This Royal Albert Hall event is a must-book for film lovers
The ‘Films in Concert’ series is in full-swing at the best venue in London: the Royal Albert Hall.
It’s a programme that’s been running for some years now and has been met with much figurative and literal applause.
The concept is simple: screen a movie but with the soundtrack deleted – then, have an incredibly talented orchestra play the score along to the film.
It’s possibly the most immersive way to rediscover the old classics you thought you knew inside out.
I recently went to see Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the Tolkien classic, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
It’s a film you’ve seen a thousand times – unless you’ve been living under a rock in rural Hobbiton. But to witness it accompanied by the very same orchestra that recorded the original score, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside two live choirs, adds an entirely new dimension.
No rustling, the whole room is focused
They have to show subtitles throughout the film as the dialogue is sometimes drowned out by the strength of the live music, so you’re likely to discover some lines of script we’ve previously not managed to make out on the extended edition DVD boxset.
The Royal Albert Hall audience is comprised of fans of the franchise (some more enthusiastically costumed than others).
Laughs erupt as Sean Bean explains; “One does not simply walk into Mordor”, and no one’s looking at their phones as Gandalf pronounces “You shall not, pass!”
Aside from the iconic movie meme moments, the crowd are respectful, quiet with not a phone light in sight.
There’s no rustling of popcorn or crackle of sweet packets, as the whole room is focused on the orchestra.
It’s baffling how the musicians manage to play the exact right notes at the exact right moments throughout what is a famously long film.
See a classic through a completely new lens
There is an intermission during which you can purchase a pint, which is much needed for any Tolkien film.
Most importantly, it’s also a show that attracts an entirely new crowd of people who didn’t even know they enjoy classical music.
It was when I first attended a Film in Concert eight years ago to see Casino Royale, that I realised I was in love with orchestral music. Since then, I’ve taken to the Proms and various other recitals with gusto.
Classical music is often perceived as a high-brow intellectual cultural pursuit, similar to opera and ballet (as Timothée Chalamet inelegantly explained recently), and can look impregnable to Gen Z and Millennials – this is a brilliant experience to introduce people to live orchestral experiences.
Whether you’re a fan of Radio 3 or not, Films in Concert is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon or evening seeing your favourite classic through a completely new lens.
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us”, says Gandalf, and I recommend you spend yours at the Royal Albert Hall.
More Films in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Harry Potter, Matilda, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars and Casino Royale are some of the films that are being screened to the soundtrack of a live orchestra.
For the full list of forthcoming films to book, go to the official website.