Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

[randy_byers]

Well, this one sure snuck up on me! (Yes, "snuck," spellchucker!) Hadn't heard anything about it until I saw a trailer last week when holyoutlaw and I saw The Warrior's Way (which is a hugely fun, if formulaic, ninjas vs. cowboys vs. clowns spaghetti western). (Yeah, I know, advanced formula.) Based on the trailer and a couple of rave reviews I found on the net, we went to Rare Exports at the Varsity last night, and boy was it a lot of fun too.

It's a Finnish Christmas horror-comedy (more comedy than horror) about a demonic pagan Santa Claus who is dug up from an ice grave that the ancient Sami people had buried him in many years ago. The focus is on a young boy and his father living in the isolated wilderness, along with two of the father's friends and the young son of one of them. No women or girls in the film at all. The snowy mountain setting is utterly gorgeous, the ominous, dark mood is thrilling, and the family-friendly seasonal humor is infectious. You'll never think of ginger cookies the same way again. Or Santa's elves.

I highly recommend the movie. It almost gets me in the Christmas spirit. Apparently there are two short movies on YouTube that were made first and that this movie is a prequel to. I'll have to look them up.

Update: It appears that the movie (and shorts) are based on Finnish legends of Joulupukki (Yule buck or Yule goat) -- a traditional figure who over time has merged with Santa Claus. The movie really missed out by not featuring a scene where they drink reindeer piss laced with Amanita muscaria.

Comments

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Good lord, I guess we run in different circles. The Rare Exports videos have been semi-viral in my FL for, oh, a coupla months I'd say.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I guess mi network no es su network. [shakes fist at his network]

[kim-huett.livejournal.com]

Heard this one being reviewed on ABC radio a while back. It sounded interesting though not enough for me to overcome my dislike of watching anything in a cinema full of idiot monkeys. No doubt I'll eventually see this one on dvd.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it'll play fine on the small screen.

[kim-huett.livejournal.com]

Watching movies on television doesn't bother me at all. I'm yet to watch anything I couldn't enjoy because of what is lost on a small screen. I suspect I only mis stuff I wouldn't of noticed anyway.