Le Diable probablement / The Devil, Probably

Robert Bresson: Le Diable probablement / The Devil, Probably (FR 1977) avec Nicolas Deguy (Valentin) et Antoine Monnier (Charles).

Paholainen luultavasti / Djävulen förmodligen.
    FR © 1977 Sunchild Productions.
    D+SC: Robert Bresson. DP: Pasqualino De Santis – Eastmancolor – 1:1,66. M: Philippe Sarde; Claudio Monteverdi (”Madrigal Ego Dormio”).
    C: Antoine Monnier (Charles), Tina Irissari (Alberte), Henri de Maublanc (Michel), Laetitia Carcano (Edwige), Régis Hanrion (the psychoanalyst, Dr. Mime), Nicolas Deguy (Valentin), Geoffroy Gaussen (the bookseller), Rogert Honorat (the inspector).
    96 min
    A vintage Diana-Filmi release print with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Satu Laaksonen / Lisbet Eriksson viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 24 Oct 2008.

The Eastmancolor of this print is fading.

Robert Bresson: "Ce qui m'a poussé à faire ce film, c'est le gâchis qu'on a fait de tout. C'est cette civilisation de masse où bientôt l'individu n'existera plus. Cette agitation folle. Cette immense entreprise de démolition où nous périrons par où nous avons cru vivre. C'est aussi la stupéfiante indifférence des gens, sauf de certains jeunes actuels, plus lucides." Robert Bresson

The story of a suicide. The young people of Paris facing Weltschmerz: ecocatastrophe, nuclear danger. The questions of crime, sabotage, terrorism. The nihilism of clochard life, soulless sex, drug addiction.

The question of the church and the religion, quoting Victor Hugo: "when a priest enters the church, God exits".

An exchange in the bus: "Who is guiding us now?" "Le Diable probablement".

The encounter with the psychoanalyst, the death wish, the exaggerated libido. "I'm just clear-sighted".

Charles has failed in his suicide attempts, he loves the sensual side of life too much, but the psychoanalyst gives him the clue that ancient Romans asked slaves and friends to help.

Charles hires his drug addict friend to be his contract killer to execute him.

Kaze no tani no Naushika

Tuulen laakson Nausikaa / Nausicaa av vindens dal / Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. JP 1984. PC: Studio Ghibli. P: Isao Takahata. D+SC: Hayao Miyazaki - based on his manga (1982-1994). M: Joe Hisaishi. AN: Kazuo Komatsubara (an d). Voice talent: Sumi Shimamoto (Nausicaä), Mahito Tsujimura (Jihl), Hisako Kyôda (Oh-Baba). 118 min (the long version). Released in Finland (premiere 2008) by Cinema Mondo with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Janne Mökkönen / Sanna Hulden. Viewed at Kinopalatsi 9, Helsinki, 17 Oct 2008. - A beautiful analogue print. - Miyazaki's second feature film has already his hallmarks: the feeling for the secrets of nature, the concern for ecocatastrophe, the meditative tempo, the young girl as the protagonist, the dream of flying, and the visions of war. - It is a dystopia of the world a thousand years after "the seven days of fire": the nuclear holocaust and the following ecocatastrophe. The visions of the Toxic Jungle and the Giant Ohm creatures and the toxic plants in the Sea of Decay are memorable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nausica%C3%A4_of_the_Valley_of_the_Wind

Recipes for Disaster

Katastrofin aineksia / Ingredienser för en katastrof. FI/DK (c) 2008 Millennium Film / Magic Hour Films Aps / [a third company]. P: Kristiina Pervilä. D+SC: John Webster. Shot on video, digital intermediate, distributed on 35mm film, colour. 85 min. In English (part Finnish) with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Janne Staffans. Viewed in Kinopalatsi 2, Helsinki, 20 September 2008. - A home video look. Largely handheld video with stock footage inserts transferred to video and back to film. - The Webster family's experiment to a year without oil and plastic. - Also this film (like Kummeli Alivuokralainen) starts in Africa. - An interesting experiment that threatens the happiness of the family. - They manage to cut their ecological footprint into half. - It belongs to the extremist-experimental trend of the current documentary film. - There has been a lot of attention to the film, there was a good attendance in the show, and the viewers seemed positively surprised, there was lively discussion of the details and the large issues. - We need to act decisively, but everyone feels confused and disoriented as the opinion leaders do not seem to live as they teach. - This film shows that a lot can be done by personal initiative.

