The historic West Newton Cinema will celebrate Silent Movie Monday with a special live score screening of the 1916 silent film Snow White on Monday, September 29 at 7 pm.
The vintage film was heroically rescued and preserved for future generations just a few years ago, and the parallels between the restored silent motion picture and the preservation of West Newton’s own beloved movie house are striking.
Like all silent movies, Snow White was made on flammable nitrate film stock, and for many years, it was rumored to have been destroyed in a vault fire. But a single theatrical print was discovered in the Netherlands in 1992, and an amazing restoration was done by the George Eastman House film archive.
The whimsical silent fantasy returns to the big screen of a movie theater which was rescued itself just last summer. Through the mighty efforts of the West Newton Cinema Foundation and passionate support of local film lovers, the 90-year-old venue has re-emerged as a vital cultural gathering place. The foundation now owns the building and is continuing its campaign to revitalize its Art Deco charm, as well as provide a range of lively cinema storytelling for the public.
Come experience the magic of movies with a silent fairy tale from the dawn of cinema accompanied by a live harp and viola score from Leslie McMichael, harpist-composer, and her sister Barbara McMichael, viola.
McMichael enthuses, “It’s thrilling to play live and pair the visuals of film with my music. With every performance, we get to use our instruments to underscore the expressive acting so typical of the silent era – very fun!”
For advance tickets to the Snow White film screening with live harp and viola accompaniment, visit https://www.westnewtoncinema.com/movie/snow-white-1916 General admission is $20 with discounts offered for students and teachers. West Newton Cinema is located at 1296 Washington Street, West Newton, MA.
