Le Cinema
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Jurislav "Jura" Stublić, Mladen Juričić, Marino Pelajić, Branko Hromatko |
| Headquarters | Zagreb , Croatia |
Area served | Croatia, former Yugoslavia |
Key people | Jurislav "Jura" Stublić (lead singer), Mladen Juričić (guitarist), Marino Pelajić (bassist), Branko Hromatko (drummer), Jurij Novoselić (saxophonist) |
| Products | Rock music albums and performances |
Film is a rock group originating from Zagreb, formed in 1978, representing both Croatia and the former Yugoslavia. They are widely acknowledged as a prominent force within the Yugoslav new wave movement and hold a significant position in the overall Yugoslav rock scene.
The ensemble was established by lead singer Jurislav "Jura" Stublić, guitarist Mladen Juričić, bassist Marino Pelajić, and drummer Branko Hromatko, all previously affiliated with Azra. Shortly thereafter, saxophonist Jurij Novoselić joined the lineup, enhancing Film's visibility and appeal through dynamic live performances. Their inaugural album, Novo! Novo! Novo! Još jučer samo na filmu a sada i u vašoj glavi (1981), introduced new drummer Ivan "Piko" Stančić and established their prominence in the Yugoslav new wave genre.
After releasing the 1982 album Zona sumraka, which featured darker thematic content, Film transitioned towards mainstream rock with the commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums Sva čuda svijeta (1983) and Signali u noći (1985), reinforcing their reputation as one of Yugoslavia’s leading rock bands.
In 1986, creative differences regarding musical style caused the original members to part ways. Stublić proceeded under the name Jura Stublić & Film, producing two pop rock albums during the late 1980s, while other members formed the more artistically inclined project Le Cinema. The final studio release by Jura Stublić & Film was Hrana za golubove in 1992. Later outputs were primarily compilation albums. A brief reunion of Stublić, Juričić, Pelajić, and Stančić occurred in 1998. Presently, Jura Stublić & Film remains officially active but only occasionally appears in live performances.
New wave era (1979–1982)
Between 1977 and 1978, guitarist Mladen Juričić, bassist Marino Pelajić, and drummer Branko Hromatko played in the Zagreb new wave band Azra. During this time, vocalist/guitarist Branimir "Johnny" Štulić recruited Jurislav "Jura" Stublić as Azra’s new singer. Although Stublić had limited vocal experience—his background included opera training and street performing—he was briefly considered as Aerodrom's frontman but was ultimately not chosen. Following a disagreement with Štulić, Stublić along with Juričić, Pelajić, and Hromatko departed Azra in early 1979 to establish their own group. Initially named Šporko Šalaporko i Negove Žaluzine, they soon adopted the name Film. This particular Azra lineup later inspired Štulić’s 1982 track "Roll over Jura."
Soon after formation, saxophonist Jurij Novoselić (also known as Kuzma from Videosex) joined Film. The band members adopted stage names: Stublić became Jura Jupiter, Pelajić took on Mario Baraccuda, and Juričić assumed Max Wilson. Their early live shows around Zagreb quickly earned them recognition as a vibrant new wave act and secured them an opening position on Lene Lovich’s 1980 tour across Yugoslavia. Their first single featured "Kad si mlad" ("When You're Young") backed by "Zajedno" ("Together"). However, its release was delayed by a year due to disagreements over cover artwork with their record label. In summer 1980, Film appeared in the theatrical production Ljetno popodne ili što se dogodilo s Vlastom Hršak at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival and won first prize at Subotica’s Youth Festival with their song "Neprilagođen" ("Misfit").
In 1981, drummer Branko Hromatko was replaced by Ivan "Piko" Stančić, who had previously played with Grupa 220, Time, and Parni Valjak. With Stančić on drums, Film released their debut album Novo! Novo! Novo! Još jučer samo na filmu a sada i u vašoj glavi through Helidon Records to both critical acclaim and commercial success. Produced by Boris Bele from Buldožer, the record showcased urban ska influences reflecting life in Zagreb and included popular tracks such as "Neprilagođen," "Moderna djevojka," and "Radio ljubav." Early editions of the album were pressed on green vinyl.
