These films are very interesting and it's impressing to see how people, not least the elderly ones, remain in their houses, even though they are located on top of a mountain, with scarcely any roads!
The name of the three documentaries are (in French): La ferme de Kjeåsen (Kjeåsen i Hardangerfjorden); La ferme de Styvi (Styvi i Nærøyfjorden); Le hameau de Finden (Finden i Sogn).
Révolution (Kenen joukoissa seisot) by Jouko Aaltonen tells the story about different music groups with a political, left-wing message, touring Finland during the 1970's.
We get to see their performances during these years but also hear them speak about how they see themselves today.
During these years countries in Scandinavia and elsewhere in the world, had a great representation of left wing political activists, all with a huge engagement for what they thougt was good and right but sometimes also very naive.
When protesting against 'imperialism', not least American dito, they forgot that the countries they held high - China, North Corea, Russia, Cuba and so forth - actually were - and still are - dictatorships.
Not even when revealed they backed from their position, in some cases (Jan Myrdal in Sweden e.g. - one of the most extremist left wing debaters I know).
This documentary displays the naive and sometimes even cynical approach among the participants in these groups and only one person - at the end of the film - do actually say something more self-critical when establishing that he can't stand up for those ideals today after becoming aware of the terror in the so called 'communistic' countries he held high in those years.
The name of the three documentaries are (in French): La ferme de Kjeåsen (Kjeåsen i Hardangerfjorden); La ferme de Styvi (Styvi i Nærøyfjorden); Le hameau de Finden (Finden i Sogn).
Révolution (Kenen joukoissa seisot) by Jouko Aaltonen tells the story about different music groups with a political, left-wing message, touring Finland during the 1970's.
We get to see their performances during these years but also hear them speak about how they see themselves today.
During these years countries in Scandinavia and elsewhere in the world, had a great representation of left wing political activists, all with a huge engagement for what they thougt was good and right but sometimes also very naive.
When protesting against 'imperialism', not least American dito, they forgot that the countries they held high - China, North Corea, Russia, Cuba and so forth - actually were - and still are - dictatorships.
Not even when revealed they backed from their position, in some cases (Jan Myrdal in Sweden e.g. - one of the most extremist left wing debaters I know).
This documentary displays the naive and sometimes even cynical approach among the participants in these groups and only one person - at the end of the film - do actually say something more self-critical when establishing that he can't stand up for those ideals today after becoming aware of the terror in the so called 'communistic' countries he held high in those years.
Un conte finlandais (Kolme viisasta miestä/Three Wise Men) by Mika Kaurismäki is a film about three old friends who haven't met since childhood.
Incidentally they meet during Christmas and they all go to a karaoke bar where they start, not only to sing (oh my God!) but also tell their life-stories to each other, life-stories filled with problems - of course.
The film starts of quite well but peu à peu it looses the rythm and does'nt become as interesting as we thought it would be, at the beginning of the film.
Kaurismäki also elaborates the story adding some 'side stories' (- and persons), not that important for the film and hardly even interesting.
Mika is not as masterful as his brother.
The next film is Retour à Oegsteest (Terug naar Oegstgeest/Return to Oegstgeest) by Theo van Gogh (the great-great-grandson of Theo van Gogh, the brother of Vncent van Gogh).
I've only seen one film by van Gogh earlier and that was Interview.
I was'nt to impressed by that film- even if the idea and the acting was good - and this film didn't make us jump up and down either, even if it was a good handicraft cinematically.
It's a story about Jan a man who as a child was raised in a very austere environment, his parents (not least his father) being very orthodox protestants, trying to raise the children in 'fear of God'.
He visits his father on the latters deathbed and tries to reconcile with him before the father passes on to a higher existence.
As young Jan tried to revolt, a theme we've seen in many films dealing with questions concerning orthodox religious practice, not only in the œuvres by Ingmar Bergman.
A rather conventionally told film, reminding of similar films with similar themes. Not at all bad but hardly a masterpiece.
Incidentally they meet during Christmas and they all go to a karaoke bar where they start, not only to sing (oh my God!) but also tell their life-stories to each other, life-stories filled with problems - of course.
The film starts of quite well but peu à peu it looses the rythm and does'nt become as interesting as we thought it would be, at the beginning of the film.
Kaurismäki also elaborates the story adding some 'side stories' (- and persons), not that important for the film and hardly even interesting.
Mika is not as masterful as his brother.
The next film is Retour à Oegsteest (Terug naar Oegstgeest/Return to Oegstgeest) by Theo van Gogh (the great-great-grandson of Theo van Gogh, the brother of Vncent van Gogh).
I've only seen one film by van Gogh earlier and that was Interview.
I was'nt to impressed by that film- even if the idea and the acting was good - and this film didn't make us jump up and down either, even if it was a good handicraft cinematically.
It's a story about Jan a man who as a child was raised in a very austere environment, his parents (not least his father) being very orthodox protestants, trying to raise the children in 'fear of God'.
He visits his father on the latters deathbed and tries to reconcile with him before the father passes on to a higher existence.
As young Jan tried to revolt, a theme we've seen in many films dealing with questions concerning orthodox religious practice, not only in the œuvres by Ingmar Bergman.
A rather conventionally told film, reminding of similar films with similar themes. Not at all bad but hardly a masterpiece.
Calvaire is directed by Fabrice Du Welz. This film is shown under the heading 'L'Absurde séance'.
The 'absurd' about this film is that it deals with people living excluded from the rest of the world, adapting somewhat orthodox habits, as having sex with animals or likewise.
The story begins with us meeting a man, working as an entertainer in homes for aged people, wanting to become a more well known performer, preferably a star.
His car brokes down when heading for another town and he meets a man, leading him to a hostel with no guests but a very kind proprietor, who takes care of both him and his car (one think).
However, behind this surface of kindness, it lurks a personality with a very special taste for company and 'entertainment', widowed and wanting someone to take his wifes place.
This escalates into a nightmare for the man and it becomes his 'calvaria', his road of pain, indluding torture and bizarre behaviour by the owner of the inn.
We felt that this was mishmash of Deliverance, Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs plus some other films in different categories, all this poored down a kettle, stirred around a little and served.
We found the idea good but it to much resembled parts of the above mentioned movies (and others) not making this one as original as it could have become.
+ a true "blåck" metal concert with Telümethår
The 'absurd' about this film is that it deals with people living excluded from the rest of the world, adapting somewhat orthodox habits, as having sex with animals or likewise.
The story begins with us meeting a man, working as an entertainer in homes for aged people, wanting to become a more well known performer, preferably a star.
His car brokes down when heading for another town and he meets a man, leading him to a hostel with no guests but a very kind proprietor, who takes care of both him and his car (one think).
However, behind this surface of kindness, it lurks a personality with a very special taste for company and 'entertainment', widowed and wanting someone to take his wifes place.
This escalates into a nightmare for the man and it becomes his 'calvaria', his road of pain, indluding torture and bizarre behaviour by the owner of the inn.
We felt that this was mishmash of Deliverance, Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs plus some other films in different categories, all this poored down a kettle, stirred around a little and served.
We found the idea good but it to much resembled parts of the above mentioned movies (and others) not making this one as original as it could have become.
+ a true "blåck" metal concert with Telümethår
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