Leningrad Cowboys Go America, Finland, 1989

Perhaps Karismäki's most famous film to date, Leningrad Cowboys tells the story of a music band, you can figure out the name of the band by now, who travel to the US to experience the American dream. The group (composed of nine musicians!) starts off with traditional Russian folk music, since they come from Russia or somewhere in northern Finland. Their musical style evolves according to the places where they sing. They do rock & roll, and gradually change to country music. As soon as their US manager listens to one of their songs, they are thrown out to the street; they are really that bad! He suggests travelling down to Mexico (all the way from New York) to sing in a wedding. By the end they are even able to sing Mexican "rancheras" with their mariachi outfits and all, balalaika in hand. This is Karismäki's best comedy about, according to him, the worst music band ever. The Leningrad Cowboys actually existed. The film is based on a true story. Karismäki uses his ability to portrays strange behaving characters and absurd situations to make it as less realistic as possible. This film has become a cult among connaisseurs. It's a fun Finnish ride.