On Halloween night, I decided to do something a little different from the usual passing out of candy while sitting on my bench with a mask on. I thought it might be nice to go for something a bit more artistic and posh this year, while still maintaining that creepy vibe that I adore about the holiday season. So I figured why not go and watch a movie the old-fashioned way? And by that I mean watching a silent movie with a live orchestra at one of DTLA's beautiful movie palaces on Broadway? This was an offer I simply couldn't refuse.

The venue I went to that night is a hidden gem that has been around since 1927. The United Artists Theater (now known as The Theatre at Ace Hotel) was designed in a Spanish Gothic Revival style by C. Howard Crane and was funded by the United Artists Studio (itself formed by D.W. Griffith and Charlie Chaplin among other early film giants).

After more people in the city were fleeing to the suburbs in the mid 20th century, it served as a church for a time before its leader died in 2005. After that it laid dormant until 2013, when the luxury hotel chain "Ace Hotel" bought the property and revamped the movie palace to its former glory while converting the former office space around it into hotel rooms.

I had heard about this theater for a while, but until now I didn't have an excuse to go and see it for myself. When I saw that they were playing the 1922 silent horror flick Nosferatu (which I had never seen before, but was familiar with it), I figured I'd do a little time traveling back to the Roaring Twenties on Halloween night. The interior is simultaneously gorgeous and a little eerie, which complements the movie being played on screen.

There's paintings on the walls that feature some of the people associated with early film industry like Charlie Chaplin and John Barrymore, and lots of Spanish-style carvings on the wall that look like something I'd see in Barcelona, let alone Los Angeles. I must also mention the breathtaking dome of the ceiling which is made out of mirror tiles and surrounded by a big sunburst, it's like something out of a dream.

The movie itself was entertaining and it's so much a horror flick in the way we conceive of it today, though there are elements of it. It's really more of an atmospheric picture that tells its story through lighting and playing with shadows to create an emotional experience. It could also be that because we're pretty desensitized to modern horror flicks which are more gory, violent and scary overall, the movie isn't as frightening to us as it would have been to people living in the 1920s, so there were times in which the audience laughed at certain moments that seem a little cheesy today (I'll admit I joined them all in good fun). And the less I'll say about the obnoxious guy clapping and laughing in the back of the balcony during inappropriate moments, the better.

Also the orchestra providing the background music was great, with the piano players and soprano singer receiving extra kudos. They helped bring this movie to life and give me and my friend a night to remember. On a last note, I have to say that the Ace Hotel did a wonderful job renovating this venue for newer generations of people to enjoy, it is a gem of a place to visit. Happy late Halloween everyone!