[Leica] Composition

[Douglas Barry]

I sometimes write film reviews for a group in. I thought, as this is a 
photography list, some of you might like cinematography too, and this 
film fits into that category for me.

Douglas

Fallen Leaves (Aki Kaurismäki - director)

I watched this last night on Mubi. I found it very uplifting and a joy 
in itself. I've seen a couple of his other films in the past, and mean 
to see them all. On the film, Finland, according to the Finns, can be a 
very buttoned up place and this is asserted by the Finns themselves in 
their own self-deprecating joke “How do you tell a Finnish introvert 
from a Finnish extrovert? When talking, the introvert looks down at his 
shoes, the extrovert looks at yours.”

As a keen photographer myself, I was struck by the perfection of the 
cinematography. Every frame when the movie is paused is almost perfect 
as an individual picture, with marvellous composition and a wonderful 
way with colour. To add to that, the direction of Kaurismäki is so deft, 
it’s hard to fault.

Everything is delivered in a delightfully droll deadpan manner, and the 
accompanying soundtrack is excellent. The stand-out performance is by 
the sister group Maustetytöt jauntily singing in bright voices the most 
depressing lyrics against the background of a seedy bar with a scattered 
audience of morose drinkers.

It’s a traditional girl meets boy story, except they’re both well past 
their sell-by date, and the vicissitudes and pitfalls strewn across 
their path to a possible happy contentment are many – excess drink, 
joblessness, homelessness, illness and injury. With all that, it’s funny 
and the end is upbeat, and, as in all Kaurismäki’s work, it has a dog.

I think it's worth a watch.