Rantojen miehet

Männen från stränderna / The Shadow of a City. FI 1971. P+SC: Hannu Peltomaa, Erkki Peltomaa. D: Hannu Peltomaa. DP: Erkki Peltomaa. Sound: Paul Jyrälä, Hannu Koski, Matti Kuortti. 32'. Documentary. English subtitles by Joseph and Ulla Brady. Visually excellent print. Viewed at Orion, Helsinki, 23 March 2005. A powerful film on the lost men and women living on the verge of society in lodging houses, in the woods and on the coasts. This belongs to the bold tradition of documentary transcending the boundary of good taste, privacy and discretion. The camera follows human beings on whom we hear they were raped and murdered the week after. This raises serious questions on the ethics of cinema: what is voyeurism, where should one draw the line, what are the moral obligations, where is the duty for action. Stands up well in comparison with On The Bowery by Lionel Rogosin.