Putting live soundtracks to silent films has become quite an art form in itself.
Indeed, the Edinburgh-based jazz guitarist Graeme Stephen, to use an example close to hand, has turned it into a specialism. However, Stephen can't draw on the resources that went into this production, which was commissioned for last month's Edinburgh Mela and brought together Britain's leading sarod player, Soumik Datta; his co-composer and conductor, Austrian polymath Johannes Berauer; Irish percussionist Cormac Byrne; and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to mirror the on-screen action.
The film was a bit of a star in itself, telling the tale of two country lads who are granted three wishes by the king of the ghosts and set off on an adventure that includes instant travel, some amusing confusion over their actual destination, stopping a war by summoning pots full of sweets to fall on a menacing camel platoon, and each winning the hand of a princess.
And the music did mirror the action, often with brilliant precision as a gong was banged simultaneously on screen and - with apparent nonchalance - onstage and scurrying strings sounded in sync with scurrying actors.
There were slightly awkward pauses between sections of the film but strong writing for, and assured playing from, the orchestra and Datta's quicksilver string picking and his alert interaction with Byrne soon reasserted the momentum.
Lots of highlights spring to mind - the bassoon's underscoring of a wizard; the sequence where the country lads turn peacemakers in song; the final uplifting theme - but all the ingredients essentially worked together in making this the kind of audio-visual experience that, unlike much of television's output, would certainly bear repeating.
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