Vares - ondskans kyss. FI © 2011 Solar Films. P: Jukka Helle, Markus Selin. D: Anders Engström. SC: Katariina Souri, Mika Karttunen, Anders Engström - based on the novel Pahan suudelma (1998) by Reijo Mäki. DP: Jari Mutikainen - HD Post - Generator Post. AD: Betsy Ångerman-Engström. Cost: Marjatta Nissinen. Make-up: Hannele Herttua. M: DJ Slow, Samuli Laiho. Selections from Wigwam (1975). S: Panu Riikonen. ED: Mikko Sippola. LOC: Turku. Cast: Antti Reini (Jussi Vares, private eye), Anu Sinisalo (Laila), Mikko Nousiainen (Lahtipoika, hitman), Outi Mäenpää (Asta Malmstén), Jasper Pääkkönen (Kyypakkaus, drug addict), Ilkka Heiskanen (Inspector Hautavainio), Mikko Leppilampi (Ruuhio, tabloid journalist), Maria Järvenhelmi (Anna, taxi driver and exotic dancer), Eppu Salminen (Luusalmi, writer of detective novels), Matti Onnismaa (reverend Alanen), Ville Virtanen (Arto, professor at the university), Iina Kuustonen (Tuikku, student), Svante Martin (Paavo Keinonen), Johanna Kerttula (Riitta Vuorela), Rea Mauranen (Riihimäki), Misa Lommi (Kerttu), Camilla Adolfsson (Pirkko). 90 min. A Nordisk Film (Finland) release with Swedish subtitles by Markus Karjalainen viewed at Kinopalatsi 7, Helsinki, 14 Jan 2011
Since 1986 Reijo Mäki has published 21 best-selling books on the private detective Jussi Vares, and Solar Films has produced two popular films (2004, 2007) based on them, directed by Aleksi Mäkelä and starring Juha Veijonen.
Now Solar Films relaunches the Vares series. Six films have been shot, and The Kiss of Evil is released first.
The early Vares movies were comedy action films. The Kiss of Evil is more like the current Swedish, German and British thrillers, and the new Vares films are also meant for an international audience. In Finland, The Kiss of Evil brings also to mind memories of the Inspector Palmu series (four films in the 1960s), the most popular and highly regarded Finnish crime film series.
The Kiss of Evil is more character-driven than the early Vares films, and Anders Engström creates good moments of ensemble playing among his talented cast. There are moments of relaxed humoristic observation in the movie. Although Vares is a single man, he is not a lonely wolf, and friendship is important in the stories. Six people get killed, but there is no gratuitous emphasis on violence.
Antti Reini as the private detective Vares is a bohemian and a barfly, like a fish out of water among the high society, but never losing his self-confidence.
Often in crime entertainment the police are depicted as clowns, but in The Kiss of Evil Inspector Hautavainio (Ilkka Heiskanen) and his colleagues get a reasonably fair treatment, although of course they need Vares to solve the crime.
Also often in crime entertainment criminals are glamorized, but this time they are portrayed realistically. Mikko Nousiainen creates a fearsome and pathetic hitman. Jasper Pääkkönen the heartthrob actor excels again in portraying a loser figure from the underworld. A third heartthrob, Mikko Leppilampi, plays a sleazy tabloid journalist.
The weak area of the film is the high society, the shipowner family among which the crime takes place. It would not be accurate to call this a caricature, rather we are served cliché imagery about the bourgeoisie recycled from countless other crime stories. Despite the fatally underwritten roles Anu Sinisalo excels in the female lead, commanding every scene she's in. Outi Mäenpää is irrepressible as always. Svante Martin suffers in the background. The talented Ville Virtanen risks being typecast in neurotic and twisted authority figure roles. It would be nice to see him play a relaxed and easygoing fellow for a change. But maybe he himself likes to play these weird characters. Iina Kuustonen is attractive as the young student, the latest in line of young beauties seduced by the professor.
Visually The Kiss of Evil is a typical transition film. The drawbacks of the digital cinematography or the digital intermediate are obvious in aerial shots, long shots, action scenes and night scenes. The close-ups are fine.
The Vares stories take place in the city of Turku. The bars frequented by Vares (Uusi Apteekki, Wanha Rahtilaiva) are real. But nobody speaks in the Turku dialect. Turku / Åbo is bilingual, but although Anders Engström is a Finnish Swedish director (born in Finland, living in Stockholm), no Swedish is spoken.
