Movies

Why David Fincher turned the Red Hot Chili Peppers into string puppets

BBG News

In 2003, Chad Smith recalls a memorable evening when the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed before approximately 80,000 people in the beautiful Irish countryside, surrounded by undulating hills.

In the mid-90s, the veteran Los Angeles alt-rock band experienced a quiet spell, but they made a strong comeback in 1999 with their eight-times platinum album “Californication” and its 2002 successor “By the Way,” which produced the number one single “Can’t Stop.” To celebrate this resurgence, the Red Hot Chili Peppers assembled a film crew to capture their performance at Slane Castle, where they headlined an entire day of music alongside Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. This eventual concert movie was produced as a result.

Reflecting on those early days, I, as a band member, can still vividly recall the immense weight of each shot we took. There’s an inherent vulnerability when every move is captured, and I wasn’t immune to it. I remember a moment where I made a small mistake – something so minor that only we could pick up on it. Flea, our bassist, gave me this subtle, understanding glance, like “Oh no!” But then, the crowd was electric, their energy was palpable and infectious. We shared a brief moment of apprehension, a silent acknowledgment of our human error, but quickly brushed it off. The enthusiasm from the audience erased any lingering doubts, and we were back to being the Chili Peppers, riding that incredible wave of energy.

Approximately two decades after the event, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will replay their 2003 concert on screens, but with a twist: this time, they’ll appear as string puppets.

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David Fincher’s creation, titled “Can’t Stop”, reimagines the band’s performance of this tune at Slane Castle. This animated short film is part of the recently launched fourth season of the Emmy-winning Netflix anthology series “Love, Death + Robots”. In this adaptation, the Red Hot Chili Peppers – composed of Smith, Flea, singer Anthony Kiedis, and guitarist John Frusciante – are depicted as marionettes performing onstage amidst a vast crowd of similar marionettes. As the band grooves along to the song’s funky punk rhythm, we witness Flea executing some of his iconic moves, while Kiedis snatches a fan’s cellphone for a selfie; at one point, a group of women in the audience flash their breasts towards the frontman.

In this six-minute show, what you see are merely puppets, but they’re so realistic in their movements, especially during an unexpected incident where a lighter ignited the wires of one viewer’s puppet, that it seems as if they’re actual living beings. However, behind the scenes, everything is computer-generated.

It’s interesting to know why esteemed director David Fincher, known for films like “Fight Club” and “The Social Network,” decided to utilize his extensive abilities towards producing “Can’t Stop”.

The director chuckled and replied, “That’s a completely understandable question!” He went on to explain, “To be honest, what sparked this was my long-time desire for a Flea bobblehead. Yet, truth be told, there are times when one simply wants to explore certain things.

62-year-old Fincher, a fan of Gerry Anderson’s “Thunderbirds” series with its unique blend of puppetry and electronics since childhood, finds the Chili Peppers project a reconnection with his musical video origins. Prior to directing his first feature film, “Alien 3,” in 1992, he created iconic music videos such as Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” Madonna’s “Express Yourself” and “Vogue,” and George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90.” Fincher’s latest major music video project was Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie” in 2013. He aimed for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Can’t Stop” to echo the ’80s style of early MTV directors like Wayne Isham and Russell Mulcahy, referring to the “throw 24 cameras at Duran Duran” aesthetic.

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At the age of 60, Flea demonstrates no signs of letting up; he boasts a podcast set to conclude this week, a Chili Peppers’ tour across stadiums, and a brand-new baby boy as well.

Fincher stated that his puppet idea would call for “a group whose movements alone are recognizable,” which seems like an apt description for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He recollected first coming across the band around 1983, “perhaps it was with Martha Davis at the Palladium?” he mused, and found a playful air that reminded him of the trickster characters from the classic Rankin/Bass TV shows.

Flea, aged 62 and long-time acquaintance of director Fincher, expressed that Finch seemed to grasp his essence when he said, ‘I feel like I captured you,'” stated Flea. Recalling their conversation about “Can’t Stop” at a mutual friend’s residence prior to filming, Flea shared, “We talked about how I’d still dance around on stage and my body was in great shape. However, I used to dive and perform a somersault while playing bass – even landing onto my head! Now, due to the usual apprehension that comes with age, I’m hesitant to do it.” Laughing, he added, “Apparently, old age has made me afraid of diving onto my face. Finch replied, ‘Well, Puppet Flea can still manage it.’

Illustrations featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers band members Chad Smith and Flea depicted as puppets can be found in Volume 4 of Netflix’s “Love, Death & Robots.” (Netflix)

Following a full day of motion capture with the band at a studio in the valley, Fincher and his team from Blur Studio in Culver City dedicated around 13 months to creating “Can’t Stop.” Fincher mentioned that the challenging aspect was making the marionettes appear as if they were floating or hanging.

He explained that when using motion capture technology, you’re essentially transferring the movements of a self-governing character, such as a human actor (in this case, a Chili Pepper), to an object devoid of autonomy, like a puppet operated by someone hidden behind the scenes. It’s more complex than it appears, he noted, but that was part of the challenge and excitement – not for him personally, he joked.

Inquired about whether the project employed AI, Fincher responded in the negative. He explained, “It’s Blur – it’s something they take great pride in.” However, he was quick to dismiss the notion that being asked about AI usage has turned into a form of evaluation or litmus test for directors.

For a while over the next few months, it might provide an intriguing surprise or trick,” he mentioned. “However, I find it hard to imagine that in ten years’ time, people will still hold this perspective as strongly. Just like nonlinear editing revolutionized our world for a brief period, and then became commonplace.

He went on to say, “I’m not viewing it as cheating at this point. AI can handle tasks like smoothing edges and rotoscoping, but I don’t believe these capabilities will ultimately destroy the unique and personal aspect of filmmaking. It’s still about playing dress-up and trying not to get caught.

Could it be that the creation of “Can’t Stop” made David Fincher contemplate the current status of music videos, since MTV no longer focuses on showcasing them?

He commented, “Indeed, the crowd MTV gathered – looking back, it was a specific era and setting.” Recall, The Beatles were creating music videos, but they simply titled it ‘Help!’ MTV didn’t innovate at all; it was already being done by The Beatles.

What I truly yearn for from those days is the spontaneity and swift pace of creativity. Back then, I was just 22 and could quickly draft an idea on a napkin. Within four short days, $125,000 would be dispatched to the collaborating company, enabling us to produce a video within a week. It would then air on television three weeks later.

Currently, you’re creating a TV advertisement featuring 19 individuals sitting in foldable seats, each equipped with a massive 100-inch screen behind them. It’s a clear indication of how dramatically our world has transformed.” He chuckled.

Initially, I chose to seek forgiveness instead of permission when beginning my professional journey, which has proven challenging to reverse that approach.

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2025-05-16 23:01

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