Aurinkotuuli

Solvinden / Sun Wind. FI 1980. PC: Filminor. PC: Kullervo Kukkasjärvi. D: Timo Linnasalo. SC: Ilpo Tuomarila, Linnasalo - based on the novel by Kullervo Kukkasjärvi. DP: Heikki Katajisto. M: Antti Hytti. ED: Juho Gartz. Starring Paavo Piskonen (gravity researcher Erik Rankamaa), Lilga Kovanko (gravity researcher Laura, Pauli's wife, Fabian's daughter), Antti Litja (Paul, doctor), Erkki Pajala (Fabian, janitor). 122 min. Viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 17 September 2008. - Ok print. - A rare Finnish scifi film. - Erik has been deep-frozen after his death in 1970, and he is brought back to life in 1999. A film of visions and reflections, not based on special effects, very slow, an ecological warning of a decaying world with dilapilated buildings, air without sun. - A memorable opening shot: the composition is divided in half by sea and shore, and slowly the camera turns upside down. - I watched half an hour this time.

WALL*E

WALL-E / WALL-E. US (c) 2008 Disney / Pixar. EX: John Lasseter. D: Andrew Stanton. SC: Stanton, Jim Reardon - based on a story by Stanton, Pete Docter. M: Thomas Newman. "La Vie en rose" perf. Louis Armstrong. Supervising AN: Alan Barillaro, Steven Clay Hunter. Directing AN: Angus MacLane. Original format: Digital - distributed as D-Cinema and 35mm film prints in 1:2,35. Voice talent: Ben Burtt (WALL-E / M-O), Elissa Knight (EVE), Jeff Garlin (Captain), Fred Willard (Shelby Fortright - BnL CEO), MacIn Talk (AUTO), John Ratzenberger (John), Kathy Najimy (Mary), Sigourney Weaver (Ship's Computer). 98 min. Released in Finland by Buena Vista International Finland. Original English version with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Marko Hartama / Janne Staffans viewed in 35mm at Tennispalatsi 5, Helsinki, 6 September 2008. - A masterpiece. - Digital animation at its best, a satire of the mechanical world and pollution. A vision of the brave new world in the Huxley tradition. The earth has become unfit to live. Mankind has escaped on a mothership to outer space, and in 700 years everybody has become a paunchy couch potato, practically invalid, subsisting on fast food and the ubiquitous entertainment monitor. - The main relationship is between two robots, vaguely similar with Lady and the Tramp. - Fine scenes: the space dance, the revolt of the computers. - The scifi tributes are not overdone, end credit art is a beautiful exercise in pastiche. - Thomas Newman's whimsical music has affinities with Henry Mancini (Hatari!). - The computer definition of "Earth" includes a glimpse of D.W. Griffith's A Corner in Wheat.

Valkoinen taivas / The White Sky

Susanna Helke: Valkoinen taivas / The White Sky / Белое небо / Beloje nebo (FI 1998).

A-027848 / G / FI / 1998 / Helke, Susanna etc. / documentary

Белое небо / Beloje nebo. 

FI 1998 © Kinotar. P: Lasse Saarinen. D+SC+ED: Susanna Helke, Virpi Suutari. DP: Tuomo Virtanen. Featuring: Igor Maljukov, Natalia Maljukova, Katja Maljukova. Filmed in Monchegorsk on the Kola Peninsula. 56’. Colour, 1,85. In Russian with Finnish subtitles by Jussi Väntänen. DIST: Kinotar. Viewed in Helsinki, VET, Steenbeck, Thursday 26 March 1998. ** An intimate portrait about life in the middle of ecocatastrophe.