Sano se suomeksi: A strange, dusty trip

Is it worth your time?

If you are the kind of person who enjoys clicking through old film archives at 2 AM, yes, absolutely. Everyone else might find the pacing a bit, well, non-existent. It is not really a movie you watch for the plot. It is more of a collection of faces and voices from a time that feels like a dream.

Seriously, don't expect a story. If you need a beginning, middle, and end, you are going to be checking your watch every ten minutes. The whole thing feels like it was stitched together from bits and pieces found in a basement.

The vibe

There is something about the way people move in these older films. It is slightly too fast, then suddenly too slow. The performances, like those by Edvin Laine and Emmi Jurkka, have this theatrical weight that feels miles away from anything modern. They act like the stage is ten miles wide.

I found myself getting stuck on the background extras. There is one guy in a hat near the middle who looks like he has absolutely no idea why he is standing there. It is brilliant. It makes the whole thing feel human, not like some polished machine.

It reminded me a bit of the random energy you find in Pop Tuttle's Movie Queen. Just people doing their thing while the camera rolls.

Little observations

• The audio quality dips in and out like it is playing hide and seek.
• Some of the reactions shots linger just long enough to make you feel uncomfortable.
• It is very Finnish in that quiet, stubborn way.

There is no grand message here. It is just a snapshot. Sometimes it works, sometimes it just feels like someone forgot to yell 'cut' at the right time. I think I prefer it that way.

If you find this boring, maybe try something a bit punchier like The Merry Widow, but if you want to just sit and watch the dust motes dance in the projector light, stick with this. It is weirdly calming. 🎞️