On the Saturday before Halloween, community members and horror enthusiasts gathered at the Broome County Forum Theatre to experience “Frankenstein” (1931) with accompaniment by the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra. Marking the first performance of the orchestra’s Pops Series, the integration of live music by guest conductor Michael Shapiro gave new life to the classic Gothic story.

True to the night’s theme, the concert commenced with an organ prelude by Nancy Wildoner, vice president of the Binghamton Theater Organ Society. Sarah Karloff, daughter of actor Boris Karloff, who starred as Frankenstein’s monster, gave a pre-concert talk in the Theatre’s Recital Hall.

Shapiro, the night’s guest conductor and a composer from Brooklyn, New York, designed his score specifically to play alongside the film.

“It had occurred to me that the original ‘Frankenstein’ 1931 although a sound film did not have a film score,” Shapiro wrote in an email. “The technology did not yet exist to add a second soundtrack. So I added one in 2002 for the opening of the Jacob Burns Film Center in Westchester, then an adjunct theater of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Since then, my score has received 75 performances worldwide, including opening up the Bergen Norway festival and productions in Italy, Germany, Russia, the UK, Canada, and the United States.”

Following a moment of silence after the orchestra tuned, the overture commenced with three distinct hits of a drum that transitioned into tremolo by the strings, adding an air of suspense. The introductory movement delved into all aspects of the film. Roaring brass brought elements of horror to mind, while soft, flowing melodies produced by upper woodwinds and strings evoked romance and Victor Frankenstein’s ambitious pursuit of knowledge.

The movements that followed the overture underscored the 70-minute film, providing a new depiction that went along with the storyline. Sound effects were prevalent, with crackling electricity as the “monster” came to life and bone-rattling noises often produced before it emerged on screen.

“I’m blown away, because it’s so well integrated,” Paul Cienniwa, executive director of the Binghamton Philharmonic orchestra, said. “[Shapiro’s] score, which he didn’t write that long ago, just really fits what’s happening. This marriage of music in the film totally works.”

While the composition intensified every aspect of the film, it provided the monster — who is unable to speak — a more sympathetic quality, with particular scenes emphasizing its soul and tragic nature. For instance, in the scene where the monster meets a young girl at the side of a lake, the lightness of the strings evokes friendship and innocence, making the moment the monster accidentally drowns her all the more poignant.

Shapiro’s dynamic composition fit seamlessly with the film, giving the impression that it had always been there.

“I couldn’t believe that it was actually a live orchestra,” Lorraine DeBellis, a Binghamton resident and concert attendee, said. “I had to actually focus back down at the orchestra while I was watching the film, because I couldn’t believe how amazing they were when the movie was going on and I also watched the movie as a young girl, so to see it again, it was just incredible.”

While Shapiro’s score has been played numerous times, the Saturday performance was the first where Sarah Karloff was in attendance. Guests had the opportunity to get autographs and meet her after the performance. Having previously worked with Shapiro, she described the score as “absolutely magnificent” and expressed her gratitude toward fans of her father’s work.

“The fan base of my father is just tremendous,” Karloff said. “It’s because of the fans, and my father’s legacy has the long legs that it does, and the fans are just so respectful and so nice and so generous with the stories they tell me. I’ve learned more about my father than I could ever learn by reading articles or even from my own memories.”

Shapiro skillfully conducted the orchestra through the entirety of Karloff’s “Frankenstein” (1931), significantly adding deeper levels of emotion and a haunted feel to the film.

“It was really interesting to see not just an old movie on screen, because that’s so rare,” Olivia Dennison, a Johnson City resident and concert attendee, said. “But to see the live music with it really changes the experience. Especially having people related to the movie performing as part of it or visiting as part of it, as an audience member, was really special.”