Here's a running list of upcoming screenings of silent film with live music by Jeff Rapsis.
• Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, 4 p.m.: "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) starring Conrad Veidt; The Center for Arts in Natick, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.; (508) 647-0097. Silent film adaptation of Victor Hugo's historical novel about a man cursed with a permanent carnival-freak-like grin on his face. Make-up job for actor Conrad Veidt inspired the look of Batman's arch-nemesis the Joker. Silent film with live music in a renovated firehouse that's now a terrific arts center. Tickets $14, Center for the Arts members $12.
• Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Our Hospitality" (1923) starring Buster Keaton, Natalie Talmadge; Coolidge Corner Theatre,
290 Harvard St, Brookline, Mass.; (617) 734-2501. Tickets $25 general admission. Silent comic
Buster Keaton's film about a
backwoods feud in the 1830s
pokes fun at everything from southern customs to early railroad trains.
Filled with great gags and a timeless story that culminates in a
dramatic river rescue in which Buster almost lost his life for real! Silent film
on the big screen with live music: the Coolidge's
long-running 'Sounds of Silence' program recreates the experience of
early cinema so today's audiences can experience why movie-goers first
fell in love with the silver screen.
• Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, 2 p.m.: A Christmas program featuring Mary Pickford in "Tess of the Storm Country" (1922); Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. What did people watch before special holiday TV programs such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" made their debut in the 1960s? See for yourself with a special program of holiday classics from way back during the silent film era, all accompanied by live music. Included will be the first-ever film versions of such popular tales as 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' the poem by Clement C. Moore. Highlighted by Mary Pickford's feature-length melodrama 'Tess of the Story Country' (1922), with a touching Christmas-time conclusion. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, time about 1:30 p.m.: "Algol, Tragedy of Power" (1920) at the 51st Annual Sci-Fi Marathon presented by the Case Western Reserve University Film Society, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio. Live music for 'Algol, Tragedy of Power,' a featured attraction in this year's annual 36-hour (!) sci-fi marathon at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Early sci-fi film from Germany long thought lost but recently rediscovered and now available. Story centers on a man given a machine by an alien spirit which, if used, would allow him to rule the world. Sets for the movie were constructed by Walter Reimann, one of the designers of 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' (1920).
• Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, 3 p.m.: "So's Your Old Man" (1926) starring W.C. Fields, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers; Cinematheque at the Cleveland Institute of Art, 11610 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio; (216) 421-7450. Admission $14 general admission, $11 members and other discounted categories. Terrific silent comedy with Fields as a henpecked and unsuccessful inventor whose encounter with a mysterious woman makes him the talk of his small town. Silent film with live music at Cleveland's premier venue for great movies; screened in partnership with the Cleveland Silent Film Festival & Colloquium.
• Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Annie Laurie" (1927) starring Lillian Gish; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Rarely-screened MGM epic about Scottish clan battles featuring silent-era megastar Lillian Gish as leading lady while legions of men in kilts do battle. Highlighted by a spectacular cliff-hanging climax! Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Metropolis" (1927) directed by Fritz Lang. The Jane Pickens Theatre, 49 Touro St., Newport, R.I.; (401) 846-5474; https://janepickens.com/. The eye-popping silent film sci-fi masterpiece of German filmmaker Fritz Lang is a vintage look at things to come. 'Metropolis' stands as an stunning example of the power of film to tell a compelling story without words, and reach across the generations to touch movie-goers from the real future that came to pass: us! Timeless silent film on the big screen and with live music. Tickets $18 general admission.
• Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, 5 p.m.: "Peter Pan" (1924) starring Betty Bronson, Mary Brian, Ernest Torrence; Campton Historical Society, Campton Town Hall, Route 175, Campton, N.H. Silent film program preceded by potluck supper beginning at 5 p.m. Film program to start approximately 6:15 p.m. 'Peter Pan' is the original silent film adaptation of J.M. Barrie's immortal tale of the boy who wouldn't grow up. Join the Darling children as they follow Peter to Never Never Land to do battle with the evil Captain Hook. More than a century after its release, a film that's lost none of its power over children of all ages. To join the potluck supper, bring a dish; for the movie, donations accepted to defray costs.
• Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Girl Shy" (1924) starring Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Celebrate Valentine's Day with the original rom-com, a Harold Lloyd gem starring one of the masters of silent comedy and featuring an unforgettable race-to-the-church finish. See Harold's best work as he intended it: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Kid Brother" (1927) starring Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralson; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Often cited as Lloyd's masterpiece, this ambitious silent film comedy/drama tells the story of Harold Hickory, youngest son of a powerful rural sheriff. When his father is unjustly jailed, Harold is forced to prove himself and clear his father's name. Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.
• Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, 6 p.m.: "Girl Shy" (1924) starring Harold Lloyd; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave, Lunenburg, Mass.; (978) 582-4140. Join us for the original rom-com, a Harold Lloyd
gem starring
one of the masters of silent comedy and featuring an unforgettable
race-to-the-church finish. See Harold's best work as he intended it: on
the big screen, with live music, and with an audience. Free and open to the public.
• Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, Kansas Silent Film Festival at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Annual pilgrimage to multi-day celebration of silent film with live music. Check it out at www.kssilentfilmfest.org. My 27th consecutive year of attending this festival, which includes during the pandemic in 2021, when it was held online but we recreated it in New Hampshire. See you in the Sunflower State!
• Saturday, March 7, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Sherlock Holmes" (1916) starring William Gillette; West Springfield Public Library, 200 Park St., West Springfield, Mass.; (413) 736-4561. Recently discovered in France after being lost for nearly a century, see this original 1916 adaptation of Sherlock Holmes stories as performed by William Gillette, the actor who created the role on stage and performed it more than 1,000 times. With the blessing of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Gillette's play combines elements of four classic short stories into a memorable battle with arch-nemesis, Prof. Moriarty. More details to come.
• Sunday, March 8, 2026, 2 p.m.: "A Doggie Double Feature"; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Two vintage films featuring silent canine stars! In 'His Master's Voice' (1925), cowardly Bob Henley is drafted into the army during World War II while his faithful dog Thunder joins the Red Cross. They meet again several months later in France where Thunder helps Bob to overcome his terror and fulfill his duty. In 'The Law's Lash' (1928), Klondike the Dog works with the Northwest Mounted Police to track down smugglers.Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Thursday, March 12, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Program TBA"; Havenwood Heritage Heights Retirement Community, 149 East Side Drive, Concord, N.H.; (603) 229-1266. Private screening not open to the public.
• Saturday, March 14, 2026, 3 p.m.: "Phantom of the Opera" (1925) starring Lon Chaney; Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main St, Falmouth, Mass.; (508) 457-2555. Long before Andrew Lloyd Webber created the hit stage musical, this silent film thriller starring Lon Chaney helped place 'Phantom' firmly in the pantheon of both horror and romance. See it if you dare! Free and open to the public.
• Sunday, March 15, 2026, Details to announced. Silent film with live music at the Leeward Air Ranch, Ocala, Fla.
• Friday, March 20, 2026, "The Blot" (1921) directed by Lois Weber; Opening night of the 4th annual Lois Weber Film Festival. Details to be announced.
• Saturday, March 28, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Safety Last" (1923) starring Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis; at the Blazing Star Grange Hall, North Road in Danbury, N.H. (Preceded by "soup and bread" dinner at 6 p.m.) The iconic image of Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a downtown clock is only one piece of a remarkable thrill comedy that has lost none of its power over audiences more than a century after its release. See it for yourself on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience. Join us for a silent film program in a historic (and authentic) small town N.H. Grange Hall. Soup and bread supper served at 6 p.m., $5 per person; movie shown at 7 p.m., suggested donation of $5 per person.
• Sunday, March 29, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Sherlock Jr." (1924) and "The Cameraman" (1928), both starring Buster Keaton; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. A double feature starring silent icon Buster Keaton in two films about—well, film itself. In 'Sherlock Jr,' Keaton plays a small-town projectionist who dreams himself into the crime drama playing at his theater; in 'The Camerman,' (1928), Buster is a photographer who tries his hand as a newsreel cameraman to impress the girl of his dreams. It doesn't get any meta than this! Join us for silent film on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.
