The Looser Trilogy: Lights in the Dusk

by Aki Kaurismäki

The Looser Trilogy: Lights in the Dusk

Synopsis

»Lights in the dusk« (Laitakaupungin Valot) concludes the trilogy began by the »Drifting Clouds« (Kauas pilvet karkaavat) and the »The Man Without a Past« (Mies vailla menneisyyttä). Where the trilogy's first film was about unemployment and the second about homelessness, the theme of »Lights in the dusk« is loneliness.

Like Chaplin's little tramp the protagonist, a man named Koistinen, searches the hard world for a small crack to crawl in through, but both his fellow beings and the faceless apparatus of the society see it their business to crush his modest hopes, one after another. Criminal elements exploit his longing for love and his position as a night watchman in a robbery they pull off, leaving Koistinen to face the consequences. This is done with the help of the most callous woman in the history of cinema since Joseph. L Mankiewicz's »All About Eve« (1950). Thus Koistinen is deprived of his job, his freedom, and his dreams. Luckily for our protagonist, the author of the film has a reputation of being a soft-hearted old man, so we can assume there is a spark of hope illuminating the final scene.

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

Janne Hyytiäinen - Koistinen
Maria Heiskanen - Aila
Maria Järvenhelmi - Mirja
Ilkka Kolvula - Lindholm

Crew

Written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki
Producer: Aki Kaurismäki
Cinematography: Timo Salminen
Editing: Aki Kaurismäki
Sound: Jouko Lumme, Tero Malmberg
Set Design: Markku Pätilä
Wardrobe: Outi Harjupatana

Technical Data

Format: 35 mm / 1:1.85 / Colour / Dolby Digital
Length: 80 mins
Original version: Finnish
Original title: Laitakaupungin valot

Downloads

The Looser Trilogy: Lights in the Dusk
The Looser Trilogy: Lights in the Dusk

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