Rööperi

Rödbergen [Red Hill]. FI (c) 2009 Solar Films. P: Markus Selin, Jukka Helle. D: Aleksi Mäkelä. SC: Marko Leino - based on the novel Rööperi - rikoksen vuodet 1955-2005 (2005) by Harri Nykänen and Tom Sjöberg. DP: Pini Hellstedt - 2,35:1 - color. PD: Pirjo Rossi. COST: Tiina Kaukanen. MA: Riika Virtanen. M: Kalle Chydenius. S: Jyrki Rahkonen. CAST: Samuli Edelmann (Tomppa), Peter Franzén (Krisu), Kari Hietalahti (Kari), Pihla Viitala (Monika), Kristo Salminen (Arska), Jasper Pääkkönen (Korppu), Hiski Grönstrand (Pera), Tommi Rantamäki (Sale), Juha Veijonen (Koistinen), Pekka Valkeejärvi (Uki), Pirkko Mannola (Tyyne), Leena Uotila (Tompan äiti), Santeri Kinnunen (Teukka), Kalle Holmberg (Lindström). 130 min. Released by Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution with Swedish subtitles by Markus Rautiainen. Viewed at Kinopalatsi 1, 9 Jan 2009. - A digi-mastered look, emphasis on the blue and the brown, a little shabby. - Underworld Helsinki. - Based on the novel by the crime expert, journalist and writer Harri Nykänen, on the true story of Tom Sjöberg, of organized crime in alcohol, robbery, theft, drugs, porn, smuggling, violent assault, murder, etc. in the district of Punavuori known in the Helsinki slang as Rööperi. - The film has it both ways: it both shows that crime doesn't pay and glorifies crime. Krisu perishes with heroin addiction. Kari is an imbecile. Monika dies broken-hearted. Tomppa loses his child. - Yet it makes these characters bigger than life, using slow motion and music. And I suspect many aspects of the story are polished and idealized. - Yet there is certainly a lot of interesting material in the film, and it is probably the richest exploration of the criminal life in a Finnish film.

Kastematojen aika

The Age of the Worms / Daggmaskarnas tid. FI (c) 1985 YLE TV1 Lasten ja nuorten ohjelmien toimitus. D+SC: Matti Ijäs. DP: Jouko Paavonen. M: Antti Hytti. With pieces by Tom Waits, Keith Jarrett, and Jan Garbarek. LOC: Helsinki. Starring Kimmo Lempinen (Jontti), Vieno Saaristo (Jontti's mother), Oiva Lohtander (Jontti's father), Erkki Pajala (the angler), Samuli Edelmann (Höödi the bike boy). 35 min. 16mm sepmag production presented in digibeta, alas. Viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 14 September 2008. -An original coming-of-age story of a teenage boy. Spying on undressing girls. Violently clashing with parents. Making friends with an old tramp called the Angler in the fishing harbor. They steal money from fishing boats? and also collect worms for fishing; after a blind man's bluff on the jetty the old man splashes into the sea, and Jontti goes to buy dry clothes for him. But he gets a lift from an older teenager boy (Samuli Edelmann in one of his first parts) who takes him to the special part of the beach where boys and girls make out. Threatened by bikes, the old angler falls on a bridge looking lifeless. - Full of interesting observations, with a strong sense of the confusion in teenager's mind. - Interesting score by Antti Hytti. - Boldly nocturnal cinematography by Jouko Paavonen. Jontti is not a hero, he has mean and vicious traits. Nor is the angler a nice old fellow.