Silent film series to feature German expressionist classics with live pipe organ music

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center is presenting a three-part silent film series showcasing the work of German Expressionist filmmaker F.W. Murnau, with each screening accompanied by live music performed on a historic Wurlitzer pipe organ.

The series, beginning March 28, will feature three of Murnau's most significant works: "Nosferatu" (1922), "The Last Laugh" (1924), and "Faust" (1926). Each screening will be preceded by a lecture from Wenatchee Valley College Professor Hart Johnson.

Thomas Kozina will provide musical accompaniment on the museum's Wurlitzer pipe organ, which was originally installed in the Liberty Theater in 1919 and was used for silent film screenings until 1929. The organ was later relocated to the museum's performance hall in 1989.

"Nosferatu," the first film in the series scheduled for March 28, was inspired by Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and follows the story of vampire Count Orlock who "preys on the wife of his estate agent, bringing the plague to their German town."

The April 25 screening will feature "The Last Laugh," described as a "chamber-drama" about "a nameless hotel doorman, who is fired after he's deemed too 'old and unfit' to promote the hotel's image, resulting in a rapid downward spiral."

The series concludes on May 23 with "Faust," Murnau's final German film before relocating to the United States. The fantasy film depicts the story of an alchemist who "makes a pact with the demon, Mephisto, sending him on a journey filled with many perils, temptations, and love along the way."

Johnson, who teaches film studies, mythology, and other humanities courses at Wenatchee Valley College, will provide context for each film through pre-screening lectures.

The museum's Wurlitzer pipe organ represents a direct connection to the silent film era, when such instruments provided the soundtrack for moviegoers before the advent of synchronized sound in cinema.

Admission for each screening is $5 for museum members and students, and $7 for non-members. The museum recommends pre-registration for the events, which will include refreshments, with beer and wine available for purchase for attendees 21 and older. Popcorn will be provided.

Learn more about this new silent film series by visiting wenatcheevalleymuseum.org or call the WVMCC front desk at (509)-888-6240.