A Symphony of Horror in Andrews Hall
John Partridge to accompany the silent film, Nosferatu
Sonoma, California. Musician and composer, John Partridge, will perform an eerie soundtrack to the 1922 silent film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, on Sunday, October 5th, at 2:00 p.m. in Andrews Hall at the Sonoma Community Center. Classic film enthusiast and author Jennifer Churchill will introduce the film. This German silent horror film is an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula.” All seats are just $10.
“Besides being a really creepy horror film, Nosferatu shows us a very different style of movie-making than we see in contemporary films,” said Partridge. “Nosferatu is not ‘realistic.’ The characters are more like something from a fairytale, and if you accept that fact, it’s a very powerful story.”
Churchill added, “Nosferatu is one of the first films to truly haunt audiences. If you haven’t seen it, you might be shocked at how scary it still is today. Introducing audiences to silent films is my passion, and Nosferatu is the perfect gateway.”
Audiences will view the film much like they would have in the 1920s. In digitizing the film, it kept the flicker, grain, and a slight tremor in the images that once came from sprockets and reels. Words appear on the screen only when needed to add to the story. Actors use exaggerated gestures and expressions to tell the story. Music, then, sets the atmosphere.
“Silent films were never actually silent,” Churchill continued. “With music accompaniment, the suspense is sharper, the scares hit harder, and the whole room experiences the magic together.”
John Partridge’s composition blends Eastern European and Nordic melodies to create a musical atmosphere that transports listeners into another world. About the creation of the soundtrack, he said, “The challenge as an accompanist is to knit the scenes together and follow and underpin the emotional flow of the film. For Nosferatu, one of the primary flows is the journey that takes the hero of the film from the normal world he knows to a surreal world that terrifies and bewilders him.”
Take advantage of this chance to travel back in time and see Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror on screen in Andrews Hall. The film is rated PG-13 and showtime is 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5th. Tickets are available in advance for $10. All proceeds benefit the Sonoma Community Center. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit SonomaCommunityCenter.org or call 707-938-4626. The Center is located at 276 East Napa Street.
About Sonoma Community Center
The Sonoma Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1953 to serve the communities of Sonoma Valley with the mission of cultivating a vibrant community through extraordinary creative, cultural, and learning experiences. Originally built as the Sonoma Grammar School, which opened in 1916, the Center is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Community – Innovation – Creativity – Inclusion – Leadership
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Media Contact:
Cat Smith, Director of Marketing
Sonoma Community Center
707-931-4147 office or 707-291-8281 cell
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