Laitakaupungin valot (2006)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki (writer)

Release Date:

3 February 2006 (Finland)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

In Helsinki, a lonely night watchman is caught up in a series of misadventures with a femme fatale and a crooked businessman.

Plot Keywords:

Night Watchman | Femme Fatale | Jewels | Burglary | Big City

Awards:

3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Janne Hyytiäinen	...	Koistinen
Maria Järvenhelmi	...	Mirja
Maria Heiskanen	...	Aila
Ilkka Koivula	...	Lindholm
Sergei Doudko	...	Russian
Andrei Gennadiev	...	Russian
Arturas Pozdniakovas	...	Russian
Matti Onnismaa	...	Shift Manager
Sulevi Peltola	...	Foreman
Antti Reini	...	Security Guard
Neka Haapanen	...	Security Guard
Santtu Karvonen	...	Security Guard
Sesa Lehto	...	Security Guard
Jukka Rautiainen	...	Security Guard
Jukka Salmi	...	Security Guard
Heikki Heimo	...	Bartender
Erkki Lahti	...	Man at Bar
Pihla Penttinen	...	Girl at Bar
Helena Vierikko	...	Girl at Table
Jari Elsilä	...	Gorilla
Vesa Häkli	...	Gorilla
Jouni Kosenius	...	Gorilla
Marko Helmi	...	Porter
Janne Ajanti	...	Waiter
Tommi Korpela	...	Lecturer
Clas-Ove Bruun	...	Coffee Vendor (as Claes-Ove Bruun)
Joonas Tapola	...	Boy
Paju	...	Dog
Nauri Nykänen	...	Bartender
Panu Vauhkonen	...	Dog Owner
Jukka Ropponen	...	Big Fellow
Jukka Uhlgren	...	Big Fellow (as Jukka Uhlgrén)
Katri Korander	...	Waiter
Tokela	...	Band Member
Jarmo Haapanen	...	Band Member
Bobby Nieminen	...	Band Member
Roger Nieminen	...	Band Member
Mitja Tuurala	...	Band Member
Teemu Väisänen	...	Discoman
Svante Korkiakoski	...	Bank Manager
Roy Rosenblad	...	Caretaker
Silu Seppälä	...	Vandal
Pertti Sveholm	...	Police Detective
Juhani Niemelä	...	Police Detective
Juha Springare	...	Police Officer
Tommi Hytti	...	Police Officer
Pasi Kokkoniemi	...	Police Officer
Mika Roiha	...	Police Officer
Kati Outinen	...	Cash Keeper in Supermarket
Anna-Maria Klintrup	...	Judge
Jarmo Hemilä	...	Member of Jury
Matti Oinonen	...	Member of Jury
Arto Reinikainen	...	Member of Jury
Pertti Wilska	...	Prosecutor
Kari Lehto	...	Defence Council
Lassi Halme	...	Prison Guard
Risto Jeronen	...	Prison Guard
Esa Nenonen	...	Prison Guard
Ismo Ahola	...	Convict
Arto Korkeakoski	...	Convict
Jarkko Käpynen	...	Convict
Ari Levomäki	...	Convict
Kari Lindström	...	Convict (as Kari-Pekka Lindström)
Mika Lindström	...	Convict
Heikki Metsämäki	...	Convict
Tapio von Müller	...	Convict
Sami Ruuskanen	...	Convict
Markku Tirronen	...	Convict
Pertti Lahtinen	...	Bar Vendor
Aarre Karén	...	Dormitory Keeper
Ari Härkönen	...	Man in Dormitory
Juri Inno	...	Man in Dormitory
Alpo Seppälä	...	Man in Dormitory
Marco Taskinen	...	Man in Dormitory
Mika Tuuhea	...	Man in Dormitory
Marja Packalén	...	Chef (as Marja Packalen)
Kari Pulkkinen	...	Cook
Maj-Lis Doktar	...	Maid
Outi Mäkelä	...	Waiter
Päivi Paldan	...	Waiter
Risto Haimelin	...	Doorman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Panu Tuomikko	...	Convict (uncredited)

Directed by
Aki Kaurismäki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Aki Kaurismäki		writer

