Last Friday evening, a 200-strong audience in a dark and chilly Ely Cathedral gathered to watch the silent version of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, starring ‘The Man of a Thousand Faces’, Lon Chaney. The unusual and atmospheric setting allowed it to transcend the hammy acting and plodding production that pervades this early blockbuster. Friday’s show was a first for an English cathedral: all credit to Ely Cathedral staff and Ely Film Society for devising such an innovative meeting of space and celluloid. It was a magical experience.

Set in 15th century Paris, the story centres on Quasimodo, the bell-ringer at Notre Dame, who is reviled for his appearance, and Esmeralda, the adopted daughter of the ‘king of the gypsies’. Her beauty attracts rival marriage bids but she loves the dashing Captain Phoebus. Esmeralda tends Quasimodo’s wounds after he receives a public whipping, and earns his undying loyalty. When she is wrongly condemned to death for a knife attack on Phoebus, Quasimodo rescues her from the gallows.

[Chaney] infuses this ‘monster’ with deep humanity and emotion, often with the most subtle change of facial expression

The film was screened in the centre of the cathedral, beneath the warmly glowing gold Octagon way above our heads. As the darkness deepened and the temperature dropped, it was no effort at all to imagine Quasimodo scurrying along the stone paths just two metres away from our seats. Were we watching a story set in Paris, or in Ely? Cathedral organist Jonathan Lilley played his own score, inspired by a few viewings of the film and his own innate musicality. The nuances he coaxed from the venerable instrument were captivating: in some scenes, the sound was so gentle we were hardly aware of it, but in others he made music so thunderous that the ancient foundations shuddered.

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME is a ragbag of styles: medieval with a hint of the French Revolution. The costumes are an indulgent box of allsorts – lots of wimples and wide sleeves with a 1920s vampish twist, plus plenty of fully armoured knights charging about on horseback. Chaney makes a touching Quasimodo: he’s the master of ‘freak’ roles but he infuses this ‘monster’ with deep humanity and emotion, often with the most subtle change of facial expression. Some plot elements would ravage a 2013 Equalities and Diversity tick-sheet – the stereotypical portrayals of Romany people, of disability, of women. Even so, it was easy to enjoy the film and to learn something about the world it represents; a world that Hollywood loved (and loves still) to manipulate.

Universal’s ‘Super Jewel’ of 1923 grossed a massive $3m at the box office and was their most successful film of the silent era. The DVD we watched was compiled from existing prints – no negative survives, consequently the quality wasn’t great. Nevertheless this wonderfully atmospheric evening was a triumph of vision, organisation and entertainment and I really want to do it again!

httpvh://youtu.be/trUo2UOM8Rw