Kitchen Stories (2003)
"Salmer fra kjøkkenet" (original title)

A scientific observer's job of observing an old cantakerous single man's kitchen habits is complicated by his growing friendship with him.

Director:

Bent Hamer

Writers:

Jörgen Bergmark, Bent Hamer

Stars:

Joachim Calmeyer, Tomas Norström, Bjørn Floberg

8 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joachim Calmeyer	...	Isak Bjørvik
Tomas Norström	...	Folke Nilsson
Bjørn Floberg	...	Grant
Reine Brynolfsson	...	Malmberg
Sverre Anker Ousdal	...	Dr. Jack Zac. Benjaminsen
Leif Andrée	...	Dr. Ljungberg
Gard B. Eidsvold	...	Bakkerman (as Gard Eidsvold)
Lennart Jähkel	...	Green
Trond Brænne	...	Ordforer
Bjørn Jenseg	...	Vaktmester
Jan Gunnar Røise	...	Vaktmesterassistent
Karin Lunden	...	Svensk selskapsdame
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Päivi Laakso	...	Finsk selskapsdame

Storyline

In post war Sweden it was discovered that every year, an average housewife walks the equivalent number of miles as the distance between Stockholm and Congo, while preparing her family meals. So the Home Research Institute sent out eighteen observers to a rural district of Norway to map out the kitchen routines of single men. The researchers were on twenty-four-hour call, and sat in special strategically placed chairs in each kitchen. Furthermore, under no circumstances were the researchers to be spoken to, or included in the kitchen activities.

---

Plot Keywords:

kitchen | researcher | sweden | friendship | research | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Les Films du Losange [fr] Official site [de]

Country:

Norway Sweden

Language:

Norwegian Swedish

Release Date:

17 January 2003 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Kitchen Stories

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$48,103 (USA) (20 February 2004)

Gross:

$349,315 (USA) (4 June 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BOB Film Sweden AB, Bulbul Films, Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 96 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Throughout the film, Isak speaks Norwegian and Folke speaks Swedish; this is true even when they are having conversations with each other.

---

Connections

Spoofed in Brødrene Dal og mysteriet med Karl XIIs gamasjer: Episode #1.1 (2005)

---

Soundtracks

"Visa Från Utanmyra"
Performed by Jan Johansson

User Reviews

A thoroughly moving experience

The only lamentable part of this extraordinarily moving film is its title. I went to an art-house cinema in Toulouse to see it, more for Hamer's reputation than the published blurb, still not knowing what to expect. Nothing moves in the film, like the observant Folke on his directorial high chair, we are watching the goings on, monotonous. But, boring? Most certainly not! As the plot develops around the friendship between the subject and the object, we are drawn into a conflict which is essentially outside the boundaries of nations: how can you understand someone without verbal communication, for the sake of scientific research? You can't.

Bureaucratic strictures can lead to disobedience however much the personal cost of that kind of action might be. Folke and Isak forge a friendship in a relatively short time, which might take others years of nurturing. We applaud the rebellious scientist when he dumps his snail-shell caravan to return to Isak's uncomplicated rural dwelling. The most moving closing scene suddenly makes you realise that what seemed to be a static film was, in fact, full of heroic action.

That there are only two IMDb comments on this film demonstrates how exclusionist South Europe and the States are, when third rate trash receives attention of one sort or the other.