The Alden in McLean begins its Classics of the Silent Screen series at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, with a showing of the 1928 film, “The Man Who Laughs.” Based on a Victor Hugo novel, this sad, horrific and swashbuckling film is a great way to start off Halloween celebrations. Tickets are $12, $8 for McLean Community Center tax district residents. The Alden is located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue, inside McLean Community Center.
“The Man Who Laughs” is an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name and stars Mary Philbin as the blind Dea and Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine. The film is known for the grim, carnival-freak-like grin on the character Gwynplaine’s face, and it has been credited as one of the inspirations for Batman’s nemesis, The Joker. In fact, the title was borrowed for “Batman: The Man Who Laughs,” a 2005 graphic novel which depicted Batman’s first encounter with The Joker. Film critic Roger Ebert said, “’The Man Who Laughs’” is a melodrama, at times even a swashbuckler, but so steeped in Expressionist gloom that it plays like a horror film.”
The movie will be shown on 16mm film with an introduction by film historian Bruce Lawton and a live, improvised score by composer Ben Model.
Tickets are on sale now. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit: http://ow.ly/TddxS or call 703-790-0123, TTY: 711.