Helicopter String Quartet (1996) User Reviews

From a dream to reality; the first airborne string quartet.

[Bernard-15 · 8/10 · 14 August 1999]

This film is a documentary about the preparation of the amazing Helicopter String Quartet which Stockhausen brought to fruition simply because he had experienced it in a dream. The composer presents the music in a very accessible way, documenting the events that led to news headlines around the world in 1995. The musicians are seen rehearsing separately, and then in the helicopters themselves as they soar over Amsterdam transmitting their music down to the concert hall. If only the film included a complete performance such as the one thousands will experience when the event is recreated in the skies of Bonn in May 2000.

this is one crappy documentary

[marymorrissey · 1/10 · 28 January 2009]

about a full 50% of the footage might have been cut. it looks as though it was shot by someone on horse tranquilizers. the editing is atrocious, the subtitles are poorly translated. I'm struggling to get through it now... it's one of the least rewarding films I have seen in a very very long time. even in his dotage, Karlheinz deserved a lot better. of course I knew it was not going to be any great shakes as soon as I saw the typeface on the menu and realized it's made by the same folks who made the pathetic films about pathetic Boulez. this is just an abysmal piece of film-making about what could be an interesting subject, obviously. there is nonetheless a thrill in seeing the helicopters taking off to play this crazy quartet, something very sexy about seeing them flying in formation knowing there are musicians inside sawing away. but I wonder if I can watch much more of it. read the liner notes from the CD and you get everything this movie comes across with. p*** poor! extras include some really stupid piece called "rings" in which images of famous 20th century composers are composited over sped up footage of some kind of opera or music theater being performed. the idea that the series is meant to somehow enhance peoples' understanding of music or lead them to contemporary music in such a way as to make of them "the ideal audience" as the title of the series would seem to indicate the aspirations of this outfit were is laughable!