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Stones Rock Prague: A Post-Communist Comedy Dream
6 Jul
Summary
- Film documents a 1990 Rolling Stones concert organized by four friends.
- The concert was a pivotal moment after Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution.
- Organizers faced challenges translating riders and raising $1 million.
A comedic feature film, "The Stones Are Rolling to Prague," is in development, chronicling a landmark concert that occurred in Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1990. This period piece focuses on four friends who previously organized underground concerts during the Communist era. Following the Velvet Revolution, they received an improbable offer from President Václav Havel to arrange a Rolling Stones performance.
The film details the immense challenges faced by the inexperienced organizers. They had to translate the band's rider using dictionaries, manage faxes from the President's office, and secure the substantial sum of $1 million. The effort culminated on August 18, 1990, when Mick Jagger appeared at Prague's Strahov Stadium before 100,000 ecstatic fans. This "punk comedy" is based on the true story of their fight for freedom and a dream concert.
According to director Tomáš Hodan, the film is a "loser comedy" about individuals driven by desire rather than expertise. It captures the unique atmosphere of freedom emerging after 40 years of communism in Czechoslovakia. While the Rolling Stones will be featured, the soundtrack will also incorporate significant underground music from that era, reflecting the organizers' grassroots background.
