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In a recent CRY104FM radio interview hosted by Noel Cronin on October 25, 2025, Mick Hussey, Jake Kalilec, and Kieran McCarthy discussed a one-night-only event in Youghal, Co. Cork: a special screening of the 1920 silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari with live musical accompaniment at The Regal Cinema.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, directed by Robert Wiene, is a cornerstone of horror and German Expressionism. Its distorted, hand-painted backdrops create a surreal, Van Gogh-like atmosphere, achieved without animation or special effects. Made only 25 years after the invention of cinema, it uses intertitle cards and iris fades like those in Charlie Chaplin’s films.
The plot explores madness and manipulation, inspiring later works such as Shutter Island and Psycho. Early reviews described its psychological unease, and the film’s 4K restoration assembled from prints worldwide reveals its eerie brilliance. Set in post–World War I Germany, its nightmarish tone reflects the turmoil of the era and the anxieties of a nation in flux.
Reviving the early tradition of live accompaniment, local musicians Jake Kalilec and Kieran McCarthy will perform a new score in real time. Jake will use synthesizer, keyboards, and piano to create a modern electronic soundscape, while Kieran provides percussion and effects using wooden blocks inherited from his grandfather Danny “Duis” McCarthy, a céilí band musician of the 1930s and 1940s. The blocks’ hollow tone will mimic hoofbeats and other on-screen effects.
The pair spent months studying the 80-minute film, synchronizing their music to its flashbacks, murders, and psychological twists. Performing beneath the screen, they aim to fully immerse the audience in the action.
Preceding the feature is Carjack, a 15-minute short by Mick Hussey. This psychological thriller follows a reckless car thief who ignores warnings from a prophetic drifter (played by local actor Chris Bailey), leading to a story of crime, excess, and consequence.
The interview also explored The Regal’s storied past. The Art Deco cinema opened in 1936 after Horgan’s Picture Palace burned down the previous year. Its roots reach back to 1914, when Ruben and Zeta Hirst accompanied silent Westerns with live music and sound effects, with Zeta having studied under composer Alois Fleischmann.
Archival clips from projectionist Mikey Roche, who began work at The Regal in 1941, recalled queues of a thousand people on Friar Street when cinema was the town’s main social outing before television. Local memories include sneaking into better seats, “the gods” (the cheapest front rows), and the ever-watchful usher Maisie Horgan.
For this event, audience members are encouraged to sit in “the gods” for the best view of the musicians. The Regal’s sloped floor ensures excellent sightlines from every seat.
Date & Time: Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 8 PM
Venue: The Regal Cinema, Youghal, Co. Cork
Tickets: €10, available online at regalcinema.ie or at the door (subject to availability). For assistance, call the cinema.
Proceeds: In aid of Youghal Talks, a local mental health advocacy group.
Sponsors: Youghal Credit Union, The Walter Raleigh Hotel (dinner for two), Murphy’s Pharmacy, and others.
This unique cultural evening promises to transport audiences back to the 1920s, blending the magic of early cinema with modern live performance, all in support of a vital community cause.
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