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Blackmail (PG) + Intro

Silent Film & Live Music

,Cinema 1
two men and a woman talking

UK 1929 Dir Alfred Hitchcock 75 min Digital presentation, Images Courtesy of Park Circus/Studio Canal

Alfred Hitchcock’s silent classic, culminating in a bravura chase scene on the roof of the British Museum.

On a night out a young woman ditches her boring policeman boyfriend in favour of a racier type, an artist. But things go badly: back at his studio, the man attempts to rape her, and she stabs him to death. The next day, her problems multiply: her policeman boyfriend is assigned to the case, and a would-be blackmailer comes out of the woodwork. 

We present the restored silent version with a new score by Barbara De Biasi, composed expressly to help the audience identify with the female point of view. The score aims to challenge the way we perceive female characters, based on a tradition of filmmaking and a cinematic canon, which places the male gaze and male POV at the heart of its practice.

Tagged with: Cinema Members' Priority Booking Silent Film & Live Music

This new score is part of Barbara’s PhD research, which investigates Hitchcock’s cinematic grammar of the male point of view, with special emphasis on the aspect of it that is least studied: the music.

Before the film, Barbara will present her research, and talk about her composition process.

Performers

  • Ruth Harrison   Flute
  • Liz Drew   Clarinet
  • Sarah Sesu   Bassoon
  • Romana Szczepaniak   Violin
  • Lucy Andrews   Cello
  • Dr Peter Longworth   Conductor
  • Sam Dinley   Sound Projection
Film information
  • Release year   1929
  • Country of origin   UK
  • Director   Alfred Hitchcock
  • Runtime   1hr 25mins

Ticket prices

Standard
£15.50
* Excludes £1.50 booking fee

Booking fees

£1.50 booking fee per online/phone transaction.

No fee when tickets are booked in person.

Booking fees are per transaction and not per ticket. If your booking contains several events the highest booking fee will apply. The booking fee may be reduced on certain events. Members do not pay booking fees.

Cinema 1

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.