Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)

A highly unlikely Russian rock group and their greedy jerk manager (ably played to the smarmy hilt by Matti Pellonpaa) travel to America seeking fame and fortune. While en route to a wedding gig in Mexico, they are pursued by village idiot Igor (a hysterical portrayal by Kari Vaahanen) who wishes to join the band. Writer/director Aki Kaurismaki relates the engaging story at a steady pace, adroitly crafts and maintains a deliciously dry'n'deadpan tone throughout, and shows a genuine disarming affection for both its colorful idiosyncratic characters and the more flaky'n'seedy aspects of American culture. With their pointy shoes, stoic demeanors, and ridiculously massive unicorn hairstyles, the titular rock'n'roll group make for a likeable and amusing bunch of oddballs. Moreover, the scenes with the Leningrad Cowboys performing live in various sordid venues are a hoot, with the sequence in which they win over a hostile crowd in a sleazy biker bar with a fiery rendition of "Born To Be Wild" rating as a definite gut-busting highlight. A quirky delight.

Siberian rock band Leningrad Cowboys go to the USA in pursuit of fame.After the film was released, the fictional band transformed into a real band, complete with ludicrous hairstyles. This seems to be something that happens... if I am not mistaken, Spinal Tap also ended up touring following the popularity of their film.American director Jim Jarmusch has a cameo as a car dealer. The film also includes cameos by blues guitarist Duke Robillard and American Rockabilly Hall of Famer, Colonel Robert Morris, with his wife Irene. I recognized Jarmusch instantly, and he seems like the sort of person who would show up in these films. I cannot imagine anyone else who was so supportive and synonymous with independent film in the 1980s.

Who knew the Finns could be this funny? Two parts Joe Dirt. One part Blues Brothers. One part Mel Brooks. Three parts Euro Indy.When you're ready for something "completely different", feast your CGI-dulled soul on this schlocky sight gag flick.The show explores the journey of exotic underdogs seeking their fortune in totally different cultures, a "fish out of water" story line, echoed visually in the huge fish carried by the shunned village idiot. I could tell you details but most of the laughs are sight/situational gags, so that would ruin what makes this movie so fun, and the plot is immaterial to it's entertainment value. Starting with the ridiculously-long quiff hairstyles and the Winklepicker shoes, the gags appropriately timed and keep one's interest.Watch it until they audition in New York and you'll know if it's worth Finnishing :)There's a lot of slow filler, so this makes a great film to watch when you're doing something else.

My wife Irene, and myself, (Robert Morris) owned "The Lonesome Bar" in Memphis where part of the movie was shot. This is where they performed "Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay" and my buddy, George Kunkle played the banjo and sang one of his songs. The barber was Bill Robertson, who was a real barber next door to the bar. He passed away shortly after the film came out, but it allowed him to sing in a international film. The whole cast and crew was wonderful! We played pool and got drunk every night after shooting. One night we sat on the curb out front and took turns picking and singing our favorite songs. That was a experience I will never forget.We hope you like the movie, as we will never forget it.Colonel Robert morris