Summer Rebellion (1970) - full transcript

Young photography model Susanna and her alienated teenage brother Veli spend the summer of 1969 travelling around Finland, mostly with another girl and her boyfriend. Sporting the latest fashions and trendy hairdos, they naïvely observe and criticise the modern consumer society, advertising, fancy boats and summer cottages, country dances, barbecues, and any other phenomena that were supposed to bother angry young intellectuals in those days. The plot and the political agenda are delivered with a cheerful, tongue-in-cheek mixture of documentary observations, fake TV commercials, fake interviews, philosophical voiceovers and titles, and a jazzy soundtrack by the progressive rock group Wigwam.

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SUMMER REBELLION

FINNISH

HAPPINESS

SEARCHING FOR FINNISH HAPPINESS

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This sturdy and reliable clock can be

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Wrong way of washing has

yellowed the white

...-lly developed nylon...

...is with other synthetic fibres...

When you wash these from the start...

They stay white for a long time.

Every day, to earn my daily bread

I go to the market where lies are bought

Hopefully

I take up my place among the sellers.

Brecht

Studio Picture Sisters

This is an interview of

photo model Susanna.

Now that the recorder is rolling, could

we, before shooting, ask you a few...

- Sorry for being so familiar.

- Oh, it's alright.

...ask you a question.

How did your career start?

It happened quite accidentally.

I was walking down the street when

someone discovered me

and that's how it started.

So, like with everyone.

Did you even dream of ...?

Of course as a little girl when you

hear about this kind of a profession.

So in a way little girls do.

I have to ask you very simple questions

people want to know.

What is your favourite colour?

I think it's red. Warm red.

- Political?

- No, not political. Just as a colour.

I understand.

Your favourite food?

Well, I do love spaghetti,

but I can't eat much of that.

- Your profession demands.

- Profession demands being slim.

- Sorry for talking over you.

- It's alright.

Can you recommend,

as most of

our readers are women,

a special hack

for staying slim?

Well, a hack I've used a lot is

an egg a day with white wine and

a lightly grilled steak.

That's how you get slimmer.

Eija Pokkinen, photo model.

- But it... what?

- Nothing, continue.

I don't know. It feels like I'm not

myself at all when I do this work.

It's like... selling yourself

piece by piece.

And this other role, it sort of...

it sort of eats

me away piece by piece.

GENTLE VIOLENCE

And attached to this, a heating

system with enhanced blower.

Adjusts with a thermostat and works

even when the motor is not running.

I'm sorry, but now I have to

ask you this bra question...

- Yes?

- ...as there's so much fuss around it.

- Would you still agree to

these kinds of sessions?

Not a chance, this fuss

was enough.

- Our magazine is socially conscious

and our readers would be interested

if we raised a couple issues.

Racial segregation? Do you agree?

Well black power is all the rage

in the modelling world as well.

All the top models in Paris are black.

I wouldn't object being black myself.

Well wasn't that fun?

But now we have to start.

Susanna, come this way...

We have agreed with the Picture Sisters

that we would be striving for soft

and natural, beautiful freshness.

In contrast to these raw advertising

photos we'll bring out the human in you.

Well, girls. I'll call you later then.

And I'll take this glass from you.

Music on.

We'll see when the human appears.

OBJECTS DO NOT CRY.

Veli, 17 y/o

We're in Paris, the product is moving

and that's how we sell.

This one morning when Susanna had left

for work there was this one bloke

lying down when I came in.

I told him:

"Take a hike, there's the door."

I had this fine gal in Jyväskylä once.

But, well...

It never amounted to anything.

Are you alone? Unhappy?

Are you rejected? Abandoned?

Doesn't anyone care about you?

The latest invention of

American science. Buelcream!

Your skin used to be like wood, but

Buelcream makes you shine!

Never more alone!

Never more alone.

Friends are waiting for you.

Friends are waiting for you.

Buelcream, the harbinger of love!

Buelcream!

Remember, Buelcream.

- Fire and burglary, Pellinen.

- Eki here.

Thanks for last night.

You were wonderful as always.

- Did you clean up?

- Me? Clean up?

STRANGER IN ONE'S

OWN COUNTRY

USA OUT FROM VIETNAM

Look, I'm sure it's her.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

I absolutely think Eki should apply

for the grant from the USA.

Nuclear physicist like him has

no chance in Finland.

We're not building any atom bombs here.

I'm going to give Eki this.

It's about how to apply

for a grant and such.

- Oh my god, there's a guy over there.

- Where?

Couldn't you turn this

way and talk with me?

How are your parents doing?

Are they dead already, or?

Actually all the guys I've gone out

with lately, they...

