunts, it’s a cool experience to see a film with live musical accompaniment. Second Saturday Silents are held at the Circle Cinema every month and cost $5, and it’s worth going just to experience something so unique to Tulsa.
