Drei Eier im Glas (2015) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

Three men facing personal setbacks find an unexpected musical connection, whose viral performance is bound to a sudden death.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Saxophone and a Failing Career

Barney's modeling career has dwindled, and he visits Musikhaus Gnom hoping to pawn his saxophone. There he meets Michael and joins the saxophone course alongside Dragan.

Key Events

• Barney's Career Declines — A former childhood star now shoots stairlift commercials and spends nights in a gym. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer Location: Vienna
• Barney Visits Musikhaus Gnom — Barney visits the dilapidated shop hoping to pawn his saxophone and meets Michael. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Michael Kiesel Location: Musikhaus Gnom, Vienna
• Michael's Difficult Circumstances — The alcoholic music teacher works under his cantankerous father and watches a series featuring his crush. Characters: Michael Kiesel, Meinhard Gnom Location: Musikhaus Gnom
• The Singles Saxophone Course — Barney and Dragan join Michael's advertised saxophone course for singles. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Michael Kiesel, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl Location: Vienna
• Dragan's Business Suspension — Dragan's macabre tourism business is suspended and his license is revoked. Characters: Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl Location: Vienna
• Meinhard Ends the Course — Meinhard sells the music store and abruptly ends Michael's saxophone course. Characters: Michael Kiesel, Meinhard Gnom, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl Location: Musikhaus Gnom

A Course Without a Store

Meinhard sells the music store and abruptly ends Michael's course. Barney and Dragan take the drunken Michael in, and the men begin sharing adventures.

Key Events

• Meinhard Ends the Course — Meinhard sells the music store and abruptly ends Michael's saxophone course. Characters: Michael Kiesel, Meinhard Gnom, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl Location: Musikhaus Gnom
• The Men Take Michael In — Barney and Dragan pick up Michael drunk and gather with him at Dragan's villa. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel Location: Vienna
• Journey to Chernobyl — The three men travel to Chernobyl in Dragan's limousine. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel Location: Stretch limousine
• Michael Enters the Exclusion Zone — Michael rushes into the exclusion zone with an urge to burn. Characters: Michael Kiesel, Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl Location: Chernobyl exclusion zone
• Arrested and Released — A soldier arrests the men and locks them in a cellar; they buy their way out. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel Location: Cellar in Chernobyl
• Visit to the Glory-Hole Venue — After returning to Vienna, the men visit an establishment equipped with glory holes. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel Location: Vienna establishment

The Villa Becomes a Home

The three men reunite in Vienna and continue their saxophone lessons at Dragan's villa. Dragan's family history emerges as Michael and Barney share meals and reading.

Key Events

• Visit to the Glory-Hole Venue — After returning to Vienna, the men visit an establishment equipped with glory holes. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel Location: Vienna establishment
• Modal Jazz at the Villa — Michael continues the course, and the men progress to playing modal jazz together. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel Location: Dragan's villa
• Kuhl's Mother Is Released — Dragan's mother is unexpectedly released from prison. Characters: Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl Location: Dragan's villa
• Slides of the Past — Dragan shows Barney slides of his father's lovers, whom his mother murdered. Characters: Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer Location: Dragan's villa
• Sizzling Forks at Dinner — Michael cooks for the others and uses vibrating forks to slow their eating. Characters: Michael Kiesel, Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl Location: Dragan's villa
• Reading Collapse Together — Michael and Barney read Jared Diamond's book Collapse. Characters: Michael Kiesel, Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer Location: Dragan's villa

A Performance with a Consequence

The final course performance takes place in the villa garden as rain begins. Richard Song suffers a fatal heart attack during the performance, though the men do not realize it at once.

Key Events

• Reading Collapse Together — Michael and Barney read Jared Diamond's book Collapse. Characters: Michael Kiesel, Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer Location: Dragan's villa
• The Final Course Performance — The men perform together in the garden as rain begins; Richard has a heart attack during the performance. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel, Richard Song Location: Garden at Dragan's villa
• The Performance Goes Viral — Michael uploads the performance; the next day the men discover it has millions of views and learn Richard died. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel, Richard Song Location: Dragan's villa

A Viral Hit and a Funeral

The men discover the video has become a viral hit and learn that Richard died during the performance. They end the story by playing saxophones at his funeral.

Key Events

• The Performance Goes Viral — Michael uploads the performance; the next day the men discover it has millions of views and learn Richard died. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel, Richard Song Location: Dragan's villa
• Dead Man Playing Becomes a Hit — The viral recording, titled Dead Man Playing, helps revive worldwide interest in the saxophone. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel, Richard Song Location: Online
• Richard's Saxophone Funeral — The three men accompany Richard's funeral by playing their saxophones. Characters: Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer, Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl, Michael Kiesel, Richard Song Location: Richard Song's funeral

Story Breakdown

• Barney's Decline — A former childhood star struggles with a diminished career and little to his name.
  • Fading Modeling Work — Barney now appears in stairlift commercials and spends nights in a gym.
  • The Saxophone Visit — He takes his saxophone to Musikhaus Gnom intending to pawn it.
• Michael's Course — Michael's work and private circumstances introduce the saxophone lessons that bring the men together.
  • Life at the Store — Michael teaches music at his father's dilapidated shop.
  • Singles Lessons — Barney and Dragan join Michael's advertised saxophone course.
• Dragan's Setback — Dragan's macabre tourism business is suspended while he joins the saxophone course.
  • Business Suspension — His license is revoked and his travel agency cannot operate for a year.
  • A Shared Interest — Dragan becomes one of Michael's saxophone students.
• The Course Disrupted — The sale of the music store abruptly removes Michael's original place to teach.
  • Meinhard Sells — Michael's father sells Musikhaus Gnom and ends the course.
  • Michael Taken In — Barney and Dragan pick Michael up drunk and gather at Dragan's villa.
• The Chernobyl Trip — The men travel together to Chernobyl, where Michael's impulsive action brings them into trouble.
  • Limousine Journey — The three travel to Chernobyl in Dragan's stretch limousine.
  • Cellar Escape — After Michael enters the exclusion zone, a soldier arrests the men; they buy their way out.
• Lessons at the Villa — The men resume their musical development at Dragan's home and share domestic moments.
  • Modal Jazz — Michael continues teaching and the men play modal jazz together.
  • Dinner and Reading — Michael cooks, and he and Barney read Jared Diamond's Collapse.
• Dragan's Family History — Dragan's mother's unexpected release and his slides reveal part of his family's disturbing past.
  • Unexpected Release — Dragan learns that his mother has been released from prison.
  • The Slides — Dragan shows Barney slides of his father's lovers, whom his mother murdered.
• The Viral Performance — The course's final performance becomes globally popular after an unrecognized death during the music.
  • Rain in the Garden — The men perform in Dragan's garden as a downpour begins, and Richard suffers a heart attack.
  • Dead Man Playing — Michael uploads the video; the men later discover its popularity and learn Richard died.
• Richard's Farewell — The story closes with the three men marking Richard's funeral through music.
  • Saxophone Funeral — Barney, Dragan, and Michael accompany Richard's funeral with their saxophones.
  • Bittersweet Legacy — The performance's viral success has helped bring new popularity to the saxophone.

Directed by

Antonin Svoboda

Key Cast

• Dirk Stermann — Bernhard "Barney" Schweinheimer
• Christoph Grissemann — Dragan "Drakul" Kuhl
• Heinz Strunk — Michael Kiesel
• Davis O. Nejo — Richard Song
• Wolfgang Hübsch — Meinhard Gnom