Our Hospitality with live score by Blue Grassy Knoll

Dir. John G. Blystone & Buster Keaton, USA, 1923, Unclassified (All Ages)

Come along and watch one of Buster Keaton’s earliest feature films as director paired with an uproarious score by gypsy-bluegrass ensemble Blue Grassy Knoll.

When he inherits the family home, Willie McKay (Buster Keaton) packs his bags and boards a train for a small town in the Appalachian Mountains. During the train journey, Willie coyly sits beside Virginia Canfield (played by Buster Keaton’s real-life wife Natalie Talmadge). The pair quietly fall in love across the journey, but unbeknownst to the pair, their families have a decades long feud. The Canfields have murder on their minds and the moment Willie steps off the train, his life is in danger.

This very special outdoor screening and performance is free to attend. Arrive early to grab a deckchair or bring your own chair or picnic rug.

Language: Silent with English Intertitles
Source: National Film & Sound Archive of Australia

About Blue Grassy Knoll

Over their 19-year career Blue Grassy Knoll have cemented their place as one of Australia’s most well-loved, accomplished and enduring performance troupes. In recreating the silent movie experience the band sits watching the film with the audience, playing their own original compositions and using the film itself for their cues – a truly amazing experience to witness.

When writing for silent films, the Blue Grassy Knoll have developed an organic process of generating music to moving image that is uniquely collaborative. They draw on influences from a hugely diverse range of musical sources, creating arrangements and textures that mirror contemporary film scoring concepts. They aim to re-invigorate classic films with a modern aesthetic and energy, as well as inject a spontaneity that comes with live performance and improvisation. Their aim is always to deliver what they believe would be the intention of director had he knowledge of today’s film scoring techniques.

Credits

Composer: Blue Grassy Knoll

Musicians:
Simon Barfoot – guitar, percussion, foley
Gus Macmillan – banjo, flute, guitar
Philip McLeod – accordion, cello, mandolin, harmonica
Mark Elton – double bass
Steph O’Hara – violin, mandolin, accordion

Presented by Fed Square and supported by ACMI and Insite Arts