Leningrad Cowboys - Total Balalaika Show

Starring:Jore Marjaranta, Mato Valtonen, Pemo Ojala, Sakari Kuosmanen, Ekke Niiva, Ben Granfelt, Sakke JÃ¤rvenpÃ¤Ã¤, Kirsi TykkylÃ¤inen, Mauri SumÃ©n, Twist-Twist Erkinharju, Alexandrov Red Army Ensemble, Atte Blom, Silu SeppÃ¤lÃ¤
Director: Aki KaurismÃ¤ki
Studio: Facets
Product Type: DVD

Description

Rock meets classic folk music in this most unusual of concert films. It was on Senate Square in Helsinki in 1993 when the Leningrad Cowboys joined the Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble for a unique blend of music and spectacle. The Leningrad Cowboys had been created by director Aki Kaurismäki for a previous film while the Red Army Chorus was formed to preserve Russian folk music. What might seem an impossible combination of musical styles and tastes actually becomes a sublime cosmic experience, especially when the Red Army musicians pick up their balalaikas to join the Cowboys on Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven."

Customer Reviews:

The Cold War is over, and Rock won..........2007-04-10

I agree with the other reviewers about this. It's an eye-popper. I had seen "Leningrad Cowboys Do America" a dozen years ago and enjoyed it; then in 2006 my work took me on a trip to Eastern Europe where I flipped on the TV and saw the Leningrad cowboys being interviewed--couldn't understand a word, but if you know the Leningrad Cowboys, well, you know the Leningrad Cowboys. "What the heck?" I thought,"Are these guys still around?" I googled around and found that they've done a few movies. All I could find in the NTSC US (region 1) format was their first movie and this documentary of the concert they performed with the Red Army Ensemble.
By the end of five minutes it really sinks in that the cold war is over--in case you hadn't already noticed. There is something surreal (you'll wear that word out while watching) about the concert. First of all, it is a straight-up concert. The Red Army is a great all-male choir, the Leningrad Cowboys, errr, they are a third-rate rock band with a lot of heart, and a very dry sense of humor. The juxtaposition of the Red Army pouring all their soul into either a. Russian Folk standards (like Kalinka) or b. 60's Rock and Roll standards while the Cowboys flounce around in front of them is unforgettable. The first time the visuals are so jarring that it's hard to pay attention to some rather good music. The second and third time it is easier to laugh and to appreciate some nicely done Russian folk music and golden oldies rock 'n' roll.

Bizarre in the best way!.......2007-01-23

This is such a strange performance piece. The Alexandrov Russian Army ensemble is a great surprise in that they seem to "get" what is going on. As the Cowboys stated in an interview, they were all musicians just in different uniforms so everybody got it in short order. Musicianship is very good. Makes one frustrated they virtually never never seen in America.

The extras are amusing. The additional videos of their more recent material are on their own almost worth the price. Leningrad, Where's the Moon, and Jupiter Calling are twists from a twisted band. My favorite though is Happy Being Miserable which is so descriptive of people I know, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The Cowboys Rope A Winner.......2006-08-28

A prior reviewer wrote that the Leningrad Cowboys "parodied" rock music. Their outrageous hairdos and stage antics may be a parody, but this reviewer believes they were dead serious about their music. A group does not enlist the Red Army Choir for parody. The performance was excellent, the singers nearly beyond dispute, and the music inspired.
A copy of Happy Together was not available. But the Total Balalakia Show was, and featured two versions of "Happy Together": an original opening piece for the show and the original version.
The Leningrad Cowboys combine comedy and excellent renditions of rock music from my age of the world. Long may they wave.

Rock & Roll Red Extravaganza !.......2005-08-25

Life time experience. It's unlikely you'll ever see a concert film quite like the one shot in Helsinki, with the Leningrad Cowboys and the Alexandrov Red Army Choir and folk dancers.
Is absolutely awesome. The extras also is "very juiced".

Sweet Home Vladivostok.......2005-06-27

The Leningrad Cowboys are one of the strangest bands ever to emerge from Finland. Well, upon reconsideration, they are actually one of the oddest bands ever, anywhere. This concert was filmed in 1993 in Helsinki, Finland when the Leningrad Cowboys joined the Alexandrov Red Army Ensemble in what is one of the most otherworldly musical experiences imaginable.

This huge and diverse band performed a lot of Russian standards, which after a while begin to sound rather similar (at least to ears outside of continental Europe) but also feature cover versions of "Stairway to Heaven" and "Sweet Home Alabama," among other rock standards. These western rockers are a sight to behold and a sound to be savored. I am particularly impressed (and amazed) by the rather extreme hair styles of the band members and the fact that they don't trip over their unwieldy footwear.

I recommend this DVD highly. It is fun and has many extras, such as four music videos, behind the scenes features, and five bonus shorts. I would have given it five stars easily if it had had a few more rock covers, and a few less Russian folksongs. Still this DVD is an absolute treasure and I highly recommend it to any music lover with a sense of humor or a taste for the surreal.

Leningrad Cowboys: Total Balalaika Show [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Finland ]

Average customer rating:

Leningrad Cowboys: Total Balalaika Show [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Finland ]
Director: Aki Kaurismaki
Manufacturer: Sandrew Metronome
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000BP6U3A

Product Description

Finland released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o Finnish/Russian/English (Dolby Digital 2.0) Synopsis: A 57 minute documentary of a Helsinki concert featuring the Leningrad Cowboys and the Alexandrov Red Army Choir and Ballet, who collaborate on a number of US Rock songs sung in English (like "Sweet Home, Alabama") as well as more traditional Russian songs like the "Volga Boatman". - Finland's Leningrad Cowboys meet the ex-Red Army Choir in this inspired Finnish documentary. The Cowboys (a comedy group) claim to be the world's worst rock and roll band. The 100 member Red Army Choir is one of the world's premiere men's choirs. Most of the film chronicles their June 12, 1993 concert together. Over 70,000 people crowded into Helsinki's Senate Square for the event. To their credit the choir remains deadpan and dreadfully serious while the Cowboys cavort and dancing girls appear. Songs include "Volga Boatmen," the Turtle's "Happy Together," "Finlandia," "Let's Work Together," "Delilah" (sung while traditionally garbed Russian women perform a folkdance), "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," and more. For the final song both groups, arms linked, sing "Those Were the Days."

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