Wurlitza: Sunrise (U) (A Song of two Humans)

Sunrise (original title: A Tale of Two Humans) is one of the last great silent films, filled with so many wonderful moments which led to it winning the first and only Academy Award for Best Silent Film. An allegorical tale about a man fighting the good and evil within him, both sides are made flesh: one a sophisticated woman he is attracted to and the other his wife. The ‘evil’ temptress is a city woman, who bewitches farmer Anses, and tries to convince him to murder his neglected wife, Indre.

“This song of the man and his wife is of no-place and everyplace: you might hear it anywhere at anytime. For wherever the sun rises and sets…in the city’s turmoil or under the open sky on the farm, life is much the same, sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet.” So begins F.W. Murnau’s astonishing film. It is one of the most moving stories ever told on film. Labelled simply ‘The Man’ (George O Brien) and ‘The Wife’ (Janet Gaynor) the protagonists embark on an adventure of temptation, reconciliation, re-consecration and redemption, told with a lyrical simplicity of timelessness and universality.

Sunrise is silent film at its most poetic. Made with an unlimited budget it uses an amazing array of cinematic touches, with a plot that keeps the audience transfixed. Wurlitza have added music that will be both familiar and unfamiliar, from Bach and Villa Lobas to Talking Heads, Echo and the Bunnymen, Madness and the Vapors, as well as some of our own. This is a truly unique and memorable experience, and great for all ages.

Running time approx 2 hours including interval.

The Wurlitza crew has brought their magic to the Arts Centre twice before, in 2022 (Diary of A Lost Girl) and 2023 (A Cottage On Dartmoor). Audiences absolutely loved these shows, with great music bringing these old silent films back to life and into the twenty-first century. It works for all ages and is like nothing else.

Wurlitza is a critically-acclaimed five-piece band from South East Cornwall which adds live soundtracks to silent films in a way that is completely unique. Their wide ranging repertoire includes original, pop, contemporary, classical, jazz and klezmer music. Expect the unexpected! Wurlitza adds a modern twist to silent film accompaniment by adding music that will be familiar, but arranged in a way that is novel and fresh.

Murnau’s Sunrise is silent film at its most poetic. Made with an unlimited budget, it uses an amazing array of cinematic effects, with a plot that will keep you transfixed. It is a lyrical, life-affirming, rollercoaster of a love story set ‘at any time, in any place’. The action moves rapidly between moments of passion and tragedy, interspersed with comic touches as the couple from the country find themselves adrift in the alien world of the city.
Wurlitza has added music that will be both familiar and unfamiliar, from Bach and Villa Lobos to Talking Heads, Echo and the Bunnymen, Madness and The Vapors, as well as some of their own compositions.

This will be a memorable event, great for all ages.

Wurlitza has been performing live music soundtracks to silent films for over ten years, with a repertoire that is eclectic and extensive. The music incorporates five part vocal harmony, classical piano and guitar, modern pop, jazz and much in between. The performance will challenge any perception of silent film as outdated or boring – this is live entertainment with a twist: film brought alive by music and music made live by film.

“Thoroughly recommended and refreshingly different.” Nick Bailey, Classic FM
“I loved Wurlitza’s pop to classical soundtrack” Badaude, the Guardian
“Blending contemporary musical themes in a unique and seamless performance, this entertaining hybrid offers a fresh approach to this genre. A musical and visual treat that is not to be missed.” Paul K Joyce, Composer/Producer