Back in 1989, America might not have been ready for the worst band in rock ‘n roll, the Leningrad Cowboys. Fifteen years later, the Wexner Center for the Arts presents the opportunity to appreciate their journey through our country for the comedic gem that it is within the oeuvre of cinematic visionary Aki Kaurismäki.
Before making his first feature film in 1983, Finnish-born Kaurismäki served as both a writer and an actor in the movies for his brother Mika. He continued to write the screenplays for his own films. His latest film is 2002’s “The Man Without a Past.”
Kaurismäki’s films use dialogue sparingly (the stories and the jokes are carried largely by the physical performances of the actors and the cinematography of Timo Salminen), but when the characters do speak, it is great – and usually comedic – effect. For example, “Leningrad Cowboys Go America” features possibly the funniest rock ‘n roll joke in the history of cinema. When the Cowboys speak with their lost cousin (who they find in Texas), they ask him if he can play music or at least drive. When he answers “no” to both questions, one of the Cowboys proclaims, “All right, you’ll be the singer.”
“Leningrad Cowboys” (screening tonight along with “Juha,” and the short film “Those Were the Days”) kicks off the Wexner Center series, which showcases 11 of Kaurismäki’s feature films, as well as four of his shorts, over six days throughout the month of February.
The retrospective continues this week on Friday and Saturday with films “The Man Without a Past” and “Drifting Clouds”. By the time of “Drifting Clouds,” Kaurismäki’s relationship with his cinematographer evolved into a rich consideration of color. The effect on the atmosphere, mood, and characterization, provide a visual experience simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking in how it complements the characters’ struggles.
All shows start at 7 p.m. in the Wexner Center Film and Video Theater. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for students, Wexner Center members, and senior citizens.
