Sonic Silents - original music performed live, accompanying Hollywood silent films: a unique and stunning cinematic event.
Sonic Silents is a trio of renowned Bluegrass and American Old-Time country string-band musicians. Kate Lissauer, Jason Titley & Leon Hunt, masters of this genre, bring the extraordinary, silent, flickering world of black and white Western-style movies into beautiful, captivating, witty and unique brilliance with their originally composed score and skilful multi-instrumental performance.
Performing live with original scores and bringing new life to the Hollywood silent movies of a long-gone era, Sonic Silents currently offers two show options: the captivating feature-length film ‘Beggars of Life’, and a two-film ‘Shorts Night’ featuring very early films of Frank Borzage.
‘Beggars Of Life’
– feature-length film
A thrilling, moving new approach to this now legendary film starring iconic actress Louise Brooks. In an absorbing and poignant glimpse of a bygone time, punctuated with light touches of humour, the evocative, live music re-awakens and accompanies this classic 1928 work of revered filmmaker William Wellman.
Described at the Stroud Film Festival premier as a “… remarkable event which received a standing ovation from its near-capacity audience. To watch an iconic black and white silent movie from the 1920’s accompanied with specially written live music was a treat indeed for film buffs, and country music lovers …a stimulating and classy night out. The seamless skill of Kate Lissauer’s team contributed a high-octane event to Stroud Film festival 2020”.
This show is presented in its entirety, without an intermission.
‘Shorts Night’ - featuring the films of Frank Borzage
In addition to the feature-length ‘Beggars Of Life’, Sonic Silents have a very popular show option available featuring two ‘shorts’ of Frank Borzage. The first Oscar-winner to be awarded an ‘Academy Award for Directing’, Borzage was a true Hollywood maverick. Sonic Silents bring to life two of his films, ‘The Pilgrim’ (1916), Pitch O’Chance (1915). Old style Westerns, packed with characters ridin’ the rails and living off their wits make for an upbeat show enjoyed by all.
This show is presented in a format with an interval that suits a two-set village hall, arts centre or theatre evening.