PaperHouse Theatre
presents
at
Classic Silent films
With Live Accompaniment
Upcoming Shows
Sunday
September 27th:
Sunday
October 25th
Sunday
November 22nd
Held on the fourth Sunday of each month at 1:00 PM, each program features either a curated selection of silent shorts or a feature presentation.
Every screening includes a brief introduction to provide context and create a relaxed, welcoming environment for experiencing cinema from 100 years ago.
Each program also includes a zine-style handout with essays, images, and notes exploring the film, its history, and its place in silent cinema.
Whether you're new to silent film or a longtime fan, Silent Cinema Café offers a cool, casual way to experience these one-of-a-kind works of visual storytelling, with live accompaniment in the intimate screening room at the back of VisArt Video.
Sunday, September 27 at 2pm
Comedy Shorts featuring Laurel & Hardy (& Friends)
Live improvised accompaniment by Charlotte musician MonaLisa Musiq
Join us for an afternoon of classic silent comedy featuring Laurel & Hardy, KoKo the Clown, Billy Bletcher, and more, presented on the big screen with live musical accompaniment.
Our program includes four classic comedy shorts:
The Noodle Nut (1923)
A delightfully absurd comedy starring Billy Bletcher, recently rediscovered through the Library of Congress’ Mostly Lost project and presented courtesy of Undercrank Productions.
KoKo in 1999 (1927)
KoKo the Clown takes a trip into the future in this wonderfully strange animated comedy, presented courtesy of Fleischer Cartoons Restored.
Putting Pants on Philip (1927)
Laurel & Hardy’s first film as a comedy team, featuring Stan as a kilt-wearing Scottish immigrant whose arrival in America creates no end of trouble for Ollie.
The Battle of the Century (1927)
One of Laurel & Hardy’s great early comedies, and one of the most famous pie fights in film history. This hilarious two-reeler was made during The Boys’ first year as a comedy team.
The Laurel & Hardy films will be presented in beautiful restorations by Blackhawk Films® and Lobster Films, courtesy of Flicker Alley.
Sunday, August 23 at 1pm
"The Bat" (1926)
Featuring live improvised accompaniment by Charlotte musician MonaLisa Musiq
A mysterious criminal known only as "The Bat" stalks a sprawling country mansion where a group of strangers search for a hidden fortune. Filled with secret passages, suspicious characters, eerie atmosphere, unexpected laughs, and ingenious twists, this fast-paced silent classic helped define the "old dark house" mystery, influencing generations of suspense films, mysteries, and even the creation of Gotham City's famous caped crusader.
This screening features Undercrank Productions' acclaimed 2K restoration.
Silent Cinema Café celebrates the magic of silent film as it was originally experienced: on the big screen with live musical accompaniment. Whether you're a longtime silent film enthusiast or discovering these classics for the first time, this is a unique opportunity to experience one of silent cinema's most entertaining mystery thrillers in a lively communal setting.
Sunday, June 28th at 1pm
Marion Davies in
Beverly of Graustark (1926)
Featuring live improvised accompaniment by Charlotte musician Kate Bankston.
In one of her most charming and energetic performances, Marion Davies stars as an American college student who must masquerade as a prince to save the kingdom of Graustark. The result is a delightfully gender-bending romantic comedy packed with mistaken identities, political intrigue, cross-dressing hijinks, swordfights, chases, and unexpected romance.
This screening will feature the acclaimed 4K restoration from the Library of Congress, presented courtesy of Undercrank Productions, our June Silent Cinema Café sponsor.
Silent Cinema Café celebrates the magic of silent film as it was originally experienced: on the big screen with live musical accompaniment. Whether you're a longtime silent film enthusiast or discovering these classics for the first time, this is a unique opportunity to experience one of the silent era's most charismatic stars in a lively communal setting.
Sunday, May 24th at 1pm
Buster Keaton in
Sherlock (1926)
This screening will feature a live improvised musical accompaniment by MonaLisa Musiq, recreating the experience of seeing silent films with live music.
Sherlock, Jr. is a brilliant deconstruction of the filmmaking process. Buster Keaton stars as a movie theater projectionist who dreams of becoming a super-sleuth and, in one breathtaking sequence, literally steps into the screen to bring his fantasies to life.
The program will also include a bonus Ko-Ko the Clown cartoon courtesy of Fabulous Fleischer Cartoons Restored.
(4K restoration courtesy of Cohen Media Group)
The Venue
Each screening will take place in the intimate screening room located in the back of the legendary VisArt Video. A landmark of Charlotte's East Side, Charlotte's only surviving video store is conveniently located near Plaza-Midwood and many preshow dinning options in the Eastway Crossing shopping center