Leningrad Cowboys Go America

by Aki Kaurismäki

Leningrad Cowboys Go America

Synopsis

Somewhere in the tundra, in no-man’s land, lives the worst rock’n’roll band in the world, an outfit with no audience and absolutely no commercial potential. And so they decide to bury their national sentiments and go to the United States where people swallow any kind of shit.

This film is the story of their journey over the ocean and through the continent, a story of seamy bars and honest folk in the backyards of the Hamburger Nation. Ugly actors, good feelings. Yeah.

This parody of Jim Jarmusch (and paean to sullen drunkenness) is the only example in town and the film’s single joke – a band of grotesque European rock musicians discover the New World – happens to be a good one. (J. Hoberman, Village Voice, 1990)

Director

Aki Kaurismäki, writer, director, editor and producer. Born in Finland 4.4.1957, but...

Films as a director:

1981
»The Saimaa Gesture«
(Co-Dir. with Mika Kaurismäki)

1983
»Crime And Punishment«

1985
»Calamari Union«

1986
»Shadows In Paradise«
»Rocky VI« (Short)

1987
»Hamlet Goes Business«
»Thru The Wire« (Short)
»L.A.Woman« (Short)
»Rich Little Bitch« (Short)

1988
»Ariel«

1989
»Leningrad Cowboys Go America«
»Dirty Hands« (TV Film)

1990
»The Match Factory Girl«
»I Hired A Contract Killer«

1991
»Those Were The Days« (Short)
»These Boots« (Short)

1992
»La Vie De Boheme«

1993
»Total Balalaika Show - Helsinki Concert« (Documentary)

1994
»Take Care Of Your Scarf - Tatjana«
»Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses«

1996
»Drifting Clouds«

1998
»Juha«

2002
»The Man Without A Past«, »Dogs Have No Hell« (Short)

2004
»Bico« (Short)

2006
»Lights In The Dusk«

Cast

Leningrad Cowboys
Nicky Tesco
Matti Pellonpää
Kari Väänänen

Crew

Producer: Aki Kaurismäki, Klas Olofson, Katinka Faragó
Script: Aki Kaurismäki
Camera: Timo Salminen
Sound: Jouko Lumme, Jyrki Hytti, Matti Hukkanen
Editing: Raija Talvio
A production of Villealfa Productions Oy

Technical Data

Format: 35 mm / colour / Dolby Stereo
Length: 78 min.
Original version: English/Finnish

Leningrad Cowboys Go America
Leningrad Cowboys Go America

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