They're all not that nice.

Others smell so foreign.

And they can't satisfy me anyway.

Have some more.

Let's binge and you

can stay for the night.

- You remember Veli?

- Yes.

He lives daytimes here, sleeps on

this bed, uses the bedroom

he's there with a bathrobe on

and he eats all my food

and he straightens everything

to cover up all he's done.

- That's a nice picture.

- Which one?

They're all discarded ones.

Not selling enough.

And no shadows left on the background.

I'll be back soon.

- Ah, Susanna, little darling.

- Hello.

- What you been up to?

- Nothing much.

- What's on the little heart of yours?

- Well I was just passing by...

- And you wanted to see me?

- Yes.

I was thinking. Yesterday we had

the shoot with the five girls.

Yes?

Just a moment.

Well, we talked with the girls

afterwards, and especially Sinikka...

Pekka! Heinonen is here, would you

talk with him for a while? Good.

Sinikka said she got three times

more money from the same shoot.

Oh, my darling, why didn't you

come to me before the shoot?

I didn't know.

I would've if I had known.

It's not like that.

Just think about it....

And Raija for example.

She started the same time with me.

She attended the same shoots.

And she earned much more than I.

Oh my sweet darling,

you see, Raija is a rarity.

She's the kind of rarity we can

only use three times a year.

Take postage stamps for instance.

If we have there the...

hate to say an error, but...

but you understand that rarities

are much more valuable.

Isn't it true? Let's see these

photos for example

that we took of all of you.

There's Sinikka, there's Raija...

These are body shots but you'll

see from these that

you'll have to keep yourself fit.

We have many hundred models.

300 or 400 we could use.

And now you were one in five already.

You're not a useless gal by any means.

You see, a photo model is like a flower.

And flowers need constant care.

Flowers are cared for by humans,

but we need

to care for ourselves.

Pekka.

What would you think if we made

Susanna our spring girl?

Yup. Let's do it.

Okay, let's have some...

Smoke some and blow and

let's make it a bit sexier.

A bit more sexier.

Good, good, now this is sexy.

Let's try that one again.

Little more lips.

I can't do it any more.

Do you want anything?

SUMMER GIRL SUSANNA

MAN KILLED HIS EX-WIFE

WITH A STRAP

WEEKEND [NEW]

IS ORGASM LIBERATING?

SUSANNA TELLS ABOUT HER LIFE.

DO "GOOD LOVERS" EXIST?

NEW WEEKEND

Head aches

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work, constant competition

and striving for improvement

bring about mental pressure. It aches.

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Succeed.

Under the seemingly

smooth skin of our society

is hidden the hard truth

of the economic system.

Succeed or get left behind.

Escaping into dreams and nature

is the search for happiness

SEARCHING FOR FINNISH HAPPINESS

of the estranged westerner. Come.

SEARCHING FOR FINNISH HAPPINESS

Come. Come.

A TRIP TO THE COUNTRYSIDE

- Good day.

- Good day and welcome.

- How wonderful!

- Why are these logs so scaly?

It's machine cut to ensure a tight fit

to keep it warm in winter.

- A beautiful window.

- An old local tradition.

- Beautiful table.

- Akin to the cabin atmosphere.

What do you think people look for in

this kind of cabin culture?

Are those...

Do the first generation urbanites

long for the childhood

memories amidst the trees?

That, and also to find some

cosiness away from the city hassle.

To find again that sense of safety.

That's right. Our company aims for

the perfect technical result in design

and for a cosy way to spend

a summer, and...

No-no-no, we're going home.

We're going home now.

ACTOR MELASNIEMI PRESENTS THE

STRUCTURE OF THE CONSUMERIST SOCIETY

Everything in our society

is predetermined

even though advertisements create

an illusion of freedom of choice.

Bulk manufacturing doesn't

leave space for freedom.

Ideals follow production.

WHO OWNS

When the system is big and complex

enough, people forget

it is privately owned and start to

consider it as some kind of a republic.

The consumerist organisation dictates

the individual's life's

content and direction.

There can be no failed products.

Rather let humans fail.

You're taught to respect ownership.

Even if you owned nothing.

Just like everyone.

Even though whole Finland is

owned by a couple rich families.

When Eki and I get married

we move abroad.

If we get bored living somewhere

we move some place else.

I get to work in places where

I get to represent Finland.

The only inventions that get made

are those that make profit.

And when the crop is harvested, bang.

Bang. Bang! BANG!

If we, for example, gaze

at a star in the sky

we can't be sure it even exists

any more. It could just be the light

coming down to the Earth.

For instance, it takes 11 minutes for

Sun's light to arrive.

It could arrive billions

of years from elsewhere.

