Leningrad Cowboys Go America

Available on DVD

Finland 1989 colour 78min Villealfa Filmproductions Oy

***

Comedy

cast: Matti Pellonpää (Vladimir, the manager), Kari Väänänen (Igor), Sakke Järvenpää, Sakari Kuosmanen, Silu Seppälä, Mato Valtonen, Mauri Sumén (Ivan), Puka Oinonen, Pimme Korhonen, Pekka Virtanen (Pekka), Nicky Tesco (cousin), Jatimatic Ohlstöm (father), Jim Jarmusch
credits: dir. Aki Kaurismäki (also script), music Mauri Sumén, prod. Aki Kaurismäki with Klas Olofsson and Katinka Faragó

The world's worst rock band go to America. Hooray! This is cult stuff. A story about a rock band which travels to America with their evil manager and tries to reach the stardom. The whole thing is shot with a wry sense of humour - you'll either love it or not. The casting is great, of course, Leningrad Cowboys plays themselves.

Followed by two sequels: Total Balalaika Show (1993) and Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994).

TRIVIA: Singer Mato Valtonen can not really play quitar. He's just bluffing.

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