The Hippodrome, the oldest purpose-built cinema in Scotland, could not be a more appropriate venue for a silent movie festival if Charlie Chaplin himself were selling cigarettes at the door. Opened in 1912, the restored pre-art deco picture palace in Bo’ness exudes old-time glamour and affection for early cinema. The term “silent films” refers to movies made before there was the technology to have sound or dialogue synchronised with the visuals.
Source: Everything you need to know about . . . Scotland’s silent film festival | Alba | The Times