The Sound of Silent Film in Spain: Heterogeneity and homeopatía escénica

This article discusses the period of 'silent' film, from the first exhibition of the Lumiere Brothers' Cinematograph in Madrid in 1896 to the arrival of talkies in the late 1920s. Spanish film historians had little interest in this subject, often covering the whole subject of musical accompaniment of silent film in a few lines. However, this was a diverse period in which various experiments took place, driven by different concepts of what sound could accompany motion pictures, and by different motivations. It is important to recognise this heterogeneity. The new cinematographic shows initially existed in the context of various forms of popular entertainment deeply rooted in the population. In order to breathe new life into the cinema, operators needed to 'inject' a dose of theatre to survive. This 'homeopathic' approach resulted in hybrid and heterogeneous events in which new realities combined with the already established forms of entertainment.