Silent Film Nights at the WVMCC – 3/13/2025
Experience classics from F.W. Murnau with live music from the pipe organ!
Wenatchee, Wash. – (Tuesday, March 11, 2025), The Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center (WVMCC) invites film enthusiasts for a 3-part silent film series focused on the work of German Expressionist filmmaker F. W. Murnau, who pioneered the early silent film era in Germany.
Wenatchee Valley College Professor Hart Johnson.
German Expressionist filmmaker F. W. Murnau.
Each screening will begin with a lecture from Wenatchee Valley College Professor Hart Johnson and followed by live musical accompaniment on the WVMCC’s Wurlitzer pipe organ performed by Thomas Kozina.
Built in 1919, the WVMCC’s Wurlitzer Pipe Organ was originally installed in the Liberty Theater and was regularly used for silent films until 1929. In 1989, the Wurlitzer was installed in the WVMCC’s performance hall, where it remains to this day.
Friday, March 28, 6-8 PM— Nosferatu
Released in 1922, see the silent film that inspired Robert Eggers’ gothic remake. Directed by F. W. Murnau, watch as vampire Count Orlock preys on the wife of his estate agent, bringing the plague to their German town. This film was inspired by the classic tale of Dracula, revamping the vampire myth for a German audience. Learn more about this film here.
Friday, April 25, 6-8 PM— The Last Laugh
Originally produced in 1924, this “chamber-drama” centers around a nameless hotel doorman, who is fired after he’s deemed too “old and unfit” to promote the hotel’s image, resulting in a rapid downward spiral. Chamber-dramas are short plays that focus on the psychology of lower- to middle-class characters, avoiding the use of title cards in between scenes in order to have the visual storytelling speak for itself.
Friday, May 23, 6-8 PM— Faust
Released in 1926, this silent fantasy film follows the story of Faust, an alchemist who makes a pact with the demon, Mephisto, sending him on a journey filled with many perils, temptations, and love along the way. Faust was the last film Murnau directed in Germany before moving to the United States.
Hart Johnson is a Humanities Professor at Wenatchee Valley College. He teaches film studies, mythology, and other humanities courses. Professor Johnson has a passion for film and is excited to be working with the Museum on this unique film exhibition series.
Admission is $5 for members AND students, and $7 for non-members. Pre-registration is recommended. Beverages for sale, including beer and wine for those 21+. Popcorn will be provided.
Learn more about this new silent film series by visiting wenatcheevalleymuseum.org or call the WVMCC front desk at (509)-888-6240.
About the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center
The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center’s mission is to gather, engage, and educate people to celebrate and preserve the history, arts, sciences, and rich diversity of our region. The Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates with the support of the cities of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee.
