The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari with a live score by David DiDonato

Hyperreal Film Club is screening The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari at Hyperreal Film Club, 301 Chicon Street, on Wednesday, August 5. The film is one of the first and most important of the silent era, and it's being presented here as a reinterpretation: David DiDonato wrote and recorded a new score for it, which he'll perform live during the screening.

DiDonato spent 18 months writing and recording the piece during the pandemic. He describes it as woozy dreampop and shoegaze that leans into the film's surreal imagery, so it's not a traditional silent film accompaniment—it's a contemporary score built around the movie's distorted, expressionist look. The screening is supported in part by an Elevate Grant from Austin Arts, Culture, Music, & Entertainment.

Hyperreal Film Club is an Austin collective that stages movie-watching experiences in unusual, thoughtful and immersive pop-up environments while amplifying local artists. This fits right into that: taking a century-old silent classic and pairing it with a local musician's new work. If you've never seen Caligari, it's a great place to start with silent cinema—it's famous for its jagged, painted sets and a story that keeps you guessing about who's telling the truth.

Doors open at 7 PM, and the screening runs from 7:30 PM to 11 PM. Tickets are $8.