Calamari Union

by Aki Kaurismäki

Calamari Union

Synopsis

This so-called “film” is a rather manic story of seventeen young braves who, spitting in the face of all kind of dangers, don their dark glasses and set off on a desperate trek from the working-class quarter of town to the Eldorado of the fashionable waterfront, replete with green, wavelapped and wind-caressed beaches. But the way is long, and the city’s labyrinthine streets are infested with a bizarre array of loitering, huddled human wrecks, stray dogs, and permanently defunct streetlamps.

Only the strongest survive the course, and what happens to them isn’t a lot to write home about. Life is tough, and the world keeps changing its shape. Why do the boys cheat on the girls, and the girls keep throwing over the boys? Questions, questions, questions! How green was my valley. And then the Majorcans came.

Director

Aki Kaurismäki, writer, director, editor and producer. Born in Finland 4.4.1957, but...

Films as a director:

1981
»The Saimaa Gesture«
(Co-Dir. with Mika Kaurismäki)

1983
»Crime And Punishment«

1985
»Calamari Union«

1986
»Shadows In Paradise«
»Rocky VI« (Short)

1987
»Hamlet Goes Business«
»Thru The Wire« (Short)
»L.A.Woman« (Short)
»Rich Little Bitch« (Short)

1988
»Ariel«

1989
»Leningrad Cowboys Go America«
»Dirty Hands« (TV Film)

1990
»The Match Factory Girl«
»I Hired A Contract Killer«

1991
»Those Were The Days« (Short)
»These Boots« (Short)

1992
»La Vie De Boheme«

1993
»Total Balalaika Show - Helsinki Concert« (Documentary)

1994
»Take Care Of Your Scarf - Tatjana«
»Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses«

1996
»Drifting Clouds«

1998
»Juha«

2002
»The Man Without A Past«, »Dogs Have No Hell« (Short)

2004
»Bico« (Short)

2006
»Lights In The Dusk«

Cast

Matti Pellonpää
Puntti Valtonen
Sakke Järvenpää
Pirkka-Pekka Petelius
Kari Väänänen
Asmo Hurula

Crew

Producer: Aki Kaurismäki
Script: Aki Kaurismäki
Camera: Timo Salminen
Sound: Jouko Lumme
Editing: Aki Kaurismäki, Raija Talvio
A production of Villealfa Productions Oy

Technical Data

Format: 35 mm / b/ w
Length: 80 min.
Original version: Finnish

Calamari Union
Calamari Union

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