• Thursday, April 2, 2026, 7 p.m.: "King of Kings" (1927) starring H.B. Warner, directed by Cecil B. DeMille; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Long before he played Old Man Gower in 'It's a Wonderful Life,' actor H.B. Warner tackled the much meatier role of Jesus Christ in this Cecil B. DeMille blockbuster. Just in time for Easter; crucifixion scene comes complete with earthquake, landslides, and a cast of thousands. Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.
• Sunday, April 5, 2026, 2 p.m.: "The Ten Commandments" (1923) directed by Cecil B. DeMille; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. What's Easter without a Cecil B. DeMille blockbuster! The original silent film version of 'The Ten Commandments' has all the big scenes, but is very different from the later version starring Charlton Heston. Many say it surpasses the remake—see for yourself as we screen this ground-breaking (and Red Sea-parting) Biblical epic. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Saturday, April 11, 2026: "Program TBA"; Milton (Mass.) Public Library, 476 Canton Ave., Milton, Mass.; (617) 698-5757. Program details to be announced.
• Saturday, May 2, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Annie Laurie" (1927) starring Lillian Gish; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. Rarely-screened MGM epic about Scottish clan battles featuring silent-era megastar Lillian Gish as leading lady while legions of men do battle in kilts. Highlighted by legendary cliff-hanger climax! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series.
• Sunday, May 3, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Steamboat Bill, Jr." (1928) starring Buster Keaton; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. As the pampered son of a gruff steamboat captain, Buster tries to make the grade even as storm clouds gather—and romance brews with the daughter of a rival ship owner. Film climaxes with legendary cyclone sequence, one of Buster's best. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Sunday, May 17, 2026, 2 p.m.: "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" (1926) directed by Lotte Reiniger; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. Taken from 'The Arabian Nights,' the first full-length animated feature (a full decade earlier than Disney's 'Snow White') tells the story of a wicked sorcerer who tricks Prince Achmed into mounting a magical flying horse, sending him off to a series of wondrous and romantic adventures. A masterful example of silhouette-style animation and a true breakthrough in cinematic story-telling. Join us for 100th anniversary presentation on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.
• Sunday, June 7, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Beau Geste" (1926) starring Ronald Colman; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. One of the top films of 1926, newly restored for its 100th anniversary. Michael "Beau" Geste leaves England in disgrace and joins the infamous French Foreign Legion. He is reunited with his two brothers in North Africa, where they face greater danger from their own sadistic commander than from the rebellious Arabs. Join us for a summer mini-series of 1926 blockbusters celebrating their 100th birthdays! Watch for young actor Neil Hamilton, who would go on to fame much later as Commissioner Gordon in the 1960s 'Batman' TV series. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Thursday, June 11, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Kid" (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin, Jackie Coogan; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Chaplin's breakthrough comedy/drama finds the Tramp raising an infant against all odds. Highlighted by amazing work of five-year-old Coogan, who delivers one of the most remarkable child performances in all of cinema. As the film tells us: "A story with a smile, and perhaps a tear." Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.
• Saturday, June 13, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Kid" (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin, Jackie Coogan; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. Chaplin's breakthrough comedy/drama finds the Tramp raising an infant against all odds. Highlighted by amazing work of five-year-old Coogan, who delivers one of the most remarkable child performances in all of cinema. As the film tells us: "A story with a smile, and perhaps a tear." Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series.
• Sunday, June 14, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Chang" (1927); Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. Early semi-documentary that takes viewers deep into the unspoiled jungles of rural Siam (now Thailand) in southeast Asia. Story follows families forced to band together to battle fearsome and lethal enemies, chief among them the dreaded 'Chang.' Made by the team that would go on to film 'King Kong' several years later. Join us for silent film on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.
• Saturday, July 18, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Black Pirate" (1926) starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr.; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. The granddaddy of all pirate films, with Fairbanks as an athletic young aristocrat who seeks revenge by joining the pirate band responsible for his father's death. Filmed in color! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series.
