Ariel. Hamlet goes business

Two feature films from Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki. “Ariel”: Propelled by the closure of the local mine and faced with unemployment Taisto Kasurinen (Turo Pajala) sets off in his Cadillac across the bleak and wintery Finnish landscape into the depressed industrial towns. In search of work and love he meets Irmeli (Susanna Haavisto) and together they express their desire for love with emotional efficiency. The soundtrack of popular 50s and 60s romance tunes expresses the love that our protagonists are incapable of expressing. Signalling hope, Kaurismaki finds humanity in the most bleak of places and with characters whose lives are filled with much hardship and hurt, managing to create a film that bubbles with affection. “Hamlet goes business”: This second black comedy reprises Shakespeare’s Hamlet into a contemporary setting where bitter family rivalry, revenge and greed are the order of the day. A brutish father is poisoned while plots are hatched to extract his millions. But this evil family has no plan and gradually the double-crossing characters fall victim to their own vices. A farcical take on the classic with Kaurismaki’s trademark deadpan humour. Combined cast includes: Turo Pajala, Susanna Haavisto, Matti Pellonpaa, Eetu Hilkamo, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, Eskoski Salminen, Kati Outinen, Elina Salo, Esko Nikkari, Kari Vaananen, Turo Pajala, Matti Pei.