BRATTLEBORO — On Friday, Feb. 14, Epsilon Spires will host a screening of Peter Weir's opulent 1975 cult classic Picnic at Hanging Rock along with a musical performance of vibraphone and electronics by the duo Anomali & Ophelia.
Set at a girls' boarding school in Edwardian-era Australia, Picnic at Hanging Rock tells the story of a Valentine's Day outing gone awry when three students and their chaperone disappear while exploring an ancient rock formation.
Although the film is initially captivating for its sumptuous costumes and gauzy cinematography, Picnic at Hanging Rock proves to be more than a typical period drama as the narrative unwinds into a haunting, paranormal thriller that borders at times on the psychedelic.
A New York Times review marking the film's 1979 American debut describes its particular take on horror as “the innocence of girlhood and hints of unexplored sexuality that combine to produce a euphoria so intense it becomes transporting, a state beyond life or death.”
The musicians Anomali & Ophelia will play an opening set of ethereal, atmospheric electronics layered with double bass, vocals, and the shimmering tones of the vibraphone.
The pair met as residents of an intentional community in Vermont in the summer of 2015 and began collaborating immediately to hone what they describe as their “amalgam of sound.”