In January of that year, Film won the Pozdrav iz Zagreba festival held at Belgrade Youth Center. Occasionally during live performances, rock critic Dražen Vrdoljak contributed on organ. Their energetic stage presence culminated in the live mini-album Film u Kulušiću – Live, recorded at Zagreb’s Kulušić club in February 1981; this release sold over 100,000 copies.
Afterward, Film toured along the Adriatic coast alongside Belgrade’s new wave band Idoli. They performed spontaneous concerts from town to town via boat travel. Jugoton later reissued these live recordings from both bands as a split compilation titled Zajedno ("Together").
Toward the end of 1981, internal conflicts emerged concerning the musical direction for their next album—Stublić preferred more optimistic romantic themes while other members leaned toward darker subject matter—resulting in a two-month break for the band. Eventually reconciling their differences, they released their sophomore studio album Zona sumraka ("Twilight Zone") in 1982 through Jugoton. This record portrayed a more somber perspective on urban existence with themes including isolation, alienation, crime, and substance abuse. Notable tracks included "Zagreb je hladan grad" ("Zagreb Is a Cold City") and "Krvariš oko ponoći" ("You're Bleeding Around Midnight"), alongside instrumental pieces like "España" and a rendition of the James Bond theme. Songwriting credits extended beyond Stublić to include contributions from Juričić, Stančić, and Novoselić.
During promotion of this album, Film played their sole concert outside Yugoslavia in Linz, Austria; their performance received favorable reviews from Austrian press.
Mainstream rock era (1983–1986)
For their third album, the group traveled to Sweden to work with producer Tihomir "Tini" Varga. Because Pelajić was fulfilling his military duty, Juričić performed the bass recordings. Originally named Himne radosti (Odes to Joy), the album was ultimately released as Sva čuda svijeta (All the Wonders of the World) and featured cover artwork by Mirko Ilić. It begins with a sample of Clint Eastwood from Dirty Harry, followed by notable tracks such as "Boje su u nama" ("The Colors Are Inside Us") and "Kada budu gorijeli gradovi" ("When the Cities Would Burn"). Displaying a more pop-oriented and upbeat tone compared to their earlier releases, it achieved both commercial success and critical acclaim, solidifying Film's status as a prominent force in the Yugoslav rock landscape. Following the album's release, Juričić completed his military service and was temporarily replaced on tour by Robert Krkač; Pelajić was succeeded by Mladen Žunjić.
The band composed their subsequent record over six weeks on the island of Olib. Named Signali u noći (Signals in the Night), it featured the return of Pelajić and Juričić, alongside new drummer Dražen Šolc. Co-produced by Film and British musician Nick Van Eede, guest musicians included Massimo Savić from Dorian Gray, Davor Slamnig, harpist Ljerka Šimara, and trombonist Nikola Santro. Released in 1985, this album also garnered commercial and critical praise, offering concert staples like "Pjevajmo do zore" ("Let's Sing Until Dawn") and "Rijeke pravde" ("Rivers of Justice"). That same year, Stublić took part in the YU Rock Misija initiative for Live Aid, lending vocals to "Za milion godina" and performing at the charity event held at Belgrade's Red Star Stadium.
At the time of Signali u noći's release, Juričić, Pelajić, and Stančić established Le Cinema to perform covers of international new wave songs. This side project reflected musical disagreements with Stublić that eventually led to Film disbanding in spring 1986.
After the original band's breakup (1986–present)
Jura Stublić & Film (1986–present)
In 1987, Stublić released Sunce sja (The Sun Is Shining) under the name Jura Stublić & Film. The album featured Robert Krkač on guitar, Dario Kumerle on bass, Željko Turčinović on drums, and Bojan Goričan on keyboards. Guest vocal contributions came from Jurica Pađen and Massimo Savić. Emphasizing a pop rock sound, it included popular tracks such as "Srce na cesti" ("Heart on the Road"), "Ivana", "Dom" ("Home"), "Valovi ('67.-'77.-'87.)" ("Waves ('67-77-87)"), and "Sjećam se prvog poljupca" ("I Remember the First Kiss").
