The second installment in Baton Rouge Gallery – center for contemporary art’s (“BRG”) Movies & Music on the Lawn 2023-24 series will take place just before Halloween, on October 28, 2023. Join us as local solo project Ben Living takes on the visually striking 1921 classic silent film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
Since 1998, this series has been a staple in Baton Rouge, bringing contemporary Louisiana-based musicians to compose and perform original scores for silent-era classic films while they’re projected on a towering inflatable screen under the stars. On top of October’s screening, additional events in the 2023-24 series will be held in March and April 2024 inside BREC’s City-Brooks Community Park.
Thanks to the support of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, this wonderful night of sight and sound will be completely free for all to enjoy!
Scroll down for info on Ben Living & The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921)
About Ben Living: A solo project of Baton Rouge-based musician Ben Livingston, Ben Living creates music using samples from horror films, as well as original music inspired by horror films of the 70s and 80s.
He is interested in the parallels between sacred, ritualistic music used in ceremonies across the world and music composed for horror films; believing there is a common thread in the haunting, ethereal nature of the music.
About The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920): One of the most influential and respected gems of the silent film era, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) is universally revered as a triumph of director Robert Wiene and German expressionism. The film was once called by film critic Roger Ebert, "arguably the first true horror film" and today has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The story sees friends Francis and Alan encounter the crazed Dr. Caligari at a German carnival. They see Caligari showing off his somnambulist, Cesare (played by Conrad Veidt, best known for his portrayal of Nosferatu two years later), a hypnotized man who the doctor claims can see into the future. Shockingly, Cesare then predicts Alan's death, and by morning his chilling prophecy has come true -- making Cesare the prime suspect. However, is Cesare guilty, or is the doctor?
