Salmer fra kjøkkenet (2003)

Director:

Bent Hamer

Writers:

Jörgen Bergmark (writer)
Bent Hamer (writer)

Release Date:

17 January 2003 (Norway)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A scientific observer's job of observing an old cantakerous single man's kitchen habits is complicated by his growing friendship with him.

Plot Keywords:

Kitchen | Friendship | Norway | Chair | Observation

Awards:

8 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Joachim Calmeyer	...	Isak Bjørvik
Tomas Norström	...	Folke Nilsson
Bjørn Floberg	...	Grant
Reine Brynolfsson	...	Malmberg
Sverre Anker Ousdal	...	Dr. Jack Zac. Benjaminsen
Leif Andrée	...	Dr. Ljungberg
Gard B. Eidsvold	...	Bakkerman (as Gard Eidsvold)
Lennart Jähkel	...	Green
Trond Brænne	...	Ordforer
Bjørn Jenseg	...	Vaktmester
Jan Gunnar Røise	...	Vaktmesterassistent
Karin Lunden	...	Svensk selskapsdame
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Päivi Laakso	...	Finsk selskapsdame

Also Known As:

Kitchen Stories (International: English title)
Psalmer från köket (Sweden)
Psalms from the Kitchen (literal English title)
Histórias de Cozinha (Brazil) [pt]
Historias de cocina (Argentina) (festival title) [es]
Historie kuchenne (Poland) [pl]
Istories tis kouzinas (Greece) [el]
Köögilood (Estonia) [et]
Keittiötarinoita (Finland) [fi]
Kitchen Stories (Austria) [de]
Kitchen stories - chroniques de cuisine (France) [fr]
Salmer fra køkkenet (Denmark) [da]

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language.

Runtime:

95 min | Argentina:96 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

Norway | Sweden

Language:

Norwegian | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | Hungary:14 | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Germany:o.Al. | Norway:A | Philippines:G | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:Unrated | USA:PG | Brazil:14 | Finland:S | Czech Republic:12

Company:

BOB Film Sweden AB

Trivia:

At the beginning of the film, Malmberg (a Swede) becomes ill after having to drive on the right side of the road in Norway. Today both countries drive on the right. In 1967, Sweden switched to the right because making two versions of cars like Volvos and Saabs for domestic and foreign sales was inefficient. Also, there are many unguarded, unmarked border crossings points (unlike the crossing in the film); people would not realize which country they were in and sometimes ended up driving on the wrong side.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Brødrene Dal og mysteriet med Karl XIIs gamasjer: (#1.1)" (????)

Soundtrack:

Visa Från Utanmyra

A thoroughly moving experience

The only lamentable part of this extraordinarily moving film is its title. I went to an art-house cinema in Toulouse to see it, more for Hamer's reputation than the published blurb, still not knowing what to expect. Nothing moves in the film, like the observant Folke on his directorial high chair, we are watching the goings on, monotonous. But, boring? Most certainly not! As the plot develops around the friendship between the subject and the object, we are drawn into a conflict which is essentially outside the boundaries of nations: how can you understand someone without verbal communication, for the sake of scientific research? You can't.

Bureaucratic strictures can lead to disobedience however much the personal cost of that kind of action might be. Folke and Isak forge a friendship in a relatively short time, which might take others years of nurturing. We applaud the rebellious scientist when he dumps his snail-shell caravan to return to Isak's uncomplicated rural dwelling. The most moving closing scene suddenly makes you realise that what seemed to be a static film was, in fact, full of heroic action.

That there are only two IMDb comments on this film demonstrates how exclusionist South Europe and the States are, when third rate trash receives attention of one sort or the other.