Aki Kaurismäki: Leningrad Cowboys Collection - 3-DVD Box Set ( Leningrad Cowboys Go America / Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses / Total Balalaika Show )

Aki Kaurismäki: Leningrad Cowboys Collection - 3-DVD Box Set (DVD) (*)

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Original Title: Leningrad Cowboys Go America / Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses / Total Balalaika Show
Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
227 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
3-DVD Set
Box Set
Collectors Edition
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Short Film

Movie filmed in 1989 - 1994 and produced in:
Finland ( Scandinavia, Iceland )
France ( France, Benelux )
Germany ( Germany, Central Europe )
Sweden ( Scandinavia, Iceland )

Directed By:
Aki Kaurismaki

Written By:
Sakke Järvenpää
Aki Kaurismaki

Actors:
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
Twist-Twist Erkinharju ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Ben Granfelt ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Sakke Järvenpää ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Jore Marjaranta ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Ekke Niiva ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Jyri Närvänen ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Pemo Ojala ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Silu Seppälä ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Mauri Sumén ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Mato Valtonen ..... Leningrad Cowboy
Matti Pellonpää ..... Moses /
Vladimir ..... The Mute
Kari Väänänen ..... Lazar / Johnson / Elijah
André Wilms ..... American Cousin
Nicky Tesco ..... Owner of Bingo Parlour
Jacques Blanc
Alexandrov Red Army Ensemble ..... Choir
Atte Blom ..... Himself
Twist-Twist Erkinharju ..... Leningrad Cowboys
Ben Granfelt ..... Leningrad Cowboys
Sakke Järvenpää ..... Lead singer
Sakari Kuosmanen ..... Himself / Performer
Jore Marjaranta ..... Leningrad Cowboys
Ekke Niiva ..... Leningrad Cowboys
Pemo Ojala ..... Leningrad Cowboys
Silu Seppälä ..... Leningrad Cowboys
Mauri Sumén ..... Leningrad Cowboys
Kirsi Tykkyläinen ..... Herself / Performer
Mato Valtonen ..... Leningrad Cowboys

Synopsis:

Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)
The Leningrad Cowboys, a group of Finnish musicians, and their manager, travel to America seeking fame and fortune. As they cross the country, trying to get to a wedding in Mexico, they are followed by the village idiot, who wishes to join the band.

Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994)
The band is reduced in number by a snake-tequila in Mexico and some of the survivors go north and meet a new manager who claims to be Moses and leads them to the promised land Siberia.

Total Balalaika Show (1994)
A 57 minute documentary of a Helsinki concert featuring the Leningrad Cowboys and the Alexandrov Red Army Choir and Ballet, who collaborate on a number of US Rock songs sung in English (like 'Sweet Home, Alabama') as well as more traditional Russian songs like the 'Volga Boatman'.

Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)
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).

Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994)
This comedy is a sequel to Aki Kaurismaki's successful Leningrad Cowboys Go America. The Lenigrad Cowboys are billed as the "worst rock'n'roll band in the world." In the last film they went to the U.S. In this film they travel from Mexico back to Lennigrad. The story begins in Mexico. The band, after having a top ten hit, decided to settle there. Their success seemed assured until they discovered the joys of tequila which killed off many of the band members. Those that didn't die went native. They were impoverished and living on cactus when they decide to travel to Coney Island to play a gig. They reunite with their old manager Vladimir who now calls himself Moses. He vows to return the band home to "the Promised Land," Siberia.

Total Balalaika Show (1994)
Finland's Leningrad Cowboys meet the ex-Red Army Choir in this inspired Finnish documentary. The Cowboys (a comedy group) claim to be the world's worst rock and roll band. The 100 member Red Army Choir is one of the world's premiere men's choirs. Most of the film chronicles their June 12, 1993 concert together. Over 70,000 people crowded into Helsinki's Senate Square for the event. To their credit the choir remains deadpan and dreadfully serious while the Cowboys cavort and dancing girls appear. Songs include "Volga Boatmen," the Turtle's "Happy Together," "Finlandia," "Let's Work Together," "Delilah" (sung while traditionally garbed Russian women perform a folkdance), "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," and more. For the final song both groups, arms linked, sing "Those Were the Days."

Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)
This hilarious road movie follows the misadventures of the worst rock and roll band in the world, the Leningrad Cowboys. When a promoter in their native Siberia, stunned by the band's lack of talent, advises them to try their luck in America they head for New York. Having learned English en-route on the plane and sporting shades, outsize quiffs and outrageously long winkle-pickers, they are passed off as Americans. Jim Jarmusch, in a cameo role as a shifty car salesman, sells them an old Cadillac in which they head south with their frozen bass player and a coffin full of beer.

Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994)
After years of fame and misfortune in Mexico, the members of struggling Siberian rock band Leningrad Cowboys decide to return to their native village. Under the guidance of their former manager Vladimir, who now calls himself Moses, they face a difficult journey over the ocean and across the European continent. But tormented by lack of money, fuel and beverages the band begin to murmur against Moses and doubt his motives. On top of this they are persecuted by a certain member of the American intelligence agency who is hunting for the lost nose of the Statue of Liberty.

Total Balalaika Show (1994)
At Helsinki's Senate Square on June 12 1993, an audience of 70,000 witnessed a historic event: Leningrad Cowboys performed for the first time with the 100 singers, 40 musicians and 20 dancers of the Alexandrov Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble, on the biggest stage ever seen in Finland. A roaring success, the programme included rock classics from "Happy Together" and "Delilah" to "Gimme All Your Lovin" and "Knocking On Heaven's Door", as well as traditional hits from the Ensemble's own repertoire. Aki Kaurismäki's film of the event is an extraordinary, unforgettable encounter of the old and the new, and of East and West.

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 14 February, 2012.