Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writers:

Sakke Järvenpää (story)
Aki Kaurismäki (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

24 March 1989 (Finland)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Music

Plot:

The Leningrad Cowboys, a group of Finnish musicians, and their manager, travel to America seeking fame and fortune...

Plot Keywords:

Leningrad Cowboys | Mexico | Manager | Band | Beer

Cast

Matti Pellonpää	...	Vladimir (Manager)
Kari Väänänen	...	Igor (Village Idiot)
Sakke Järvenpää	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Heikki Keskinen	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Pimme Korhonen	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Sakari Kuosmanen	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Puka Oinonen	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Silu Seppälä	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Mauri Sumén	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Mato Valtonen	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Pekka Virtanen	...	The Leningrad Cowboys
Nicky Tesco	...	Lost Cousin
Olli Tuominen	...	Siberian Svengali
Kari Laine	...	Siberian Chauffeur
Jatimatic Ohlstrom	...	Father of the Cowboys
Richard Boes	...	Rockpromotor
Jim Jarmusch	...	Car Dealer / New York
George M. Kunkle	...	Banjo Player
William W. Robertson	...	Barber
Mr. Morris	...	Bartender / Memphis
Ms. Morris	...	Bartender / Memphis
Marty Olavarrieta	...	Police Officer
Earl Howard Jr.	...	Bar Owner
Albert Gonzales	...	Prison Warden
Duke Robillard	...	Nightclub Owner
Frank Johnson	...	Car Dealer / Houston
Ernie Wright	...	Bartender / Houston
Phillip Linson	...	Nightclub Customer (as Phil Linson)
Rock	...	Engine Thief
Terry	...	Engine Thief
Speed	...	Engine Thief
Carlton	...	Engine Thief
Judge Felix Barrera	...	Bride's Father
Laura Barrera	...	Bride
John Martinez	...	Groom
Jose G. Salas	...	Mexican Singer

Directed by
Aki Kaurismäki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sakke Järvenpää		story
Aki Kaurismäki		screenplay
Aki Kaurismäki		story
Mato Valtonen		story

Produced by
Katinka Faragó	....	producer
Aki Kaurismäki	....	producer
Klas Olofsson	....	producer

Original Music by
Mauri Sumén

Cinematography by
Timo Salminen

Film Editing by
Raija Talvio

Art Direction by
Kari Laine
Heikki Ukkonen

Costume Design by
Tanja Tolonen

Makeup Department
Tanja Tolonen	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lisa Blok-Linson	....	production manager: USA
Phillip Linson	....	production manager
Jaakko Talaskivi	....	production manager: Finland

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pauli Pentti	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jouko Lumme	....	sound
Kjell Westman	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Dianda	....	gaffer (as Joey Dianda)
Marja-Leena Helin	....	still photographer
Gary Hildebrand	....	gaffer
Timo Markko	....	second assistant camera
Mikko Mattila	....	gaffer
Heikki Ortamo	....	first assistant camera
Olli Varja	....	gaffer

Editorial Department
Outi Hyytinen	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Matti Hukkanen	....	assistant music recordist
Jyrki Hytti	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Bobby Barret	....	driver
Joanne Figueroa	....	driver

Other crew
Haije Alanoja	....	production secretary
Dale Ashmun	....	production assistant
Erkki Astala	....	publicist
Marja-Leena Helin	....	script supervisor
Klaus Heydemann	....	production executive
Jan-Eric Nyström	....	titles
Paula Oinonen	....	caterer: USA
Ken Schmalz	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Jaakko Talaskivi	....	caterer: USA

Production Companies

• Esselte Video
• Finnish Film Foundation
• Finnkino
• Megamania
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
• Villealfa Filmproduction Oy

Distributors

• Artificial Eye (UK)
• Orion Classics (1990) (USA) (subtitled)

Also Known As:

Cowboys de Lenigrado Vão Para a América (Brazil) [pt]
Leningrad Cowboys jada do go Ameruki (Poland) [pl]
Leningrad cow-boys pane America (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

Finland | Sweden

Language:

Finnish | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:S | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Del Rio, Texas, USA

Company:

Esselte Video

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the opening scene, the frozen bass player's hand moves.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994)

A perfect movie

I just saw Leningrad Cowboys for the third time and think it is a perfect film. Whatever else it may be about, it is a quest into the heart of rock and roll. The Cowboys start in New York playing their soulful/klezmerish immigrant blues on a seedy rooftop, then reel back through the roots of the genre--Memphis, Natchez, New Orleans, Honky Tonk and Biker Bars, road house and funeral...to their destination in Mexico where their Finnish filtered rock returns to its original sound, converging on the joyous soulful wedding as they back up a singer whose classic Indian features are not that different from some of the singers'... The esthetic is stylish and dead pan. The cinematography is actually quite beautiful, lyric of industrial decay. If you like Jarmusch (who does a spot as a car salesman) you'll like this movie. The pacing did not seem slow to me at all--but that may just be a sign of my age. The form is a series of theatrical skits and blackouts, and the tension of many scenes owes more to mime or comedia than MTV. I think my favorite is one involving the village idiot and a shoe that is not the one he wants. Poignant and hysterical at the same time. Oh, and maybe his treck with what looks to be a 50lb catfish... If you have a chance to see it, go. It is hilarious and sweet and utterly unlike anything else you've ever seen.