In 2026, The Invincible Czars celebrate 100 years of the silent masterpiece Faust (2026, FW Murnau) by performing their tastefully modern soundtrack live with the movie at theatres in the US and Canada. Their brand new electrifying score marries new and old elements of classical music, bossa nova and even a touch of heavy metal to bring the movie to life for contemporary audiences and incorporates a mix of instruments like flute, violin and electric guitar.
ABOUT THE FILM
An elderly alchemist named Faust (Gösta Ekman) makes a pact with the demon Mephisto (Emil Jannings) to gain the power to protect his village from plague. Faust soon succumbs to temptation and asks Mephisto to restore his youth and help him acquire all the hedonistic pleasures that earth can offer. Eventually, his love affair with a young woman named Gretchen (Camilla Horn) leads to tragic and devastating consequences for them both.
Faust is the quintessential “deal with the devil” tale based on a centuries-old European legend. The legend inspired Johann Wofgang Goethe’s 1808 play which is considered Germany’s greatest literary work. Virtually every “sell your soul” type story from the film Crossroads to songs like “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” owes a debt to Faust whether the creators know it or not.
ABOUT THE SOUNDTRACK
The Invincible Czars’s score for Faust is mostly original material inspired by film score composers like Bernard Herrman and John Williams peppered with and cinematic metal a la Fantomas and even a little Marcos Valle-esque bossa nova. The band keeps their tradition of incorporating music from Russian classical composers, revisiting their renditions of Mussorgsy’s Pictures at an Exhibition and A Night on Bald Mountain in particular for this soundtrack. Five players perform the score live on violin, electric guitar, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, glockenspiel, keyboard and drums.
ABOUT THE BAND
The Invincible Czars have made a name for themselves among horror and classic film lovers in the US and Canada with their original, tastefully modern live soundtracks for silent films which they started creating for the original Alamo Drafthouse in their hometown of Austin, TX in 2007, though they began making their whacky brand of cinematic rock in 2003. They are great at using music and sound to transform century-old movies into immersive and engaging experiences that allow audiences to approach, appreciate, and enjoy the depth and innovation of classic silent film. Czars shows are a lot of fun with opportunities for audience participation and costumery.
WATCH THE TRAILER
You can see the trailer here.
