And what was it like then? You finished it, it was edited and then the big day came when the band watched it?
CH: No. The band had an early insight. I can handle the fact that many people have something to say about it. I find it interesting to see where a film is at. I know it’s not finished. And then to find out where a film goes off track. Especially at such an early stage. I learn from it, I find out a lot about the film. Especially from the reviews.
SR: We didn’t want to have much say. The only thing that really bothered us at the beginning, in the early versions of the film, was that we were seen so much. Not as acting musicians, but as guys telling stories about the good old days. But Charly saw it the same way and it was clear that he would fill it with other images.
CH: You have to collect things first. And then it’s really important that the band has something to say about it early on. That’s much more interesting. First, see where the pain points are. That’s how rehearsals work in the theater. I’m an actor who tries out a lot without always knowing exactly what he’s doing. And people who know me know that, they can handle it. I have to get into the body. And that’s how it is with a film like this.
SR: We also trusted Charly because we knew that he had a very idiosyncratic view of the band that didn’t match ours. Otherwise it would be boring. It was interesting to see how Charly got more and more involved. The mute Mecklenburger, that’s where we got his identity. Basically, he was doing his own thing. When I finished watching the film for the first time, I was totally blown away. Because it really is a very independent, interesting, strange work.
