'The Unknown' with Live Score by the Invincible Czars

Local band The Invincible Czars will present their live score to Tod Browning's (Freaks, Dracula) silent film The Unknown, starring Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford, on Sunday night at Alamo Ritz. From the press release:

"What can you do with your feet? In Tod Browning's 1927 silent film The Unknown,  Lon Chaney plays Alonzo, an armless sharpshooter and knife thrower in a Spanish gypsy circus. Alonzo smokes cigarettes, shoots a rifle, plays guitar, and throws knives with his feet, an effect Chaney produced with the help of a real-life armless double (Paul Desmuke). Alonzo's lovely assistant Nanon (Joan Crawford) is the object of his secret affection, but he is not without competition -- circus strong man Malabar (Norman Kerry) is also in love with Nanon, but it seems she cannot bear to have a man's hands touch her. This beautiful and macabre film features Chaney in what is arguably the best performance of his career.

"Austin's rulers of weirdo rock, the Invincible Czars, will debut their first score to an American silent film with The Unknown at the Alamo Ritz on February 28, 2010. This new score is a departure for the band featuring more acoustic instruments than electric and surprisingly sparse arrangements compared to the 'more is more' frenzy the band is known for. However, in typical Czars fashion, the score features excerpts from and variations on familiar classical music: Rimsky-Korsakov’s 'Capriccio Español' and Tchaikovsky’s '1812 Overture.' The Unknown will also mark the departure of Louis Landry as the group’s permanent drummer. Landry created many of the themes used in the score and these performances will celebrate his work and time with the band. The Invincible Czars will accompany an actual celluloid print of The Unknown for this performance. The Invincible Czars' prior forays into silent film territory have included Fritz Lang's Destiny (1921) and Yakov Protazanov's Aelita, Queen of Mars (1924)."