• Sunday, July 19, 2026, 2 p.m.: "The Johnstown Flood" (1926) starring George O'Brien, Florence Gilbert, and Janet Gaynor; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. A dramatization of the infamous 1889 disaster, centering on a love triangle between engineer Tom O'Day and two women: the working-class Anna Burger (played by Janet Gaynor) and the wealthy Gloria Hamilton. As a greedy mill owner ignores warnings about the South Fork Dam, a flood is triggered, and Anna attempts to race through the town to warn residents. The film is notable for its pioneering special effects. Join us for a summer mini-series of 1926 blockbusters celebrating their 100th birthdays! Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Sunday, July 26, 2026, 2 p.m.: "For Heaven's Sake" (1926) starring Harold Lloyd; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. Wealthy playboy Harold (who buys new cars based on how they match the color of his pants) falls for a young gal working for her father's church in the slums, giving rise to one of the best movie taglines ever: "A Man With a Mansion. A Miss With A Mission." Join us for 100th anniversary presentation on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.
• Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Son of the Sheik" (1926) starring Rudolph Valentino; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. The screen's original Latin lover in his most famous role, that of Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassad, ruler of a vast desert empire and conqueror of many a woman's heart. Prepare to swoon! Exotic adventure film that captured the imagination of early movie audiences. Shown in honor of the 100th anniversary of Valentino's untimely death in August 1926 at age 31. Part of a summer mini-series of 1926 blockbusters celebrating their 100th birthdays! Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Steamboat Bill, Jr." (1928); The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. As the son of a gruff steamboat captain, Buster tries to make the grade even as storm clouds gather—and romance brews with the daughter of a rival ship owner. Film climaxes with legendary cyclone sequence, one of Buster's best. Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.
• Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Son of the Sheik" (1926) starring Rudolph Valentino; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. We mark the 100th anniversary of Valentino's untimely death with his final picture: a rip-roaring sequel to 'The Sheik,' full of romance, adventure, and thrills! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series.
• Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Son of the Sheik" (1926) starring Rudolph Valentino; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com.We mark the 100th anniversary of Valentino's untimely death with his final picture: a rip-roaring sequel to 'The Sheik,' full of romance, adventure, and thrills! Join us for 100th anniversary presentation on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.
• Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Hot Water" (1924) starring Harold Lloyd; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. Unusual for Lloyd, a domestic comedy in which he's already married the girl of his dreams, but now must deal with a house full of dreadful in-laws. Great silent film comedy! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series.
• Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, 2 p.m.: "A Fool There Was" (1915) starring Theda Bara; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. This early silent blockbuster finds successful husband, father and politician John Schuyler (Edward José) caught in the clutches of the scheming Vampire (Theda Bara), a seductress famous for luring men, using them and leaving them ruined. Taking a business cruise to England without his wife (Mabel Fremier) and daughter, the easily fooled John is targeted by the irresistible Vampire aboard the ship, and soon becomes her willing victim as she spends his money and drives him to drug addiction. One of the few surviving pictures of early screen sex symbol Theda Bara. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Grass" (1925); Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. Early documentary follows nomadic tribesman (in what is today Iran) on their 48-day trek across deserts, rivers and mountains to reach summer pasture for their flocks. There are hardships and conquests for the 50,000 tribesmen leading their 500,000 animals across the treacherous land. First is fording the raging waters of the Karun River by floating on rafts buoyed by inflated goatskins. Back and forth they go in the frigid waters as some animals drown. Hardest of all is the ascending in bare feet of an almost perpendicular mountain. Join us for silent film on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.
• Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, 6 p.m.: "The Scarlet Letter" (1926) starring Lillian Gish; Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, N.H.; (603) 476-8895. Observe Banned Books week with this splashy MGM adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic tale of old New England, with Lillian Gish in the leading role as Hester Prynne. After having a child out of wedlock, a young Puritan woman is pressured to reveal the name of her lover. Ah, the good old days! Free and open to the public; attendees are asked to register in advance at moultonboroughlibrary.org.
• Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, 6 p.m.: "The Scarlet Letter" (1926) starring Lillian Gish; Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., Plymouth, Mass.; (508) 830-4250; observe Banned Books week with this splashy MGM adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic tale of old New England, with Lillian Gish in the leading role as Hester Prynne. After having a child out of wedlock, a young Puritan woman is pressured to reveal the name of her lover. Ah, the good old days! Free and open to the public.
• Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Program TBA"; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. Join us for silent film on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.
• Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, 7 p.m.: "Nosferatu" (1922), directed by F.W. Murnau; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Just in time for Halloween: the original vampire film, this loose adaptation of the 'Dracula' story just gets weirder and creepier as the years go by. See it for yourself! Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Bat" (1926) directed by Roland West; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. A masked criminal who dresses like a giant bat terrorizes the guests at an old house rented by a mystery writer. Early horror film thought lost until recent rediscovery! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series.
• Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, 2 p.m.: "The Bat" (1926) directed by Roland West; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. A masked criminal who dresses like a giant bat terrorizes the guests at an old house rented by a mystery writer. Early horror film thought lost until recent rediscovery! Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Cat and the Canary" (1927) directed by Paul Leni; Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry; sponsored by Derry Public Library. Can a group of distant relatives survive the night in a haunted house to learn the secret of a madman's will? Find out in the original Gothic thriller from silent film director Paul Leni. Just in time for Halloween, a movie filled with deep shadows, dark secrets, and a surprisingly timeless mix of humor and horror that will keep you guessing. Remember: in silent film, no one can hear you scream! Free admission! For more information, contact the Derry Public Library at (603) 432-6140.
• Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Navigator" (1924) starring Buster Keaton; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. Set sail with Buster Keaton in his classic comedy about a spoiled rich couple marooned all alone on a drifting ocean liner. Visual comedy at its finest! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series.
• Sunday, Nov. 29, 2026, 2 p.m.: "A Sailor-Made Man" (1921) starring Harold Lloyd; "Shoulder Arms" (1918) starring Charlie Chaplin; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. This Thanksgiving weekend, a salute to those in uniform courtesy two of the masters of silent comedy. In 'Sailor Made Man' (1921), pampered socialite Harold Lloyd enlists in the U.S. Navy to impress his girlfriend, only to discover he can't leave after the first afternoon. In 'Shoulder Arms' (1918), the Kaiser will never recover after Charlie's Little Tramp is deployed to the European battlefields of World War I. See what it was like to serve one's country more than a century ago while enjoying timeless visual comedy with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.
• Thursday, Dec. 10, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Unholy Three" (1925) starring Lon Chaney; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. In this hypnotic mix of creepiness and crime, the man of a thousand faces (Chaney) plays a ventriloquist who dons a granny disguise to team with a strongman and a little person in a bizarre robbery scheme that ends in murder. The film is the first collaboration between Chaney and director Browning, who would helm seven more Chaney movies before making sound era horror history with 'Dracula' (1931) and 'Freaks' (1932). Probably the strangest Christmas-themed film ever made—see it if you dare! Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.
• Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Unholy Three" (1925) starring Lon Chaney; Crandell Theatre, 48 Main St., Chatham, N.Y.; (518) 392-3445. Probably the strangest Christmas-themed film ever made—see it if you dare!In this hypnotic mix of creepiness and crime, the man of a thousand faces (Chaney) plays a ventriloquist who dons a granny disguise to team with a strongman and a little person in a bizarre robbery scheme that ends in murder. Plus an early version of the classic Dickens tale 'A Christmas Carol' (1910) produced by Thomas Edison and which runs all of 10 minutes! Ticket price TBA.
• Saturday, Dec. 26, 2026, 7 p.m.: "The Black Pirate" (1926) starring Douglas Fairbanks, Sr; Crandell Theatre, 48 Main St., Chatham, N.Y.; (518) 392-3445. The granddaddy of all pirate films, with Fairbanks as an athletic young aristocrat who seeks revenge by joining the pirate band responsible for his father's death. One of the first films shown at the Crandell, a vintage movie theater that first opened on Dec. 26, 1926—100 years ago today! Happy birthday to a wonderful community venue as it enters its second century of bringing people together. Ticket price TBA.
