Finnish film "Calamari Union" is not at all a motion picture with a defined setting.It is more of a visual experience with surreal touches which must be seen many times to feel the plight of hapless rock musicians in an urban milieu.In "Calamari Union",there is also a minor battle of sexes to be witnessed as most of the women get their demands met by hapless,vulnerable men.Women are shown as strong willed individuals who would not stop at anything to humiliate, scorn confused men who are treated as mere caddish oafs.Rock music is also one of this film's leading element which reveals the hidden talent of some vagrant musicians.There are some mellifluous tunes which could easily be lapped up by music lovers.No talented film director in the history of modern cinema has come even remotely closer to Finnish author Aki Kaurismaki's vision of urban angst.This is a director who has made an absolutely wise use of his hometown Helsinki and its nocturnal atmosphere by shooting in pristine black and white.He shows why some people are not able to put any order in their utterly disorganized,messy lives.A unique film which is absolutely needed for those nihilists who believe that they are part of existential times.PS:A great film dedicated to Baudelaire,Michaux and Prévert who still hover on earth.Lalit Rao does not care if non Francophones are not aware of Baudelaire,Michaux and Prévert.

Calamari Union (1985) was the second feature-length film from Finish auteur Aki Kaurismäki following on from his somewhat dour, contemporary-set adaptation of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment (1983). Right away, Kaurismäki is showing his extraordinary range as a filmmaker; moving away from the low key, minimalist realism of Crime and Punishment to the surreal, improvisational, black and white playfulness of the film in question. This sense of imagination and ability to move from one stylistic reference point to the next - all the while retaining his deadpan style and coolly ironic use of character and dialog - would be further reinforced over subsequent films, such as Shadows in Paradise (1986), Hamlet Goes Business (1987) and Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989). Though Calamari Union lacks the more refined and iconic Kaurismäki style of those particular films, it does show his early interest in surrealism, broad, absurdist humour, and an ensemble setting.Like many of his films, such as the aforementioned Leningrad Cowboys and his underrated masterpiece Ariel (1988), the plot of Calamari Union is episodic and picaresque; following the misadventures of fifteen men, fourteen of them named Frank Merciless, and an idiot man-child named Pekka, who one day decide to leave behind the hopeless working class world of Eira and quest to the near-mythical borough of Kallio. As you can possibly deduce from the description, Calamari Union is not necessarily a film to be taken entirely seriously, with Kaurismäki taking the silliest plot and the most bizarre of caricatures and creating this wandering tale filled with strange scenes, disconnected vignettes, slapstick humour and even, a rock n' roll performance piece! In the past, Kaurismäki has claimed that this is the only film he's ever directed whilst being either drunk or hung-over, which does makes sense. Then again, knowing Kaurismäki's fondness for exaggeration and self-deprecation, it would be best not to read too much into this. Although the film is obviously not intended to be taken on a completely serious level, that's not to say that it isn't open to deeper, more analytical interpretations.For me, there's a definite air of Luis Buñuel here - both in terms of the plot and I suppose some of the more sub-textual ideologies - not to mention the clear influence of Bertrand Blier's fantastic film Buffet froid (1979), which follows a similarly episodic tale of strange men having strange adventures. Calamari Union perhaps isn't as great as that particular film, though it does show Kaurismäki and his crew to be on top creative form; filming in luminous black and white as a nod to the French New Wave and creating a great atmosphere on an obviously limited budget. In fact, it feels more like a first film than Crime and Punishment, with the highly original, idiosyncratic story, small cast of central characters, inventive use of sound, location and cinematography and low budget production all adding to its rough and unpolished charms. It's still unknown what Kaurismäki's actual intentions were with this film, whether he simply wanted to produce something quite silly and outlandish as a bit of fun with his friends, or whether there is some hidden depth to the film just waiting to be discovered and re-interpreted.Obviously, I have my own ideas. To me, the film can be seen as a representation of the cycle of life; with the characters emerging from the womb-like warmth of their local pub and beginning their bizarre journey into life, before breaking away, meeting new people, forming relationships, making decisions and finally dropping dead. You could also see the film as a treatise on the notion of individuality; with the earlier scenes showing the group to be very much of a singular "union" - both anonymous to themselves and to the audience - and all with the same goals and desires. Eventually, as they continue their journey they discover individual interests and passageways through life until they finally come to form their own unique personality. Failing that, it really could be just a simple work of surrealist fun, with no greater meaning or interpretation hidden beneath the madness and often hilarious scenes of ridiculous frivolity.Regardless of this, Calamari Union is still something of a great film; perhaps not as good as later films by Kaurismäki, such as Hamlet Goes Business, Ariel, I Hired a Contract Killer (1990) and The Man without a Past (2002), but nonetheless, a good place to start for those new to his particular blend of bold, unique and always eccentric world cinema.

Following up a successful first movie can be a difficult struggle; Kaurismäki deflected it after "Crime And Punishment" by quickly doing this one, completely different and very funny. We're treated to a number of Finnish derelicts and lower-class guys in a poor suburb of Helsinki, as they decide to mount an expedition to reach the Mayfair of the city (just get there, that is). You'll immediately notice that they talk of this as if there lay a strange and superhuman challenge in just reaching the place. As their trials begin, we realize that maybe Helsinki _is_ a really dangerous city.The film is full of scenes of weird comedy and pinpoint satire, and as an extra accent every one of the men is called Frank, except one. The film really rocks, and you'll keep wondering what happens next.

Aki Kaurismäki´s funniest film, the funniest Finnish film, etc. Completely and utterly brilliant. You must see it. Now. Nearly all the actors are (or, were) Finnish rock musicians. The script was written on the run, during the filming. Cast character Pekka is a complete nutcase, only speaking English, lousily. "Are you talking to me?"