Total Balalaika Show

by Aki Kaurismäki

Total Balalaika Show

Synopsis

On June 12, 1993, more than 50 000 people witnessed a historical event on the Senate Square in Helsinki. For the first time and on the biggest screen stage ever seen in Finland, the rock group Leningrad Cowboys performed together with the 100 singers, 40 musicians and 20 dancers of the Alexandrov Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble. The programme included rock classics from "Happy Together" and "Delilah" to "Gimme All Your Lovin’" and "Knocking On Heaven’s Door", as well as traditional hits from the Ensemble’s own repertoire. From the beginning to the end, the concert was a roaring success.

»Total Balalaika Show« is a documentary on the concert, an extraordinary, unforgettable encounter of the old and the new, of East and West.

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

"Leningrad Cowboys" and the "Alexandrov Red Army Ensemble"

Crew

Producer: Aki Kaurismäki
Camera: Heikki Ortamo
Sound: Jouko Lumme
Editing: Timo Linnasalo
Music Recording: Heikki Savalainen, Mauri Sumén, Timo Ojala
A production of Sputnik Oy

Technical Data

Format: 16/35 mm / colour / Dolby Stereo
Length: 55 min.

Total Balalaika Show
Total Balalaika Show

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