The 1989 release Zemlja sreće (The Land of Happiness) introduced guitarist Deni Kožić and drummer Davor Vidiš. Notable guest artists featured Massimo Savić, Bijelo Dugme keyboardist Laza Ristovski, Leb i Sol guitarist Vlatko Stefanovski, among others. The album produced hits such as "Dobre vibracije" ("Good Vibrations"), "Doći ću ti u snovima" ("I'll Come to You in Your Dreams"), "Ljubav je zakon" ("Love Is the Law"), and a rendition of Donovan's "Uhvati vjetar" ("Catch the Wind"). That year, the band also participated in the live compilation album ZG forces live, alongside leading bands from Zagreb.
During the early 1990s, Stublić frequently altered his supporting musicians. In 1992, he released Hrana za golubove (Food for Pigeons), which included the notable track "E moj druže beogradski" ("Oh, My Belgrade Friend"), inspired by events during the Yugoslav wars. This song elicited mixed responses across Croatia and Serbia. The album's lineup consisted of Mario Zidar (guitar), Vjekoslav Magdalenić (keyboards), Ante Pecotić (bass), and Goran Rakočević (drums). Critics observed a creative decline due to a mixture of new compositions with reworked versions of earlier Film songs.
In 1994, Film's first compilation album, Greatest Hits Vol. 1, was issued featuring two newly recorded tracks: "Nježno, nježno, nježnije" ("Gentle, Gentle, Gentler") and a satirical cover titled "Čikago" ("Chicago"), originally a youth work action song. The record label postponed releasing "Čikago" for six months because of politically sensitive lyrics; when finally released with one line removed, it was banned by certain Croatian media outlets. The track "Nježno, nježno, nježnije" included guest appearances from Juričić and the vocal group klapa Grdelini; meanwhile, "Čikago" featured former members of Valentino and Crvena Jabuka, notably Nikša Bratoš. Two years later, Greatest Hits Vol. 2 arrived with re-recordings of previous hits alongside a new cover song titled "Lijepo, lijepo, neopisivo" ("Beautiful, Beautiful, Inexplicable"), adapted from Gianna Nannini's "Bello e impossibile".
In 2002, Stublić compiled Sve najbolje (All the Best), which combined classic tracks with five fresh recordings including a new version of "Na morskome plavom žalu," restoring its original title and lyrics.
Le Cinema (1985–2007)
Formed in December 1985 by Film members Mladen "Max" Juričić, Marino "Barracuda" Pelajić, and Ivan "Piko" Stančić—without Jura Stublić—the supergroup Le Cinema (French for Film) quickly established itself within the new wave and punk rock scenes. The band rapidly gained traction in club circuits, often featuring guest performances from actress Mira Furlan and musicians such as Massimo Savić, Vlada Divljan, and Drago Mlinarec. Notably, they collaborated with Mlinarec on a rendition of his Grupa 220 classic "Osmijeh" ("Smile").
In early 1988, Le Cinema released Rocking at the Party Live!, a live album recorded at the Kulušić club. This release included interpretations of iconic tracks by artists like John Lennon, Chuck Berry, Talking Heads, The Ramones, and Blondie. Among the highlights was "Maršal," an adaptation of Idoli's "Poslednji dani," featuring former Idoli member Vlada Divljan. Following this album, the band embarked on an extensive tour, performing more than 200 shows throughout Yugoslavia.
Simultaneously, members engaged in other musical endeavors: Juričić formed Vještice alongside ex-Azra drummer Boris Leiner and later established Ljetno Kino and Plesač Sporog Ritma; Pelajić became part of Haustor, contributing to their 1988 album Tajni grad; Novoselić created Dee Dee Mellow, briefly joined Disciplina Kičme, and eventually played with Psihomodo Pop.
