Uploaded February 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
He was Austria’s greatest rock star, one of the most important European musicians of his time and the first white rapper: Falco was an absolute superstar and became world known with his hit “Rock Me Amadeus”, to date the only German song that became No. 1 in the US Billboard Charts.
find the full-length movie on vimeo: vimeo.com/ondemand/falcotooyoungtodie
His cultural legacy is more influential than that of any other German-speaking singer on today’s artists. His intelligent and often sarcastic lyrics and his catchy hits live on in the cultural memory. His commercial success is unique in the German-speaking territory.
Coming from a poor Vienna neighborhood Hans Hölzl made his first musical steps as a bassist in several bands, where he developed the character “Falco” and was discovered performing his first song “Ganz Wien”. Hit after hit was followed by the success of “Rock Me Amadeus” at the top of the US Billboard Charts. But the fame came at a price: Cocaine and alcohol destroyed every single relation he had, and fewer people wanted to work with him. His career stagnates, comeback attempts fail. Falco is only 40 years old and completely drunk when he crashes into a bus in 1998.
In the documentary, associates such as Falco’s manager Horst Bork or Dutch producer Ferdi Bolland, friends, bandmates and the woman who considered Falco as her father for seven years tell stories of life and work with the eccentric artist. Private video footage from Falco’s friend Conny grants a glimpse behind the scenes.
Duration 52’ || Genre Documentary || Director Jobst Knigge ||
He was Austria’s greatest rock star, one of the most important European musicians of his time and the first white rapper: Falco was an absolute superstar and became world known with his hit “Rock Me Amadeus”, to date the only German song that became No. 1 in the US Billboard Charts.
find the full-length movie on vimeo: vimeo.com/ondemand/falcotooyoungtodie
His cultural legacy is more influential than that of any other German-speaking singer on today’s artists. His intelligent and often sarcastic lyrics and his catchy hits live on in the cultural memory. His commercial success is unique in the German-speaking territory.
Coming from a poor Vienna neighborhood Hans Hölzl made his first musical steps as a bassist in several bands, where he developed the character “Falco” and was discovered performing his first song “Ganz Wien”. Hit after hit was followed by the success of “Rock Me Amadeus” at the top of the US Billboard Charts. But the fame came at a price: Cocaine and alcohol destroyed every single relation he had, and fewer people wanted to work with him. His career stagnates, comeback attempts fail. Falco is only 40 years old and completely drunk when he crashes into a bus in 1998.
In the documentary, associates such as Falco’s manager Horst Bork or Dutch producer Ferdi Bolland, friends, bandmates and the woman who considered Falco as her father for seven years tell stories of life and work with the eccentric artist. Private video footage from Falco’s friend Conny grants a glimpse behind the scenes.
Duration 52’ || Genre Documentary || Director Jobst Knigge ||
