For anyone who ever wanted to see Erik Satie fire a cannon, here’s the Velvet Gentleman himself, in trademark bowler and carrying an umbrella, with Francis Picabia. Picabia provided the scenario and designs for Satie’s ballet, “Relâche.” The film, titled “Entr’acte,” was made in 1924, the year before the composer’s death. As the title suggests, it was shown between the two acts of Satie’s ballet, with the cannon sequence used as prologue. The music, appropriately enough, is titled “Cinéma.”

Satie appears only in the first 90 seconds or so of the film, so it’s up to you how much beyond that you’ll want to watch. Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray play chess around 4-5 minutes in; there’s a bearded ballerina around the 7-minute mark; and you may chuckle at a falling SCTV-style dummy around 9:30. Somewhere along the way you may also spot composers Georges Auric and Darius Milhaud.

It certainly is a Dadaist romp. “Relâche,” by the way, is a word used on posters to indicate that a show is canceled or that the theater is closed.

Happy birthday, Erik Satie (1866-1925).

PHOTO: Satie (left) filming “Entr’acte” with Picabia and director René Clair