Themes: Culture Clash, Musician's Life, Down on Their Luck
Main Cast: Matti Pellonpää, Kari Väänänen, Sakke Jarvenpaa
Release Year: 1989
Country: FI/SE
Run Time: 78 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
The odd comedies of Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki may be an acquired taste, but it is one which more and more people are getting. The story concerns the exploits of an extremely inept but dedicated troupe of accordian musicians, "The Leningrad Cowboys," whose sheer awfulness puts SCTV's Schmenge brothers in the shade. In fact, in order to stop having to listen to them, a local record producer advises them to go to America, and paints a glowing picture of the success they will enjoy there. These eight Finnish lads (seven living, one very frozen corpse) are dressed as they think true hipster musicians should be (ducktails, sunglasses, fur coats, pointy-toed shoes), and they head off for New York. There they encounter yet another wise guy, who sends them off to Mexico by car to play at his cousin's wedding (he apparently hates his cousin). Along the way, they get bookings wherever they can, learn American music styles, and get along fabulously (by their reckoning). ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Richard Boes - Rockpromotor; Silu Seppälä - Leningrad Cowboy; Nicky Tesco - Lost Cousin; Jim Jarmusch - Car Dealer/New York; Frank Johnson - Car Dealer/Houston; Mato Valtonen - Leningrad Cowboy; Kari Laine - Siberian Chauffeur; Mauri Sumen - Leningrad Cowboy; Terry - Engine Thief
Credit
Kari Laine - Art Director, Pauli Pentti - First Assistant Director, Aki Kaurismäki - Director, Raija Talvio - Editor, Mauri Sumen - Composer (Music Score), Timo Salminen - Cinematographer, Aki Kaurismäki - Producer, Jouko Lumme - Sound/Sound Designer, Aki Kaurismäki - Screenwriter
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“
Leningrad Cowboys Go America is a 1989road 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 and 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.
The Leningrad Cowboys, a band with foot-long pompadour hairstyles and long pointed 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 listen to "anything" there. They depart for America, bringing with them a band member who had frozen the previous night while practicing outside. An agent in New York 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.
Cast
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.
1917 - 1987 (1988) ·Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989) ·We Cum From Brooklyn (1992) ·Live in Prowinzz (1993) ·Total Balalaika Show - Helsinki Concert (1993) Happy Together (1994) ·Go Space (1996) ·Mongolian Barbeque (1997) ·Thank You Very Many - Greatest Hits And Rarities (1999) ·Terzo Mondo (2000) ·Go Wild (2000) ·Global Balalaika Show (2003) ·Zombies Paradise (2006)
