New UK Cinema Series Fuses Classic Silent Films with Rock Music

A groundbreaking new cinema experience, Silents Synced, is set to launch in the UK this autumn, pairing legendary silent films with era-defining albums by iconic rock artists, offering a bold reimagining of cinema and sound.

Kicking off the programme is F.W. Murnau’s 1922 horror masterpiece Nosferatu, presented with the haunting textures of Radiohead’s Kid A and Amnesiac — the former marking its 25th anniversary this year. Screenings begin nationwide from 2 October 2025. Following in early 2026 is Buster Keaton’s visionary 1924 comedy Sherlock Jr., matched to the alt-rock dynamism of R.E.M.’s Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi, arriving in cinemas from 5 February.

An adaptation of Dracula, Nosferatu is a cornerstone of German expressionist cinema. Max Schreck’s portrayal of Count Orlok — a ghastly, clawed figure with a leering, alien visage — remains one of the most unsettling depictions of vampirism ever captured on film.

In contrast, Sherlock Jr. is a surreal, stunt-laden comedy that follows a daydreaming projectionist who imagines himself as a detective solving crimes inside the very films he projects. Keaton, a pioneer of physical comedy, famously broke his neck performing one of the film’s daring stunts — a testament to his creative audacity.

Each pairing in Silents Synced is thoughtfully curated, with albums selected not only for their musical resonance but for thematic parallels to the films themselves — resulting in unexpected yet harmonious cinematic experiences. The films and music are synced with care, creating emotional and narrative synchronicity that brings new life to century-old classics.

Further elements have been added to visually enhance the films by independent visual artists André Ouellette of the US entertainment production house Rooster Teeth for Nosferatu, and Myles Mangino, Pixies lighting designer.

Created by independent cinema pioneer Josh Frank — writer, producer, and founder of the famous Austin, Texas boutique urban drive-in, the Blue Starlite — Silents Synced is designed for and by the indie cinema community. Frank has previously collaborated with Black Francis, David Lynch, Harold Ramis, The Marx bros. Estate, and Tim Heidecker, and authored official biographies on the Pixies. Watch the trailer below.

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