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The Cuckoo movie

 
Leverager of our synergies
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I saw The Cuckoo movie last night. No animation, crappy sound, but the story! Finland 1944, three people in the house: a Lapp woman Anni and two enemy soldiers, Finn Veikko and Russian Ivan. All three speak a different language, so virtually nobody understands nobody. However, unrestricted sex, attempted murder, and numerous home chores are performed.

Some Amazon reviewer said:

"We make the conversation fit what we understand (and want) the purpose to be rather than really make an effort to understand what the other person is actually saying."

Well, how do you make an "an effort to understand what the other person is actually saying", if you don't know a word in his language? You will go crazy, if you actually try. The people in the movie do the only thing that keeps them sane: they pretend they understand what the other guy is saying, and perhaps they even believe it themselves.

Languages: Finnish, Russian, Sami with English subtitles.
 
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I've seen Peculiarities of the National Hunt by the same director some years ago. It was mildy amusing in parts, but nowhere near the laugh-riot everyone made it out to be, I thought.

After The Match Factory Girl and Leningrad Cowboys Go America, my wife has forbidden screenings of Finnish movies at our house.

And as far as Russian movies are concerned, I think I'm still in recovery from the emotional and psychological torture of watching The Return awhile ago.

So give me a few years before I'm up to something that involves both Russians and Finns.
 
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Originally posted by Michael Matola:
[QBSo give me a few years before I'm up to something that involves both Russians and Finns.[/QB]

There are no Russians (that I can recall) in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."
 
Mapraputa Is
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MM: And as far as Russian movies are concerned, I think I'm still in recovery from the emotional and psychological torture of watching The Return awhile ago.

The Return is perhaps the best movie made in Russia since Russia became Russia (that is to say in last 15 years). Certainly the best of what I've seen. Regarding "psychological torture of watching", hm, I vaguely remember reading that Russian idea of cinema experience is different from American precisely in an amount of suffering an innocent cinema-goer is supposed to tolerate, in which Russia is closer to German tradition, than to the US.

So Michael, who is a Finn in your household: you or your wife? Also, your custom title looks Finnish to me.
 
Michael Matola
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FS: There are no Russians (that I can recall) in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Got two words for you, Frank: St. Petersburg.
[ April 13, 2007: Message edited by: Michael Matola ]
 
Michael Matola
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MI: The Return is perhaps the best movie made in Russia since Russia became Russia

I try not to get into conversations about what is "the best," rather I tend just to say what I like and dislike, and perhaps why.

I think The Return is an outstanding movie and there were aspects of it that I really liked. The acting was phenomenal. The pacing of the story was very effective at building up tension. I actually did like that many questions about the father were left unanswered. However, the movie was a total downer, and it left me agitated for days afterwards.

I was glad I watched some of the extra material on the DVD. There were bits that showed the actor who played the father laughing and joking around with the other actors and crew. Yes, I understand the idea of an actor playing a role, but it was such a relief for me to see that guy smile.

I vaguely remember reading that Russian idea of cinema experience is different from American precisely in an amount of suffering an innocent cinema-goer is supposed to tolerate

I once read a short quip about Russians' fondness for opera and Americans' fondness for the sitcom. It said something along the lines of "Russians like these 4-hour dramas in which a bad situation turns worse, everyone gets all emotional, and in the end nothing is resolved. Americans like 30-minute comedies in which an initial misunderstanding leads to hilarious situations, then it all gets sorted out and leads to a happy ending."

Though I tend to avoid such generalizations, I kind of like that one.

I tend to like my movies fairly light these days.

So Michael, who is a Finn in your household: you or your wife?

Noone in my household is Finnish. What makes you think that? I thought we cleared that up years ago. (Where's the fun in my revealing my secrets so piecemeal if you're just going to forget the details from release to release?)

However, the kid *is* dressed in his Marimekko romper today. But that's just fashion.

Also, your custom title looks Finnish to me.

Uppity? LOL.

Yeah, I remember wondering when I moved to Michigan whether the city Ypsilanti was something Finnish. Imagine my disappointment in learning that it was named for some Greek soldier.
 
Mapraputa Is
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However, the movie was a total downer, and it left me agitated for days afterwards.

I watched it for the second time recently, and liked it even better perhaps because this time I wasn't so tense wondering what is going to happen.

I actually did like that many questions about the father were left unanswered.

What are they?

Noone in my household is Finnish. What makes you think that?

In 2002 you posted this:

Marjatta puhut suomea?! Voi voi voi! Hyv� on -- emme puhu Meaningless Drivel:n viesteiss� ven�j��, mutta suomea.
Michael "matojen talolla, Michael puhelimessa" Matola


And didn't answer my "And was that thing with suomea?" question.

I thought we cleared that up years ago.

If we did my memory didn't serve me right.

Where's the fun in my revealing my secrets so piecemeal if you're just going to forget the details from release to release?

Whatdoyoumean "Where's the fun"? You can perplex me with the same secrets again and again and again -- isn't it fun?

Also, your custom title looks Finnish to me.
Uppity?


Nah, the whole "uppity whippersnapper" thing
[ April 15, 2007: Message edited by: Mapraputa Is ]
 
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