Oliver Kalkofe reintroduces the hashtag #SchleFaZ
When the multi-armed monster, sporting six arms instead of the usual eight, approaches its unsuspecting prey at a snail's pace, or when a hapless serial killer slaughters in the midst of an aerobics class, or holidaymakers find themselves running for their lives from Nazi-zombies in sunglasses – fans of the dynamic duo, Oliver Kalkofe and Peter Rütten, know they've found their niche. Their notorious "worst films of all time" festival "#SchleFaZ" is set to make a comeback this Friday at 10 PM, now on RTL Nitro and RTL.
It was just a few short months ago that the series seemed to have met its untimely end, having been discontinued on Tele 5 at the close of 2023. But then, miraculously, on Christmas Eve itself, Nitro swooped in to save the day. Kalkofe couldn't contain his excitement at the time, announcing the news to fans from the stage: "There have been few moments as beautiful and emotionally charged as when we announced that '#SchleFaZ' would continue to thrive on Nitro and RTL+ following its conclusion on Tele 5. The collective anguish and despair of the fans was replaced overnight by an indescribable joy. Fans were in tears, embracing one another. It was a sight to behold."
The crew from the previous seasons remains in place, and Kalkofe is proud to assure fans: "So we can proudly say: It will remain as delightfully terrible as it has always been. In that sense, it's a rebirth as well as a continuation." The 58-year-old Kalkofe can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment at the opportunity to revisit this raucous venture, this time around.
"Born out of madness"
The series has been a staple on screens since 2013 – with over 160 films already catalogued. "#SchleFaZ" began as nothing more than a whimsical idea for the summer. Kalkofe and Rütten never imagined that this foolish notion would blossom into the cult phenomenon that it is today. In America and England, watching bad movies with friends and reveling in their unintentional humor was already a popular pastime. "But not here – not quite," Kalkofe admits. "But it serves to release a cathartic emotion: You transform something that's truly abysmal into something wonderful through our editing. The bad movie becomes a riotous celebration. Without us, you might find yourself irritated by the abhorrent film, but with us, laughter and camaraderie ensue."
It's hard not to notice the enthusiasm and passion that seems to permeate every aspect of this outrageous enterprise. "The audience appreciates our honesty, because honestly, that's not always a given in television."
So, what's on the agenda for season to come? "We're particularly excited about the season premiere, because we have a fantastic RTL original production in store for our viewers," Kalkofe reveals. "Of course, it's challenging to find something suitable for '#SchleFaZ' among the countless high-quality RTL productions – so we had to search high and low!" They eventually found their treasure: "S.O.S. Barracuda: Death plays roulette" hails from 1999.
"Immaculate '#SchleFaZ' treasure"
"This is truly immaculate '#SchleFaZ' treasure – a Die Hard-inspired action thriller set aboard a gambling fishing trawler off the coast of Travemünde. The Bruce Willis role is brilliantly and humorously played by the previously unknown Nick Wilder, best known for his turn as Mr. Kaiser in the Hamburg-Mannheimer insurance commercials. 'This is pure gold for '#SchleFaZ'!' says the Die Hard fan, hailing this sacrilegious student production a 'spectacular and totally worthy debut' for the new RTL series."
Will these maniacal movie archaeologists ever tire of their relentless pursuit of the most heinous films known to mankind? Kalkofe thinks not. "I don't believe so." But he cautions that the task should not be taken lightly. "Initially, we just picked up whatever we could find. But we soon realized that wasn't nearly enough. Many films are bad because they're simply dull and uninteresting. But our credo is 'Beautiful Shit'. We seek out films that are so bad that they're laughable – films that were driven to the brink by a misguided passion. Unearthing these true gems is not a simple matter."
Despite being discontinued on Tele 5 at the end of 2023, fans of "#SchleFaZ" can continue watching the series on RTL Nitro and RTL+. The crew from the previous seasons will remain, ensuring that the show will remain as delightfully terrible as it has always been.
Kalkofe and Rütten never anticipated that their whimsical idea for a summer film festival would turn into a cult phenomenon. Their passion for finding and presenting the most laughable films has gained them a devoted following, and their honest approach to television is appreciated by their audience.
