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:

Loneliness | Smoking | Betrayal | Prison | Café

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	...	Detective
Juhani Niemelä	...	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

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
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)
• Match Factory, The (2005) (worldwide) (all media) (sales agent)
• 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)
Lichter der Vorstadt (Germany)
Ljus i skymningen (Finland: Swedish title)
Lumières du faubourg, Les (France)
Yövartija (Finland) (working title)

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 Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | 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:

El día que me quieras

Lights in the Dusk - has the potential to be a cult favorite of mine in years to come

I saw this at the 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival and it's a drama that's so over the top that it's essentially a comedy and a parody of French New Wave films of the late 50's and early 60's. This is written, directed and produced by veteran Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki and beautifully shot by veteran cinematographer Timo Salminen with a wonderful production design from Markku Pätilä. This is the story of a lonely and picked upon security guard who we only know by his last name of Koistinen. He's a nice enough guy who's not bad looking but kind of short and wears slick backed greasy hair. He has no friends or girlfriends and fails to notice that the equally mousy hot dog vendor Aila has a crush on him. Koistinen doesn't fit in with the others at work and has plans to start his own security business. One day he meets the beautiful Mirja who befriends him with the premise of a possible unlikely relationship but she is the moll of a gangster named Lindholm and is only using Koistinen. All the characters play it extremely straight with very little emotion even when angered and never smile. I've never seen a film with so much smoking of cigarettes in it. Ashtrays are filled to the top and smoking is in virtually every scene. There are subtle comedic scenes throughout and I would probably need to see this a second time to catch ones I missed like when Mirja is vacuuming Lindholm's apartment. This is not a great film but it's different enough to be good and even though I only give it a 6.5 out of 10 I wouldn't mind seeing it again. This may even have the possibility of being a personal cult favorite of mine in years to come and my rating could go up.