The Binoculars Reimagine Anton Karas’s ‘Third Man Theme’ on Debut Album ‘Double Whammy’
The Binoculars have shared a new video for ‘Third Man Theme’, their violin-and-guitar interpretation of the music associated with Carol Reed’s celebrated 1949 film noir, ‘The Third Man’.
The track opens ‘Double Whammy’, the Brooklyn duo’s debut album, which will be released by Jalopy Records on July 17, 2026. The Binoculars feature Kaethe Hostetter on vocals, violin and guitar and Chloë Swantner on vocals, violin, guitar and lap steel.
Originally performed on zither by Austrian musician Anton Karas, the theme became inseparable from the atmosphere of ‘The Third Man’, with its canted streets, postwar Vienna setting and uneasy balance of humour and menace. The Binoculars retain the melody’s distinctive character while translating it into the more intimate language of violin and guitar.
The arrangement also carries a personal connection for Hostetter. Her great-grandfather, actor Ernst Deutsch, appeared in the film as Baron Kurtz, one of the suspicious figures surrounding the disappearance of Harry Lime.
The duo comment:
“The two of us have always been tickled by anything in the noir genre, and the musical theme of the 1949 classic film noir ‘The Third Man’ is a standout, evocative and recognisable tune. Originally for zither, it translates seamlessly to violin and guitar.
“A fun family tidbit is that Kaethe’s great-grandfather was the German actor Ernst Deutsch, who played a featured role in the film: Baron Kurtz, a shady character with raised eyebrows who walks around holding a little dog and acting suspect. Baron Kurtz gets tracked down in a bordello-like establishment where he works as a strolling violinist, playing overripe, romantic melodies to wealthy and indifferent guests.
“While he uses the proximity to eavesdrop on the upper class, Baron Kurtz acts embarrassed when he gets caught and says sheepishly, ‘So, you have found out my little secret. A man must live,’ claiming he is only playing the violin ‘to make ends meet.’
“We as The Binoculars also collect and protect tunes with a personal backstory to our ancestors, keeping the melodies in circulation, and we love to play this one with Kaethe’s mom, the mandolinist Irene Herrmann, who adds an extra flair.”
Directed by Carol Reed from a screenplay by Graham Greene, ‘The Third Man’ starred Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard and Orson Welles. Deutsch’s Baron Kurtz is among the figures encountered by Cotten’s Holly Martins as he attempts to uncover the truth about Harry Lime. The film received three Academy Award nominations, winning for Robert Krasker’s black-and-white cinematography.
‘Double Whammy’ brings together fourteen songs and instrumentals drawn from American country music, bluegrass, old-time fiddle traditions and international folk repertoire. Alongside ‘Third Man Theme’, the album includes material associated with the Louvin Brothers, Doc Watson, the Delmore Brothers, the Kershaw Brothers, Bahta Gebre Hiwot and El Ciego Melquiades.
The album was recorded and mixed by Joseph “joebass” DeJarnette at Greenpoint Recording Collective in Brooklyn in December 2025 and mastered by Matt Powell.
The Binoculars Instagram / Bandcamp
Jalopy Records Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
