Silent Films and Jazz with Tom Teasley

On Oct. 15, students and community members gathered to watch Tom Teasley perform his live soundtrack to Charlie Chaplin’s The Adventurer (1917) and Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. (1924) at the Main Stage Theatre in the V. Earl Dickinson Building. The performance was part of his two-day residency and followed his “Cross-Cultural Ensemble” concert on the previous day.

Teasley’s “A Jazz Soundscape & Comic Greats of the Silent Film Era” event started with the award-winning musician introducing himself and explaining why he chooses to score silent films. According to Teasley, the actors’ exaggerated movements are essentially the “sounds” of the films. Without sound, actors had to be much more expressive since the audience had to rely on the visuals of the film, especially in the slapstick genre. However, the accompaniment of music can make scenes even more dramatic and comedically effective. Teasley said, “I find that the use of the percussion works great with the American physical comedy.”

In The Adventurer, Chaplin’s most iconic character, the Tramp, is an escaped convict that causes havoc as he tries to elude the police. Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. is about a young projectionist trying to become a detective. From the Tramp accidentally dropping ice cream into a woman’s dress to Sherlock Jr. running across the top of a train, Teasley’s jazzy score always matched the moment. 

Attendees of all ages watched Teasley’s performance alongside the two classics. The visual gags, stunts, and special optical effects of the films filled the theater with laughter the entire time. Even though The Adventurer‘ is 105 years old and Sherlock Jr. is turning 100 next year, the comedic brilliance of Chaplin and Keaton is truly timeless. 

“It seems like every year I grow a new appreciation for the genius of these two artists,” Teasley said at the end of the event.