After a period of inactivity, Le Cinema returned in 1997 with bassist Žan Jankopač from Šo! Mazgoon joining the lineup. The original members reunited to produce the comeback album Doručak kod Trulog (Breakfast at Rotten's), which featured nine cover versions of Film songs, including "Zona sumraka" with guest vocalist Goran Bare from Majke. The album also contained a live cover of Šarlo Akrobata's "Ona se budi," renditions of international rock songs, the original track "Mogu ja!," remastered selections from their earlier live album, and accompanying music videos such as "Osmijeh" featuring Drago Mlinarec.
On February 22, 2003, Le Cinema contributed a cover of Ekatarina Velika's "Krug" to the tribute compilation Jako dobar tattoo! Tribute to EKV, recorded during a memorial concert for frontman Milan Mladenović held in Zagreb.
The band officially ceased activities in 2007.
Default lineup reunion (1998)
In mid-1998, Juričić, Pelajić, and Stančić reunited with Jura Stublić for a singular performance at the Zagreb gori (Zagreb's Burning) open-air event, showcasing key figures from Zagreb’s new wave movement.
Legacy
The cinematic ballad "Mi nismo sami" has been extensively covered by prominent regional artists. Serbian rock group Galija included it on their 1992 single Jednom u sto godina, Croatian band Daleka Obala featured it on their 1997 album Di si ti, Branimir Štulić recorded a version in 2011 for his YouTube channel, Massimo Savić interpreted it on his 2006 album Vještina II, and Darko Rundek offered his rendition in 2019. The track "Zajedno" was covered by Serbian band Plejboj in 1995, while Serbian rock outfit Eva Braun included "Odvedi me iz ovog grada" on their 1998 release Heart Core. Several songs such as "Neprilagođen," "Zamisli," and "Odvedi me iz ovog grada" also appeared on the 2001 Polish tribute album Yugoton. Moreover, the Croatian world music ensemble Postolar Tripper took inspiration from "Zamisli život u ritmu muzike za ples" when naming their 2007 album.
In 1998, four albums—Novo! Novo! Novo! Još jučer samo na filmu a sada i u vašoj glavi (No. 22), Signali u noći (No. 67), Sva čuda svijeta (No. 69), and Film u Kulušiću – Live (No. 70)—were listed among the 100 Greatest Albums of Yugoslav Popular Music. The debut album was later ranked No. 14 and Film u Kulušiću – Live No. 45 on the Croatian edition of Rolling Stone magazine’s top Yugoslav albums list in 2015. Additionally, the live album received recognition in 1987 as one of Yugoslavia’s premier live recordings by Rock magazine.
Several key songs attained notable rankings: in 2000, "Mi nismo sami" placed No. 36 and "Zajedno" No. 81 on the Rock Express Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Times. In 2006, "Zamisli" was ranked No. 27, followed by "Neprilagođen" at No. 80 and "Boje su u nama" at No. 85 on the B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs chart.
Twelve compositions penned by Stublić are included in Petar Janjatović’s anthology Pesme bratstva, detinjstva & potomstva: Antologija ex YU rok poezije 1967 - 2007, highlighting the band’s significant cultural influence.
In acknowledgment of his artistic legacy, Stublić was honored with the Porin Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
Discography
Under the name Film
Studio albums
- Novo! Novo! Novo! Još jučer samo na filmu a sada i u vašoj glavi (1981)
- Zona sumraka (1982)
- Sva čuda svijeta (1983)
- Signali u noći (1985)
Live albums
- Film u Kulušiću – Live (1981)
Singles
- "Kad si mlad" / "Zajedno" (1980)
- "Zamisli" / "Radio ljubav" (1981)
- "Zona sumraka" / "Espanja" (1982)
- "Pljačka stoljeća" / "Zagreb je hladan grad" (1982)
- "Ti zračiš zrake kroz zrak" / "Mi nismo sami" (1983)
- "Boje su u nama" / "Istina piše na zidu" (1983)
As Jura Stublić & Film
Studio albums
- Sunce sja (1987)
- Zemlja sreće (1989)
- Hrana za golubove (1992)
Compilation albums
- Greatest hits vol. 1 (1994)
- Greatest hits vol. 2 (1996)
- Sve najbolje (2001)