FILM buffs were given a taste of how movies used to be watched as they turned out for a silent screening in Witney.

About 30 people watched the 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera at The Plough Inn in the town’s High Street on Thursday.

Live band Minima performed a soundtrack for the 80-minute screening on the fourth day of the Witney Film Festival.

Festival organiser Jenny Learney, from Bampton, said: “The band was something special and brought a real sense of atmosphere to the film.

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“You got a very different feel for it as you’re allowed to use a bit of your own imagination to get wrapped up in the film rather than get it spelt out to you with obvious storylines and special effects.

“The audience loved it and gave the band a rapturous applause. Everyone was really grateful and it was such a treat.”

About 250 people in total attended the festival, held from Monday to yesterday.

It also included a screening of 2013 period drama Belle, starring former Henry Box School pupil Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

Second year students at Abingdon and Witney College and SAE Institute Oxford screened short films produced as part of their course.

Miss Learney said: “The week went really well and everything was well attended.

“We had some really good short films and Belle was great, but the silent film screening was the standout because we have never done anything quite like that before.”

 

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