Realization, script, cinematography, production: Kurt Kren

"Having shown us the dance of the photographing tourists in his film TAUSENDJAHREKINO (1995), Kren shows us his opus 50. In front of the statue of Johann Straus, Jr. uncountable visitors to Vienna are photographed by their neighbours (as well as by the local foreigner Kren), either individually, in families or in bus-loads. As befits one of the kings of the waltz, Johann is gilded and so presents a beautiful symbol of the business Vienna/wine/music. It reminds one, perhaps, of Peter Weibel's aphorism (from his legendary manifesto 'Why Viennese film is so good') that 'the golden Viennese heart is made of crap.' In any case, the kitschy, warbling products of the melancholy popstar of the bourgeoisie were an important ingredient in the willfully staged happy apocalypse (Broch) of the multi-racial state at the turn of the century. (The film is incidentally silent; each viewer can hum the tune of his choice, e.g., 'Weiner blut') - Thomas Korschil