Crosstown Theater resumed programming last week with Reigning Sound. Now, Crosstown Arts is resuming its film series with a unique offering. Beginning in October, 2019, programmers Justin Thompson and Courtney Fly have been asking Memphis musicians to compose and perform scores for silent films. The results have been pretty spectacular.
Tonight, the film in question is Hellbound Train. It was created in 1930 by a husband-and-wife team of traveling Black evangelists named James and Eloyce Gist, who taught themselves to use a 16 mm, handheld movie camera. That’s the kind of DIY spirit I love to celebrate. As you can see from the image above, their costuming was crude, to say the least. The story, which was accompanied by real-time commentary from the Gists—call it a “live-preach”—was of thoughtless sinners who boarded a train driven by Satan himself, and faced the infernal consequences of their actions. As you can see, the Gists had a particular bee in their bonnets about dancing.
Hellbound Train was thought lost, as so many films have been from the silent era, but it was recently rediscovered and restored by Kino Lorber and released by Criteron as a part of their efforts to preserve early examples Black cinema.
Performing the live score will be Memphis gospel singer Elizabeth King, accompanied by guitarist Will Sexton and producer Matt Ross-Spang, with percussion by Will McClary. Follow this link for a little taste of what you can expect at Crosstown Theater tonight at 7:30 PM sharp.