Leningrad Cowboys Go America
| Leningrad Cowboys Go America | |
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 German theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Aki Kaurismäki |
| Produced by | Katinka Faragó Aki Kaurismäki Klas Olofsson |
| Written by | Sakke Järvenpää Aki Kaurismäki Mato Valtonen |
| Starring | Matti Pellonpää Kari Väänänen The Leningrad Cowboys: Sakke Järvenpää Heikki Keskinen Pimme Korhonen Sakari Kuosmanen Puka Oinonen Silu Seppälä Mauri Sumén Mato Valtonen Pekka Virtanen Nicky Tesco as "lost cousin" |
| Music by | Mauri Sumén |
| Cinematography | Timo Salminen |
| Editing by | Raija Talvio |
| Release date(s) | 24 March 1989 |
| Running time | 78 min |
| Country | Finland Sweden |
| Language | English |
Leningrad Cowboys Go America is a 1989 road movie by Finnish film director Aki Kaurismäki about the adventures of a fictional Russian rock band (the Leningrad Cowboys, consisting of members from the Finnish rock band the Sleepy Sleepers, augmented with additional musicians) that travels to the United States to become famous. The title came from the Marx Brothers film Go West (1940). After the film was released, the fictional band transformed into a real band, complete with ludicrous hairstyles and typical Finnish humor.
Leningrad Cowboys Go America was followed five years later by a sequel, Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994) and a concert film Total Balalaika Show (1994). The film is set for reissue on DVD in October 2011, by the Criterion Collection's Eclipse series, paired with the other two Leningrad Cowboy films.
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[edit] Plot
The Leningrad Cowboys, a band with foot-long quiff hairstyles and long Winklepicker shoes to match, are seeking success in Siberia, but nobody seems to like their music. Thwarted by a lack of local commercial potential, they are encouraged to move to America, for people will "buy anything" there. They depart for New York, bringing with them a band member who had frozen the previous night while practicing outside.
They arrive at the CBGB bar in Manhattan. An agent offers them a gig at a wedding in Mexico and recommends that they change their musical style to rock and roll. They buy a used Cadillac, strap the coffin carrying their frozen band member onto the roof and set off to earn their way through the Deep South, adapting their musical style to suit local tastes at each new location. All the while they are being driven on and exploited by their money and food hoarding manager Vladimir (Matti Pellonpää), who has a seemingly unlimited supply of beer in the ice-filled coffin. Unknown to them, they are being pursued by the village idiot, Igor (Kari Väänänen), who idolizes the band and has followed them from Siberia.
During the trip the band spends time in jail, has their car engine stolen, causes a nightclub to close after playing an unsuccessful show, and reunites with a long-lost cousin (Nicky Tesco). They eventually make it to Mexico and their wedding gig, where the thawing bass guitarist is revived with a shot of tequila and joins the group on stage. The manager wanders off, but the band finally finds success in Mexico, making the top ten.
[edit] Cast
American director Jim Jarmusch has a cameo as a car dealer. The film also includes cameos by blues guitarist Duke Robillard and American Rockabilly Hall of Famer, Colonel Robert Morris, with his wife Irene.
[edit] Reception
The film was ranked #88 in Empire magazine's "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.[1] It currently hold a 100% 'Fresh' rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes based on 5 reviews. [2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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