Nottingham Contemporary

The Screen at Contemporary presents SLOW. FAST. STRANGE.  A collection of films where the soundtrack is the main character.

Music and film have long been entwined.  Each affects the other profoundly. They can blend harmoniously; they can contort each other. In symbiosis, they leave us seeing music and hearing image. Curated in collaboration with our friends at Running Circle Records, we have selected films with some of the best scores, and paired them with further listening recommendations. 

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THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (1973) with original Live Score by Bo Ningen

Director Alejandro Jodorowsky stars as the Alchemist, a guru who leads a group of seven pilgrims on a magical quest to a sacred mountain where they may achieve spiritual enlightenment.  A scandal on its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, this cult masterpiece intertwines 1970s spiritual yearnings, existential philosophy, and sex. A visually stunning and grotesque fever dream that is as much conceptual artwork as a stunning monument of cinema. 

This rare screening will be accompanied by an original live score by Japanese psych rock band Bo Ningen. They say of the piece: “We used the underlying mystical structure of the film to write the pieces so that this live score has a deeper connection with this cult classic. Wandering deep into Jodorowsky’s mirror-filled labyrinth, we managed to draw our own version of an alchemical journey and brought back this music. We hope this live score will be a guiding light for each of you to find your own path to The Holy Mountain”.

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Further Listening Recommendations from Running Circle Records

Our album pairings for this film aim to reflect the powerful nature and eery nostalgia of Jodorowsky’s masterwork.

Saw Delight by Can is a monolithic album in the history of psychedelic music, full of profound gobbledygook.

The Miraculous by Anna Von Hausswolff is an epic journey combining microcosmic textures and haunting vocals with the enormous sound of church organs, reflecting the films play on Christianity.

Goat are a Swedish psychedelic folk band whose colourful costumes and strange theatrical performances feel akin to Jodorowsky’s creations. We’ve selected their 2023 album Medicine for its journeying nature.

Pick up a copy of all these recommendations on vinyl at Running Circle in Sneinton Market, just 10 minutes walk from Nottingham Contemporary.

Access

This event is inclusive for wheelchair users; our building is wheelchair accessible with lift access to all floors. If you require a wheelchair space, please email info@nottinghamcontemporary.org or phone 0115 948 9750 so we can ensure a space is set up for you.

If you require a free ticket for a carer, please contact us using the details above to arrange this.

This event will take place in The Space. Find information about getting here, our building access and facilities by clicking here.

If you have any questions around access or have specific access requirements we can accommodate, please get in touch with us by emailing info@nottinghamcontemporary.org or phoning 0115 948 9750.