Exeter Phoenix is hosting screenings of Buster Keaton silent comedies accompanied by music from American rock band R.E.M. and electronic artist Amon Tobin on Thursday 6 and Saturday 7 February.
Sherlock Jr. (1924), directed by and starring Buster Keaton, follows a projectionist who dreams of becoming a detective. He makes use of his limited skills when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s pocket watch.
The film will be accompanied by tracks from R.E.M. albums Monster, released in 1994, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi, released in 1996.
Sherlock Jr. was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1991.
Sherlock Jr. will be preceded by The Balloonatic (1923), one of Buster Keaton’s final short films. It will be accompanied by a new composition by Brazilian electronic musician Amon Tobin.
The screenings have been put together by Silents Synced, an initiative launched in 2024 which pairs silent film classics with alternative music.
It has previously screened F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922) to music from Radiohead albums Kid A and Amnesiac.
Sherlock Jr. & The Balloonatic are being screened at 8.15pm on Thursday 5 February and 5pm on Saturday 7 February 2026 in Studio 74 at Exeter Phoenix.
Tickets cost £12, or £10 for students, under-25s and Exeter Phoenix members.
For more information and to book visit the Exeter Phoenix website.
