DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I've not been the best at keeping things up to date over the past few days. Can't say that was intentional.

Wednesday night Kathy and I walked the three blocks or so down to the Orpheum to see Sunrise. The Orpheum has undergone extensive restoration and renovation since it stopped being a first-run movie house several years ago, and it shows. Everything looks amazing, almost to the point of not really looking old anymore. It still is old, though, and it's very cool to see what the end result for other theatres could be. Unlike the Los Angeles, the Orpheum has modern seating, which I don't know if I'm sold on or not. I think that was in large part what made it not feel old.

But who really cares what the seats are. THe place is old and grand and looks great.

Though Sunrise is a silent film, it was released with a Movietone recording of the musical score. That recording is the only music that exists for it today, or was until composer Robert Israel went through the entire film transcribing notes and finding the pieces used. On Wednesday he and a 18 piece orchestra performed a slightly rearranged version of the score during the film.

Hugh Hefner was the night's sponsor, and he and his dates sat seven or so rows in front of us. This week's Downtown News has a good article on Hef and his love of cinema. The article also mentions the censorship course he's endowed at the USC Film School. I'm enrolled in that class for the fall; though I signed up because it was Casper teaching more than anything else.