There are a number of reasons to love this Austrian pop duo. Cari Cari unites different worlds with her songs, combining the influences of classic blues with the musical present, allowing retro surf, sparkling electronics, and sad song to collide. On the air especially, it also becomes clear that Stephanie Widmer and Alexander Cook have basically lost their hearts in rock ‘n’ roll. On stage, Cari Cari impresses with a frenetic energy that makes you think of related duets like The White Stripes or The Kills.
But what distinguishes Stephanie and Alex from other Austrian bands: their songs have cinematic qualities. Cari Cari’s great music videos thrive on movie 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 movie podcast. In the new episode, Pia Reiser and Christian Fox chat with Carrie Carey about their relationship with cinema and soap operas. Our infamous questionnaire was sent to Stephanie and Alex in advance, and they answered with great pleasure.
Ali Jim Deniz / Radio FM4
Carrie Carey and Cinema
First movie and/or cinema visit that you can remember:
Alexander Cook: My first favorite movies as a kid were the old Disney movies “Robin Hood” and “Asterix with the British”. Both are still possible now. But the formative cinematic memory should be “Star Wars Episode 1”. The movie was over 12 and I was 8, so it felt forbidden and interesting.
Stephanie Widmer: I’m sure I’ve seen some movies like “The Swan Princess” or “The Lion King” before – but what came to mind as soon as the question was asked was Journey to the Center of the Earth. – He definitely made a great impression.
Movies you played as a kid:
A: We not only re-acted them, but also filmed them independently of each other. A small excerpt from our movie about 1998-2004…
S: …James Bond and Star Wars with wooden laser swords, Lego stop Motion movies and documentaries about animals in different lakes and ponds.
A: Star Wars, James Bond, Matrix, Blade. Among other things, a satirical “TV format” called HHTV, short for Hansi Hinterseer TV, probably inspired by Musikantenstadl, haha.
A movie that sparked the love of this genre:
A: I don’t know if this qualifies as some kind of love, but for me it was The Graduate with Simon & Garfunkel’s soundtrack. I saw it on TV when I was relatively young. This world of the ’60s totally enthralled me, and I think it impressed me with this time and aesthetic.
S: I’m torn between Sergio Leone westerns with “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” — and my preference for stop-motion movies, which was certainly launched by Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox.”
Andreas Jakworth
A movie you can join:
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 it again:
S: “American psycho”
A: “dog power”
Film I Fear You
S: “Gremlins”
A: The stranger and independence day.
A movie I watched early as a kid:
A&S: “The Last Rhino,” we agree!
Film canceled:
A: “Annie Hall” by Woody Allen.
A movie that touched your sense of humor:
A: “Mother’s Day”, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, Chappelle Show.
S: “Austin Powers”, “Manitou Shoes”, “The Big Lebowski”.
The first series that swallowed you up:
A&S: Friends and Breaking Bad!
What are the three movies that make you happy – even the 1,000th time you watch them:
S&A: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “Aquatic Life”, “The Lord of the Rings – The Two Towers”, “Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back” and “Die Hard”.
A film that you can confidently expel from the general “canon”:
A: Star Wars 7-9, the never ending Fast & Furious series, Jurassic World.
S: “Love Hard,” a really bad birthday movie.
Andreas Jakworth
A remake you’ll like better than the original:
A&S: “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve.
Urgent Resume:
A&S: Blind Willie Johnson – Titled “Dark Was Night, Cold Was Earth”
The song that should be in the movies a lot:
S: “Come Give Me Your Hand” by The Beatles, used perfectly in “Jojo Rabbit.”
What is the best movie about tours?
A: Crossing the Universe from Justice, made by Roman Javras. Because that had a huge impact on me. Then “Sort of a Monster – Metallica”, opposite “A Cross of the Universe”. And I loved the MTV Masters, those ups and downs stories.
S: Isn’t the whole band on tour, but: “The Beatles – come back.”
How are music and cinema related?
A: They are inseparable for us. Sergio Leone wouldn’t have power without Ennio Morricone. The OST soundtrack to “Drive”. The fairies at the end of “Fight Club” or “Don’t Think Twice” in the finale of the first season of “Mad Men”. These are the moments that make us really love the movie.
S: Absolutely. Just pick the last song for the movie – which then leads to the final title. When the heroes ride into the sunset and get ready for their next adventure. This is a very special feeling.
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