Von Christian Fuchs
There are a number of reasons to love this Austrian pop duo. Cari Cari unite different worlds with their songs, combine bluesy vintage influences and the musical present, let retro surf punk, shimmering electronics and ballad melancholy collide. Especially live, it also becomes clear that Stephanie Widmer and Alexander Köck have basically lost their hearts to rock’n’roll. On stage, Cari Cari impress with a feverish energy that makes you think of related duos like The White Stripes or The Kills.
But what sets Stefanie and Alex apart from other bands from Austria: their songs have cinematic qualities. Cari Cari’s incredibly charming music videos thrive on film quotes, from westerns to science fiction to “Wayne’s World”. One of her songs is even addressed directly to Quentin Tarantino. Perfect guests for the FM4 film podcast. In the new episode, Pia Reiser and Christian Fuchs chat with Cari Cari about their socialization with cinema and series. Our notorious questionnaire was sent to Stefanie and Alex in advance, which they answered with great pleasure.
Ali Cem Deniz/Radio FM4
Search Search und das Kino
The first film and/or visit to the cinema that you can remember:
Alexander Köck: My first favorite films as a child were the old Disney “Robin Hood” and “Asterix with the Britons”. Both are still possible now. But the really formative cinematic memory must have been “Star Wars Episode 1”. The film was 12+ and I was 8, so that felt forbidden and interesting.
Stefanie Widmer: I’m sure I’ve seen a few films like “The Swan Princess” or “The Lion King” before that – but what immediately came to mind when I asked the question was the film “Journey to the Center of the Earth”. – he definitely made a big impression.
Movies you acted out as a kid:
A: We not only re-enacted both, but also filmed them independently of each other. A small excerpt from our filmography around 1998-2004…
S: …James Bond & Star Wars with wooden laser swords, Lego stop motion films and documentaries about the animal population of various lakes and ponds.
A: Star Wars, James Bond, Matrix, Blade. Among other things, a satirical “television format” called HHTV, the abbreviation for Hansi Hinterseer TV, probably inspired by the Musikantenstadl, haha.
A film that sparked a love for the genre:
A: I don’t know if that qualifies as genre love, but for me it was The Graduate with the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack. I happened to see it on TV when I was relatively young. This sixties world totally sucked me in and, I think, triggered my fondness for this time and aesthetic.
S: I’m torn between Sergio Leone westerns through “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” – and my preference for stop-motion films, which was definitely triggered by Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox”.
Andreas Jakwerth
A film you can join in:
S: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”
A: “Mother’s Day”
A movie that was good but you can’t/don’t want to watch a second time:
S: „American Psycho“
A: „The Power of the Dog“
A movie that scared you:
S: Die „Gremlins“
A: „Alien“ und „Independence Day“.
A movie you saw too early as a kid:
A & S: “The last unicorn”, we agree!
A movie you canceled:
A: “Annie Hall” by Woody Allen.
A film that influenced your humor:
A: „Muttertag“, „Monty Python and the Holy Grail“, Chapelle‘s Show.
S: “Austin Powers”, “The Shoe of Manitou”, “The Big Lebowski”.
The first series that swallowed you:
A & S: „Friends“ und „Breaking Bad“!
Which 3 films make you happy – even the umpteenth time you watch them:
S&A: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, The Life Aquatic”, “Lord Of The Rings – The Two Towers”, “Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back” and “Die Hard” .
A film that you could confidently kick out of the general “canon”:
A: Star Wars 7-9, the Fast & Furious never-ending series, Jurassic World.
S: “Love Hard”, a really, really bad Christmas movie.
Andreas Jakwerth
A remake you’ll like better than the original:
A & S: „Dune“ von Denis Villeneuve.
A biopic that should be filmed urgently:
A & S: Blind Willie Johnson – mit dem Titel “Dark was the night, cold was the ground”
A song that should be in movies a lot more often:
S: “Come Give Me Your Hand” by The Beatles, used perfectly in “Jojo Rabbit”.
What’s the best film about touring bands?
A: “A Cross the Universe” from Justice, made by Romain Gavras. Because that had a huge impact on me. Then “Some Kind Of Monster – Metallica”, the opposite of “A Cross The Universe”. And I loved MTV Masters, those Rise and Fall stories.
S: Isn’t the whole band on tour, but: “The Beatles – Get Back”.
How are music and cinema connected?
A: Inseparable for us. Sergio Leone would never have the strength without Ennio Morricone. The OST soundtrack of “Drive”. The pixies at the end of “Fight Club” or “Don’t think twice” in the Season 1 finale of “Mad Men”. Those are the moments that make us really love a movie.
S: Absolutely. Just the selection of the last song of a film – which then leads to the final title. When the heroes ride into the sunset and prepare for their next adventure. That’s a very special vibe.