The Cinema Arts Centre is presenting two critically acclaimed early horror films, “Dracula” and “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” accompanied by spooky musical scores performed live in the theater.
On Thursday, October 10 at 8:00 pm, the Cinema Arts Centre will be joined by the touring electronic band, “The Invincible Czars,” who will provide a live orchestral accompaniment at a screening of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, one of the most influential films of the silent era. Their music is inspired by comics, sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories, cartoons, comedians, and classical composers.
Werner Kraus plays the title character in the film, a sinister hypnotist who travels the carnival circuit displaying a sleepwalker named Cesare, played by Conrad Veidt. In one tiny German town, a series of murders coincides with Dr. Caligari’s visit, implicating the mad hypnotist and his sleepwalker. Caligari’s Expressionist style ultimately helped inspire the dark shadows and sharp angles of the film noir urban crime dramas of the 1940s, many of which were directed by such German émigrés as Billy Wilder and Robert Siodmak. The haunting synth-heavy score provided by The Invincible Czars for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari will be meant to help to craft the atmosphere of a warped world of fear and menace.On Tuesday, October 29 at 7:30 pm, the Cinema Arts Centre will be joined by acclaimed silent film accompanist, Ben Model, who will provide a live score at a screening of the 1931 horror classic, Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi. Model is the resident film accompanist at the Museum of Modern Art and at the Library of Congress’ Packard Campus Theatre. He also performs monthly at Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre for their “Anything But Silent” film series.
Dracula is the first of a storied and long line of horror films made by Universal Studios. Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the Count is considered to be one of the best performances in film history. Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel and subsequent stage plays, including a 1927 Broadway production starring Lugosi, helped to inform his cinematic approach to the legend. Director Tod Browning, cinematographer Karl Freund, and art director Charles D. Hall collaborated to create an eerie gothic atmosphere that perfectly frames Lugosi’s performance. Unusually, Dracula did not have a specific score written for it. Film accompanist Ben Model will be on hand to fill the gaps by providing a live theatre organ underscore for the film. Dracula was selected for the National Film Registry in 2000.
Program event fees for both films are $11 for members of the Cinema Arts Centre and $16 for the public.
Submitted by the Huntington Cinema Arts Centre.