Produced by
Aki Kaurismäki	....	producer

Original Music by
Melrose

Cinematography by
Timo Salminen

Film Editing by
Aki Kaurismäki

Production Design by
Markku Pätilä

Costume Design by
Outi Harjupatana

Makeup Department
Nadja Delcos	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ilkka Mertsola	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nadja Delcos	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert Lindqvist	....	carpenter
Anna Niskanen	....	assistant set designer
Markku Pätilä	....	set designer
Sami Silvennoinen	....	carpenter
Jani Sinisalo	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Micki Joanni	....	synchron editor
Pietu Korhonen	....	sound assistant
Jouko Lumme	....	sound
Tero Malmberg	....	sound
Olli Pärnänen	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Mika Ailasmäki	....	assistant camera
Henri Heino	....	lighting
Marja-Leena Hukkanen	....	still photographer
Jari Lehtiniemi	....	gaffer
Kalle Penttilä	....	grip
Nea Salminen	....	second assistant camera
Ville Väänänen	....	lighting
Elsa Varja	....	lighting
Olli Varja	....	lighting

Editorial Department
Tuija Kotamäki	....	negative cutter
Kari Manns	....	color grader

Other crew
Eevi Kareinen	....	production assistant
Jan-Eric Nyström	....	title designer

Production Companies

• Sputnik

Distributors

• Al!ve AG (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Albatros Film (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2007) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Pyramide Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Strand Releasing (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)

Other Companies

• Finnlab  film lab
• Meguru Film Sound  sound mixing

Also Known As:

Lights in the Dusk (Canada: English title) (festival title) (International: English title) (USA) (festival title)
Les lumières du faubourg (France)
Lichter der Vorstadt (Germany)
Ljus i skymningen (Finland: Swedish title)
Yövartija (Finland) (working title)
Luces al atardecer (Argentina) (Spain) (Uruguay) [es]
Огни городской окраины (Russia) [ru]
Äärelinna tuled (Estonia) [et]
Fota sto souroupo (Greece) [el]
Le luci della sera (Italy) [it]
Lichter der Vorstadt (Austria) [de]
Ljus i skymningen (Sweden) [sv]
Luzes na Escuridão (Brazil) (festival title) [pt]
Luzes no Crepúsculo (Portugal) [pt]
Lys i skumringen (Norway) [no]
Lys i tusmørket (Denmark) [da]
Svetla u sumraku (Serbia) [sr]
Swiatla o zmierzchu (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

Finland | Germany | France

Language:

Finnish | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-7 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Germany:6 | Argentina:Atp | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Sputnik

Trivia:

Suomen Filmikamari, which selects the Finnish candidate for Academy Awards Best Foreign-Language Picture, had already chosen Laitakaupungin valot in September 2006, but in October 2006 Aki Kaurismäki informed them that he did not want his film considered for that competition. This also meant that there was no Finnish entry in the Academy Awards pre-selection.

Quotes:

Shift Manager: And what was your name?
Koistinen: Koistinen. Just like before.

Movie Connections:

References Varjoja paratiisissa (1986)

Soundtrack:

Tosca

the arid, bitter-sweet beauty of despair

Night watchman Koiskinen lives an alienated life. Ridiculed and shunned by his workmates, regarded as incompetent by his employers, he lives alone, drinks alone, and only manages to talk in any decent way with the woman who sell hot dogs in the fast food stand. His life changes when a mysterious blond takes a sudden and unexpected interest in him.

As a Kaurismaki novice, I was struck by the spartan sets, strong primary colours, and the actors penchant for walking briskly into frames and then freezing, akin to amateur theatre in the village hall. Once you figure out it is all a send up, the film is fun and moves along quickly enough. The dry, pared down dialogue, lack of sentiment, and black humour are interspersed judiciously. There seems to be a record attempt for number of cigarettes smoked in a film going on. The Finnish attitude to alcohol makes Scotland seem like Utah. Throughout it all, Koiskinen infuriates with his passivity. His minor triumph at the end, finally making the right decision, is small, fleeting and perfect in this context. The film is both downbeat and uplifting. I don't recommend watching Kaurismaki films back-to-back, but as an antidote to an overdose of Transformers or Harry Potter, this works perfectly.