Soundtrack selections beyond the jump break:
Nuclear Nightclub
Wigwam
säv. san. Jim Pembroke
© Warner / Chappell Music Finland
(p) Love Records 1975
Fuck The Army
Briard
säv. san. Pete Malmi
© Love Kustannus
(p) Poko Rekords 1978
Freddie Are You Ready
Wigwam
säv. Pekka Rechardt san. Jim Pembroke
© Warner / Chappell Music Finland
(p) Love Records 1975
Philosophy
Briard
säv. san. Pete Malmi
(P) 1979 Hilse / Poko Rekords
Do The Pigworm
Jim Pembroke
säv. san. Jim Pembroke
© Warner / Chappell Music Finland
(p) Love Records 1974
Tenho
SlowHill
säv. Dj Slow / T.Rinne
(p) Universal Music Oy 2010
Since 1986 Reijo Mäki has published 21 best-selling books on the private detective Jussi Vares, and Solar Films has produced two popular films (2004, 2007) based on them, directed by Aleksi Mäkelä and starring Juha Veijonen.
Now Solar Films relaunches the Vares series. Six films have been shot, and The Kiss of Evil is released first.
The early Vares movies were comedy action films. The Kiss of Evil is more like the current Swedish, German and British thrillers, and the new Vares films are also meant for an international audience. In Finland, The Kiss of Evil brings also to mind memories of the Inspector Palmu series (four films in the 1960s), the most popular and highly regarded Finnish crime film series.
The Kiss of Evil is more character-driven than the early Vares films, and Anders Engström creates good moments of ensemble playing among his talented cast. There are moments of relaxed humoristic observation in the movie. Although Vares is a single man, he is not a lonely wolf, and friendship is important in the stories. Six people get killed, but there is no gratuitous emphasis on violence.
Antti Reini as the private detective Vares is a bohemian and a barfly, like a fish out of water among the high society, but never losing his self-confidence.
Often in crime entertainment the police are depicted as clowns, but in The Kiss of Evil Inspector Hautavainio (Ilkka Heiskanen) and his colleagues get a reasonably fair treatment, although of course they need Vares to solve the crime.
Also often in crime entertainment criminals are glamorized, but this time they are portrayed realistically. Mikko Nousiainen creates a fearsome and pathetic hitman. Jasper Pääkkönen the heartthrob actor excels again in portraying a loser figure from the underworld. A third heartthrob, Mikko Leppilampi, plays a sleazy tabloid journalist.
The weak area of the film is the high society, the shipowner family among which the crime takes place. It would not be accurate to call this a caricature, rather we are served cliché imagery about the bourgeoisie recycled from countless other crime stories. Despite the fatally underwritten roles Anu Sinisalo excels in the female lead, commanding every scene she's in. Outi Mäenpää is irrepressible as always. Svante Martin suffers in the background. The talented Ville Virtanen risks being typecast in neurotic and twisted authority figure roles. It would be nice to see him play a relaxed and easygoing fellow for a change. But maybe he himself likes to play these weird characters. Iina Kuustonen is attractive as the young student, the latest in line of young beauties seduced by the professor.
Visually The Kiss of Evil is a typical transition film. The drawbacks of the digital cinematography or the digital intermediate are obvious in aerial shots, long shots, action scenes and night scenes. The close-ups are fine.
The Vares stories take place in the city of Turku. The bars frequented by Vares (Uusi Apteekki, Wanha Rahtilaiva) are real. But nobody speaks in the Turku dialect. Turku / Åbo is bilingual, but although Anders Engström is a Finnish Swedish director (born in Finland, living in Stockholm), no Swedish is spoken.
Soundtrack selections beyond the jump break:
Nuclear Nightclub
Wigwam
säv. san. Jim Pembroke
© Warner / Chappell Music Finland
(p) Love Records 1975
Fuck The Army
Briard
säv. san. Pete Malmi
© Love Kustannus
(p) Poko Rekords 1978
Freddie Are You Ready
Wigwam
säv. Pekka Rechardt san. Jim Pembroke
© Warner / Chappell Music Finland
(p) Love Records 1975
Philosophy
Briard
säv. san. Pete Malmi
(P) 1979 Hilse / Poko Rekords
Do The Pigworm
Jim Pembroke
säv. san. Jim Pembroke
© Warner / Chappell Music Finland
(p) Love Records 1974
Tenho
SlowHill
säv. Dj Slow / T.Rinne
(p) Universal Music Oy 2010
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