CRTOS is dedicated to theatre organ preservation and promotion of this uniquely American instrument. We sponsor theatre organ concerts, silent films screenings, music workshops and theatre organ restoration projects in Oregon and Southern Washington.
Upcoming Shows
- November 25th, 2023 – 7:00 pm
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
The Hollywood Theatre
4122 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, ORHollywood organist Dean Lemire will be performing his original score on the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ.
One of the most iconic and influential films ever released, THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1920) was not only the first horror film, it was also the very first German expressionist film ever made….justly famed for it’s visually skewed, anxiety-inducing angles of its painted backdrops, and for the nightmarish tension of its macabre storyline, in which Francis (Friedrich Feher) attempts to solve a series of murders that he suspects to be the work of an insane carnival hypnotist, Dr Caligari (Werner Krauss), and his somnambulist sideshow attraction, Cesare (Conrad Veidt).
This gothic masterpiece has seeped into the very soul of movie-making itself, continuing to cast its unbreakable spell – thrilling, chilling, electrifying. Arguably, the most visually influential movie of the silent period. So many great artists were inspired by this film including, Virginia Woolf, Tim Burton, and the great Alfred Hitchcock, gave credit in his memoirs, “Caligari was the inspiration for Psycho!”
REVIEWS:
“The picture sets itself the task of raising your hair from your head, and it succeeds from the moment the actors appear in the prologue.” – Harriette Underhill, New York Tribune
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is undeniably clever. It is most artistically acted. The lightning is a marvel of spookiness. And if you are looking for something different, well — it is certainly different with a vengeance.” – Mae Tinee, Chicago Tribune
Caligari remains Germany’s greatest gift to cinema.” – Tom Watson, CineVue
IMDB – 8 of 10 Stars Rating
Rotton Tomatoes: 96% Tomatometer RatingWHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE: YES
RUNTIME: 77 MINS
Purchase Tickets at: https://hollywoodtheatre.org/tickets/23518/
If the direct ticket link above does not work for you, go to the Hollywood Theatre Splash Page and click on the 7:00 Showtime on the right.
Pipe Organ Pictures Series
Each of these films presented as they were meant to be experienced – with live organ accompaniment! Every film in this series is complemented by an original score, created and performed live by a professional musician.
The Hollywood organ is dedicated to the memory of Beverly Ruth Nelson and is the result of a partnership between the Hollywood Theatre and the nonprofit Columbia River Theatre Organ Society. It is the only such instrument in a public theatre in Portland.
Tickets are $12.00 at the door of the Hollywood Theatre.
About Our Instruments
The Hollywood Theatre
While previous events at the Hollywood have featured live organ accompaniment, the organ sound itself was digital, powered by large speakers backstage. Now, the sound will once again come from real pipes. The Columbia River Theatre Organ Society has spent thousands of volunteer hours meticulously refurbishing the theater organ, tracking down vintage organ parts and pipes, restoring the original Hollywood organ chamber, and installing electrical lines, wind lines, and a mammoth 15hp organ blower in the basement. Ours is the only pipe organ in a public theatre in Portland.
The Hollywood is located at: 4122 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97212, two blocks from the Hollywood MAX station.
Cleveland High School
The Kimball pipe organ in the 1100 seat auditorium is maintained by CRTOS. The core of the instrument was originally from the Columbia theater in Longview, Washington. In 1936, it was moved to Benson high school in Portland where it resided until it was moved to Cleveland in 1990. The organ was enlarged and improved there and is one of the best sounding organs of its type in the Pacific northwest.
Disaster struck in 2016 when a steam pipe burst and over one half of the pipe wind chests and other wood components in the north (main) chamber were damaged beyond repair. The damaged items have been temporarily substituted with digital equivalents. Restoring the instrument to its original sound will cost thousands of dollars. If you would like to assist with this project, please make a tax deductible donation to the Columbia River Theatre Organ Society.
Cleveland High School is located at: 3400 SE 26th Ave., Portland, OR 97202
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