It shows if it's big enough

of an explosion.

Like the star in Bethlehem.

And this way these solar

systems and milky ways they

explode and condense like our Sun.

It's getting hotter, and hotter

it gets to a critical point,

and explodes

and with it our solar system.

And this way the whole system pulsates.

Condenses and expands and...

You wouldn't know if the

whole Universe was like that.

Do we explode too?

We have time to live

our life in peace.

And so could even

many mankinds.

The whole space system...

is actually quite

sympathetic and secure.

Whether we can manage all this space

and time we have is another thing.

The cause of all this fear might

be because of

this our societal system that is

unsafe and uncomfortable.

We keep up a wrong kind

of view of humanity and

people

never realise their options.

They can't know of anything.

It's very deliberate from those

that are in power.

Who gain from this all.

IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

TOWN MANAGER MEHTÄLÄ

The municipality of Hirvensalmi is

located in South Savo region,

in the Mikkeli province

near the beautiful and

clean watered Puulavesi lake.

The Centre of Hirvensalmi is located on

an isthmus between two lakes.

The population is centred on both sides

of the road siding the beautiful lake.

On the south side of the lake is a

nationally renown black alder alley.

An excursion to Hirvensalmi

is a real thing.

Travellers to Hirvensalmi have from year

to year realised it's great potential.

The future of the municipality is based

on tourism and pastime.

In the light of this,

a large scale Puula-plan

has been devised.

Its core is in planning...

the whole municipality

for travel and pastime.

Coffee.

THE CHURCH AND THE YOUTH

We are planning on building

a holiday village

on a land shared by us,

the municipality, and private parties.

I suppose you're interested as you don't

have places for summer vacations

like villas or cottages like elder folk.

- I have a car.

Oh, right?

- That I won't believe.

- Well, they do...

You use the situation for your advantage

by feeding the holidayers your ideology.

The very same ideology including this

outdated and unjust society.

Well I would respond that one

could disagree greatly on the subject.

You young people just exaggerate

on these disagreements.

Be as it may, we all live here in peace

and everyone can see that.

The church youth work,

the sports club's work, schools, all.

We all work together for a

common goal.

TEACHER TURPEINEN

Just like you said, vicar, but

there are varying opinions

on Christianity.

Well it may not be so varied, but

my thoughts are, that

we should recognise that Christianity

actualises in the society.

How, for example, a Hirvensalmi youth,

a boy or a girl

can really feel that they are living

in a Christian society,

where social justice comes true.

ON THE VILLA

Ahoy!

Could we come there?

- Huh?

- Someone's yelling there.

Nah, they're not yelling at us.

- But they're waving this way.

- Ahoy!

- What's the problem?

- Could we come there?

- How did you get there?

- The vicar brought us.

- And blessed you unto there?

- Yes!

We can't get a tent up here.

- There's room, just spread out.

- There's only these damn rocks.

The vicar should've known there's

no place for a tent.

- We have booze!

- What?

Booze!

- Is this your own?

- Oh, no...

A master builder owns this,

we're only renting.

- Then I understand the wallpapers.

- If we had the money, we wouldn't...

My husband is in the press business

selling ad space, and it means

you have to change jobs sometimes.

We can't settle down

anywhere permanently.

I'll put on the striped one,

the light is so striped here.

I'll take this off then, so

Eki won't mix us up.

How terrible, how is this,

I've never...

Just tie it there,

not there, more up.

- No, there's ants.

- Climb up there, to the treetop.

Hey, what're you doing now?

We're putting up an antenna,

if it's alright.

- Why so?

We're trying to get

reception on Radio Peking.

Peking... but you have a portable radio.

You can't get reception on that.

- You can if you ground it properly.

- Ground?

Could we set up a tent

somewhere on the island?

Well, for sure.

There's enough room here.

There you have a Finnish soldier.

Fell from the sky.

- Hey girls!

- You wouldn't without...

Come to the sauna and...

Our Midsummer bonfire is a bit modest

but can't make it bigger

due to forest fire warning.

Even though it's starting to rain.

Hope people's Midsummer isn't ruined.

This Midsummer time

is a highlight event for the

social life in this region.

Damn, here comes the rain.

And the Midsummer is ruined.

We have such a custom here

that all the weddings

are arranged for the Midsummer.

Some people even arrange

their own funerals on Midsummer.

CITY PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY

My name is Ville and I like liquor,

pea soup, and Brilliantine.

I beat all the yeah-yeah-lads,

I'm oh so tough.

Should we call for a greaser joint,

those kind of guys I can't stand

We would beat up right here and now.

He is now in the hospital.

