THE VIDEO EFFECT

The video effect: I started to have access to home video taped movies and tv programmes in 1980, thanks to Mr. Jouko Hanhinen in Tampere, the first person I knew to have a home video apparatus.
By 1982 I had a VHS video tape recorder, myself. It was now easier to follow complete runs of important tv series. It became possible to rewind to the best clips of music video programmes, and watch favourite movie scenes repeatedly.
I started to arrange regular video evenings at home. We usually watched a complete movie, selected favourite scenes, and top music videos.
First in 1985 I had also a Betamax video tape recorder, but it was mainly to access collections of friends, and I always taped a lot of films for friends. It was my contribution to a video exchange network, and my reward was reasonable access.
For me, video was always only for watching and showing.
I never considered collecting video. I was always aware that it is substandard and not durable.
Writing this in 2008, I still value my VHS apparatus, which I now use to tape extended radio programmes such as operas, concerts, and my favourite radio programme, "YLE Radio 1: Yöklassinen" [YLE Radio 1: The Night Classics] from midnight till 6 am in the morning (Sundays till 7 am). Used as audio tape, VHS is excellent even at half speed or less. YLE Radio 1, one of the great music channels of the world, sends its magnificent programmes uncompressed. Treasures galore!

AUGUST 1982, STOCKHOLM

Fritz Lang: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (US 1956). Dana Andrews in SuperScope. Lang's last American film.

Three Godfathers / Pako yli aavikon. US 1948. D: John Ford. VHS. The only slip of style: the religious delusion of the final part of the desert journey is too heavy-handedly emphasized. I watched several scenes over and over again.
The Werewolf of London. US 1935. D: Stuart Walker. VHS. Lacks the definitive urgency of Universal's greatest creations. Waggner's The Wolf Man achieved it.
Rauta-aika 2 / Järntiden 2 / The Iron Age 2. FI 1982. VHS
The Making of Mankind 4. GB 1981. Richard Leakey. tv
6.8.1982 TV: Not the Nine O'Clock News. GB 1980.
Рассказ неизвестного человека / Tuntemattoman tarina / The Story of an Unknown Man. SU 1980. D: Vytautas Zalakevicius. Anton Chekhov. Alexander Kaidanovsky convincing, otherwise bland.
Dracula. US 1931. D: Tod Browning. Bram Stoker. tv. Bela Lugosi is Dracula, art direction and acting are definitive, but the movie suffers from the fact that the play adaptation has not been rendered sufficiently cinematic. Later I watched on vhs the Lugosi introduction several times.
Rauta-aika 3. VHS
The Making of Mankind 5. VHS
13.8.1982 Not the Nine O'Clock News. GB 1980. VHS. The best episode so far. The panel discussion with a talking monkey. The video game presentation with a "Royal Revenge". Two tabloid sellers competing with the goriness of their headlines ("Millions Mangled in M-Way Madness").
14.8.1982: a video abuse evening with Eija, Tapio, Nina
Третья Мещанская / Säng och soffa / Bed and Sofa. VHS [2]. A delicious film, the best scenes watched over and over again.
Fedora / Fedora - arvoituksellinen nainen. FR/DE 1978. D: Billy Wilder. Fkl / Fh. Still going strong.
TV 17.8.1982 Måndagsbörsen på burk 1. The synthetizer bands. Classix Nouveaux, Henkans Supersyntare, Depeche Mode, Rupert Hine, Duran Duran.
Rauta-aika 4. TV. The series was proof that there is good material in the Finnish mythology for a movie. A Finnish counterpart to the samurai film? The images were strong, but the eternal stares of the actors and Paavo Haavikko's clumsy dialogue took the steam away. The purely visual action elements were fine, as was the montage (as long as they did not try tricks on the "this is a play" concept).
King Kong. tv. [3]
The Making of Mankind 6. VHS.
Judge Priest. US 1934. D: John Ford. Fkl / Fst. I did not like this as much as Steamboat Round the Bend.
The Iron Horse / Rautahepo. US 1925. Fkl / Fh. A good print. A presentation with musical accompaniment and the original sound effects. The style of the epic legend is convincing. Ford's finest nuances are not yet in evidence. Impresses with its energy, and the massive production values are put in good use.
20.8.1982 Not the Nine O'Clock News. VHS.
Cat Ballou / Paukkurauta Kati. US 1965. D: Elliot Silverstein. Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin. VHS
22.8.1982 TV: Only When I Laugh. TV comedy series. GB 1979.
23.8.1982 TV: Måndagsbörs på burk: Kvinnorna. Efva Attling. Alice. Carline Carter (*). Olivia Newton-John: Physical (a terrible imitation of Jane Russell in Anyone Here For Love?). Elkie Brooks (***).
24.8.1982 a video abuse evening with Kati, Hannele
25.8.1982 Fkl / Fst double bill:
Le Sang d'un poète [2] +
Un chant d'amour. FR 1950. D: Jean Genet. Unique in its open, naked homosexuality.
La plus belle affiche 1. VHS [2]
Tha Making of Mankind 7. VHS. Richard Leakey's series was excellent. Such works are sufficient justification for the existence of tv.
The Whole Town's Talking / Koko kaupungin puheenaihe. US 1935. D: John Ford. Fkl / Fh. The auteur policy at stake: if they had announced Capra as the director, I would not have suspected anything. The screenwriter is Riskin, the company is Columbia, the star is Jean Arthur, and they create the Capra effect? Or is Ford being influenced by his colleague? Who cares, the film is wonderful.
The Informer / Ilmiantaja. US 1935. D: John Ford. Fkl / Fh. Strong story, great main actor (Victor McLaglen). But marred by overemphasis in expressionism. - Ford is a natural expressionist. When he "turns artistic" he risks mannerism.
27.8.1982 Not the Nine O'Clock News. VHS
Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes. tv [2]
28.8.1982 TV: Maratonrock. Eric Burdon, etc.
La plus belle affiche 2. VHS [2]
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt / Sähkötuoli odottaa / Elektriska stolen väntar. US 1956. D: Fritz Lang. tv. His late, stark style packs a punch.