Hans Zimmer’s Hollywood is a screening of short films from the early 1900s accompanied by piano arrangements of some of the 20th century’s biggest film scores.

Set in a compact Episcopal St Vincent’s Chapel decorated with candles, the performance introduces you to the long-gone world of early cinema. Early in the art form’s development, the limits of cinema were unknown and bound only by the imagination. Watching those now-naive, exploratory creations inspires you to dream about the unknown directions the arts will take when we are not here to witness it.

Matthew Leigh Shiel accompanies the short films on the piano with major blockbuster themes from Interstellar, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Ghostbusters and others. In between the films, he gives a short introduction to the next piece and the idea behind it.

Even though the show is built around searching for connections between the past and the present, most of the music and film pairings create an odd impression. The mismatch is mostly caused by the crowd-pleasing familiarity of the pieces. It is only natural that they trigger our memories and make us react to the well-known music. And yet, the parallels drawn between them mostly feel forced and far-fetched. As a result, you find yourself in yet another candle-lit live-music event. Instead of being fascinated by the elaborate magic, you end up feeling slightly confused and out of place. Unfortunately, the show doesn’t manage to deliver on the grand, immersive experience it advertises.

The most successful sequence is the pairing of the Interstellar soundtrack with Méliès’ 1900 film about Joan of Arc. The deeply thought-provoking space loneliness experienced by the astronauts resonates beautifully with Joan of Arc’s tragic fate. They both take steps into the unknown and the more than 600 years separating them only intensifies the parallel.

It is worth noting that the title of the event, Hans Zimmer’s Hollywood, is a bit misleading, as the performance features an array of famous composers’ works. Even though the works of other composers like John Williams and Ennio Morricone are mentioned in the event’s description, the title gives the wrong impression that Zimmer’s work dominates the programme.

Despite a few successfully executed film-music matches, Hans Zimmer’s Hollywood is a poorly executed late-night entertainment that falls short of its epic premise.

Hans Zimmer’s Hollywood is at The Chapel at St Vincent’s until Sat 29 Aug 2026