kalle-parviainen Reviews

Täällä Pohjantähden alla (1968)

A Finnish classic

[8/10 · 25 November 2022]

While director Edvin Laine's adaptation of "The Unknown Soldier" is often considered to be a definitive example of Finnish cinema, his 1968 masterpiece deserves attention as well. The art of cinema made some advances in the decade between these two films, and it shows. While some parts are still suffering from the old style of filmmaking, i.e., trying to create a movie like it is a theatre production (static camera, characters entering a location and delivering their lines like straight from a book), other parts are great and visually interesting. Especially lighting deserves praise: imagine an early 20th century village in rural Finland without much electricity, and this is what comes to mind. Especially some of the night scenes are simply beautiful to look at with the newest high-definition remaster.

The first part of the film marches on at breakneck speed. As some 20 years of story are compressed into roughly one hour of film, there are some jarring time jumps if you do not know the book, lack the historical knowledge, or simply fail to pay attention to every scene. The tone of the film is also something to be praised. It starts with light-hearted though dramatic scenes, with plenty of humorous exchanges and musical scores. Once the civil war breaks out, this lightness is tossed out and the horrible events are depicted almost without any score, in a matter-of-fact, documentary-style.

"Täällä Pohjantähden Alla" is a classic that everyone should see at least once.

Ponterosa (2001)

It is really THAT bad

[1/10 · 22 October 2022]

In my experience, there are two types of bad films: those that are unintentionally bad (and the lack of quality comes from the filmmakers' inexperience, funding, or other factors) and those that are created to be "cult" films in the first place (and often end up being just not fun to watch). "Ponterosa" is somewhere in the middle of these two. Apparently, the aim was to make a cheap and campy film in the first place, and this time the film is enjoyable to watch if you like B movies.

The plot is a hodgepodge of random events and scenes. The film was shot digitally and it almost looks like your average home video from the early 2000s. The music is also worth mentioning as half of it comes from a music library and includes olden goldies like the theme from Batman or "Lollipop", and the other half is quickly made synth sounds. Surprisingly, the acting is perhaps the strongest part in this one, as especially the professional actors manage to deliver their abysmal dialogue in a pretty good way. Then again, we also have the performances from the celebrity actors like Tony Halme to keep you entertained for their sheer awfulness.

"Ponterosa" is one of those films that you have to see for yourself to fully embrace its (lack of) qualities. Cult classic for a reason.

Pi pi pil... pilleri (1982)

Classic Finnish B movie

[1/10 · 21 October 2022]

Oh dear... the synopsis says pretty much everything you need to know about this Finnish film from the early 80s. I cannot believe nearly 50,000 people saw this one in the theatres when it was released.

"Pi pi pil... Pilleri" fits the bill of a classic B movie: the plot is thin and ridiculous, the acting is interesting to say the least, the film looks cheap and shots are visually boring, and there is full frontal nudity. The runtime is also padded with extra scenes, such as a striptease bit, a can-can dance, the ending party, and what feels like 10 minutes of a guy skiing in a snowy forest.

Most Finns also recognize two of the characters from their roles in children's films and television series, so if you want to ruin your childhood, check out how Allu "Rölli" Tuppurainen and the voice actor for Moominpappa star in a "sexy" film.

Highly recommended if you like bad films as this one is right up there with titles like "Ponterosa" and "Levottomat 3" as the "best of the worst" of modern Finnish cinema. Steer clear if you do not like bad movies.

The Saimaa Gesture (1981)

Close look at Finnish rock history

[10/10 · 18 November 2020]

The early 80s were an interesting and important time in Finnish rock music. Punk had died as quickly as it emerged on the scene, and bands that pioneered the Finnish punk movement either disbanded or became part of the Finnish New Wave, like Eppu Normaali and Hassisen Kone.

The film Saimaa-ilmiö perfectly encapsulates this brief period of time. Three bands tour along the Saimaa waterway, visiting cities like Kuopio, Joensuu and Punkaharju, and drinking and smoking heavily for the week or so the Tuuliajolla tour lasts. The gigs are ferocious and songs are at times played at an impossible tempo, the technology is just a PA system with loud noises coming out from the speakers, and sometimes the stage is occupied by various cameo appearances from all three rock groups. Just as it should be!

There is no narration, and the musical pieces are accompanied by raw footage from the boat with a few brief interviews, from mostly tired/drunk/hungover people saying weird things.

Not sure what non-Finnish speakers get out of this, but if you are even just a little bit interested in this type of music, I urge you to check this documentary film out.