Total Balalaika Show
Aki Kaurismäki turns a Helsinki concert into a jubilant collision of Finnish rock eccentricity, Russian choral tradition, and deadpan stage spectacle.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- playful
- irreverent
- celebratory
- concert movie night
- music discovery
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Leningrad Cowboys and Alexandrov Red Army Choir and Ballet perform both English-language US rock songs and Russian standards.
The film focuses on a Helsinki concert and the collaborative performance itself.
The collaboration between the flamboyant Leningrad Cowboys and the formal Red Army choir and ballet creates Kaurismäkian comic contrast.
The Helsinki event unites a Finnish rock group with the Alexandrov Red Army Choir and Ballet.
Films like Total Balalaika Show, and why
The Last Waltz
concert documentary blending rock performance with a distinctive national musical tradition and deadpan theatricality
Stop Making Sense
music documentary built around an unusually staged live collaboration and charismatic ensemble performance
Gimme Shelter
quirky european concert film with playful cross-cultural performance and a strong auteur sensibility
Movie Details
- Director
- Aki Kaurismäki
- Release Date
- 1994-05-06
- Runtime
- 57 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (30)
Cast
- Twist-Twist Erkinharju
- Ben Granfelt
- Sakke Järvenpää
- Sakari Kuosmanen
- Jore Marjaranta
- Ekke Niiva
- Jyri Närvänen
- Pemo Ojala
- Silu Seppälä
- Mauri Sumén
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Total Balalaika Show about?
- Aki Kaurismäki turns a Helsinki concert into a jubilant collision of Finnish rock eccentricity, Russian choral tradition, and deadpan stage spectacle.
- What is Total Balalaika Show like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Total Balalaika Show as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Total Balalaika Show violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Total Balalaika Show.
- Which films are like Total Balalaika Show?
- Films with a similar feel include The Last Waltz, Stop Making Sense, and Gimme Shelter.
- How long is Total Balalaika Show?
- Total Balalaika Show runs 57 minutes.
- Where can I watch Total Balalaika Show?
- In United States, Total Balalaika Show streams on Criterion Channel.
