Hard rock phenomenon
Concert film about Ghost in cinemas for a short time
Ghost frontman Tobias Forge in his role as Papa Emiritus IV at a concert in Los Angeles in 2023. Photo
© Ryan Chang/Concord/Trafalgar Releasing/dpa
With their mix of hard rock and theater, the band Ghost has won a large audience. The fact that a spectacular Ghost concert film is now coming to German cinemas is also thanks to Taylor Swift.
With their thunderous hard rock and theatrical show, Ghost from Sweden has become one of the most popular bands in the rock and metal scene, has won a Grammy and is increasingly appearing in the charts. Now, for the first time, a Ghost concert film is coming to cinemas. “Rite Here Rite Now” celebrated its world premiere in London on Tuesday and will also be shown in selected German cinemas from June 20 to 23.
Tobias Forge, frontman, creative mind and only permanent member of Ghost, is surprised that his band now appeals to a broad audience. “I definitely didn’t expect that we would get beyond the underground scene,” the 43-year-old told the German Press Agency in London. “I totally underestimated it. I thought we would be an alternative, avant-garde underground band, big enough to play in bigger theaters but not concert halls.”
The film combines two shows from the last Ghost tour from the traditional The Forum in Los Angeles with fictional, sometimes humorous story elements. The spectacular concert experience with hits such as “Mary On A Cross”, “Dance Macabre” and the Grammy-winning “Cirice” is the focus.
Dark cyberpunk masks
Forge is immersed in his role as Papa Emeritus IV, a mixture of showman and dad with a skull face. Even as a child, the heavy metal fan was fascinated by the theater in the West End on a trip to London. “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Cats” in particular fascinated him, said Forge. In Ghost, he combines heavy metal and theater. In addition to the elaborate costumes – the faces of the band members are hidden in dark cyberpunk masks – and the stage, which resembles a cathedral with its gothic windows, dancers in skeleton costumes enrich the spectacle.
Forge had originally not planned “Rite Here Rite Now” for the big screen. The fact that the film is now being shown in cinemas is also thanks to Taylor Swift. “We were told bluntly by several major streaming providers that nobody was interested in concert films. Then came “The Eras Tour,”” said Forge. The Swift concert film was a huge success in cinemas. “That changed a lot.”
Tobias Forge hopes that “Rite Here Rite Now” will also appeal to viewers who are not yet familiar with Ghost. For long-time fans, however, the film, which has long been shrouded in mystery, has a few real surprises in store. The soundtrack will be released a month later on July 26th.