Pairing classic movies with modern soundtracks is always fun—like playing The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wizard of Oz at the same time—and it works especially well with silent films. When one of Buster Keaton’s masterpieces, Sherlock Jr., is re-released in theaters in February, the music will come from R.E.M.‘s Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi albums. Full details are on producer Blue Starlite Entertainment’s “Silents Synced” series website.
A trailer for the release begins with old-timey music before kicking into R.E.M.’s “Star 69” as Keaton’s character, an aspiring detective, trails a suspect. As the trailer notes, the re-release celebrates the film’s 101st anniversary next year.
“Buster Keaton is one of my favorite actor/director/writers in movie history,” former R.E.M. guitarist, Peter Buck, said in a statement. “I’m honored that in some small way R.E.M. is collaborating with him from beyond the grave!”
The band’s manager, Bertis Downs, explained further, “The guys were all big Buster Keaton fans well before this left-field idea came down the pike and that everyone in the band, ‘Likes the uncanny way the music and film work together.’” Incidentally, Chris Bilheimer, who art directed and designed the covers for Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi, created the new Sherlock Jr. poster, which is available for purchase.
The world premiere of the pairing will premiere in R.E.M.’s hometown of Athens, Georgia at the Morton Theatre on Feb. 1. A national release will follow on Feb. 7.
The release is the latest in the Silents Synced series, which recently combined F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu with Radiohead’s music. The owner of Austin’s Blue Starlite cinema, Josh Frank, thought up the idea for the series during Covid lockdowns. “This is a strategic format to draw new audiences to cinemas for a communal music experience like no other,” Frank said in a statement. “While traditional moviegoers will always be our lifeblood, music fans will go to greater lengths for a shared experience. They are a fundamentally new audience for us all.” He’s planning future collaborations with They Might Be Giants, Pearl Jam, Pixies, and Amon Tobin.