Brussels Philharmonic olv. Timothy Brock

With Alfred Hitchcock, conductor Neil Brand, director Timothy Brock and film music specialists from the Brussels Philharmonic, we've put together a dream team to open the new Silent & Sound festival. Neil Brand's simply stunning new film music will give 'Blackmail', an early Hitchcock, a completely new lease of life. Hitchcock had originally conceived this masterpiece from his British period as a silent film, but during filming he decided to turn it into a talking picture. The crew was confronted with a problem that was common in the early talkies: the Czech silent film actress Anny Ondra's strong accent spelt the end of her international acting career. Launched as one of the very first British 'all talkies', 'Blackmail' is regarded as a milestone in British film history. It became a commercial hit, praised to the skies by contemporary critics for its inventiveness. Shortly after the talkie, the master of suspense also released a silent version, simply because most cinemas still did not have the necessary sound equipment. The silent version was actually more popular than the talkie. As you would expect, 'Blackmail' has all the hallmarks of a Hitchcock classic: a beautiful blonde in danger, and a classic film moment at the end. Suspense guaranteed, also in the music!