ACMI, Fed Square and the Goethe-Institut present
The Adventures of Prince Achmed with live score by Phillip Johnston
When
Fri 26 Feb 2021
7.15pm
See below for additional related events
The world's first animated feature is given a new, electronic-infused jazz score by Phillip Johnston and his quartet.
When a mysterious sorcerer attempts to arrange a marriage with a young princess, her brother, Prince Achmed, is quick to intervene. However, the prince is tricked into mounting a flying horse and is soon whisked away to a faraway land.
Drawing on a long history of shadow puppetry and based on stories from Arabian Nights, Lotte Reiniger’s beautifully handcrafted silhouette animation is the world’s oldest surviving animated feature – and perhaps the world's first. Ninety-four years young, this early work of silent cinema is complemented with a new, electronic-infused jazz score by Phillip Johnston and his quartet.
This very special free performance is co-presented with the Goethe-Institut and Fed Square. Arrive early to grab a free gelato, a deckchair or bring your own chair or picnic rug.
Further reading
READ: Scissors make films: Lotte Reiniger on creating her magical animations
Lotte Reiniger, Sight & Sound, Spring 1936
READ: Before Walt Disney, there was Lotte Reiniger – the story of the world’s first animated feature
Alexander Sergeant, The Conversation, 24 Oct 2019.
About Phillip Johnston
Phillip Johnston is an American-born saxophonist and composer whose extensive work includes jazz and contemporary composition, and music for film, theatre, and a variety of ensembles. Johnston has composed scores for some classic films from the silent era including Faust (1926), Page of Madness (1926) and short films by Georges Méliès.