SEARCHING FOR FINNISH HAPPINESS

- Sorry, sorry.

- Is it still burning?

- It's burning.

- Thanks.

Let's put this back here.

Like so.

- Don't sit there, it's my seat.

- Get lost.

Susanna is looking well.

Veli you sit there.

- Food, food.

- Soon we'll all have delicious steaks.

Let it sizzle there.

There's nothing better in the

world than good food.

And you.

- Let's eat when it's possible.

- What do you mean?

Well there's two starving

to one sated.

I'm the other of the two starving.

I need to lose weight.

- Eki didn't mean that.

- What then?

He meant that it's peculiar that

the world can't be organised

so that we can't transfer excess

food to where it's needed.

It'd surely

be possible, technically.

But no one's giving

nothing voluntarily.

Not even if they had

a bit too much.

We wouldn't give up of this

steak at the moment.

- I would.

- Come on.

You're not part

of this discussion.

If some black Indian would knock

on your shoulder eyes glimmering and

ask for that steak, you'd never give it.

You'd grab it with your both hands.

The Indian?

Well done, Susanna.

Luckily everyone in our society that

wants to work, can also eat.

You well know that not everyone that

wants to work have a chance to work.

It's well known.

I might add that my husband represents

consumerist social democracy, and

I'm more of a humanist.

And I feel that the social...

excuse me.

God damn.

That's what happens every time she

starts to lecture.

She gets mixed up in her cleverness,

starts coughing and it's over.

I just wanted to say the society's

social equality should be

carried out with a faster pace.

So far we've managed to keep our

differences outside of the marriage.

- Fuck society, I want sex.

- Same here, the sister's right.

I want a home of my own.

MARRIED IN HIRVENSALMI,

ANSSI URSIN AND SIRKKA PAAJANEN.

SEARCHING FOR FINNISH HAPPINESS

This is the Eastern Highway

of our capital.

Workers are rushing to

their workplaces in the morning.

The film was shot in August of 1969.

Our protagonist Susanna wants to

succeed as sincerely as any other.

She wishes to succeed in work

and get lots of money.

She also wants to find her happiness

that includes: a rich husband,

marriage, and a secure life.

Forget the drag of cleaning up

There's a new family

member in the house!

Nix is a solution for modern homes.

Nix is the calm solution

for busy people.

Nix is not just a vacuum cleaner.

It also polishes.

Nix makes makes your

home a machine.

We do it. Nix is so very good.

Nix makes your home a machine.

Nix makes your home a machine.

What about the nails?

Having problems?

Better than your own.

Don't trust yourself.

Wildcat Press-On Nails.

Clean your nails. File the press-on

nails to match your own nails. Easy!

Oh, fuck.

Wildcat

Shit it doesn't hold.

So, file the press-on nails to

match the shape of your own nails.

- Oh, fuck.

- Easy.

And a bit of glue, and your

hands are almost as new.

Better than your own.

Don't trust yourself.

I repeat: a bit of glue.

Press the nail on the finger

and you have new hands.

Wildcat

Wildcat Press-On Nails will crown

any dinner party. Wildcat!

Wildcat Press-On Nails will crown

any dinner party. Wildcat!

Also you smell of money.

JARMO NIEMINEN

HEAD OF MARKETING

ECONOMIST

M.A. POL. SCIENCE, 29

IN LOVE?

Yes?

Good day.

Just a moment.

- Ritva?

- Yes?

Could you check whether the

interview 75 results have been counted?

- Just a moment.

- Thank you.

SHOULD I GET MARRIED?

Did anyone stay?

A DREAM COME TRUE

PARENTS TALK

ABOUT THEIR FAMOUS CHILDREN

IN THE WRONG CLASS?

TIGHT FIT FOR A BIG MAN. PROGRESS SLOW.

NO COMPANY OF SAME AGE.

WHAT WOULD UPPER CLASS LIFE BE LIKE?

GROWTH

FALSE OR TRUE

It's quite nice here.

How did you get the idea?

My colleague bought a

lot from near here.

I heard of this place from him

and I bought it.

Very effortless.

I installed electricity and

a telephone line here.

The phone line for important work calls.

There are a couple people at

work that know the number here.

I have a motor boat at the bay.

I go fishing sometimes.

- It's burning poorly.

- None of your business, pal.

What are you doing, are you crazy?

Get lost. Horrible.

Don't care, he's a bit jealous.

It'll get better over time.

It's not so dangerous.

- We can start grilling soon.

- What are you grilling?

I have some fish inside.

Hey the boat broke.

Always peddling with

other people's stuff.

How is it broken then?

- Oh, this.

- This stick fell on it.

I didn't have time to

organise yet.

It's only a railing. It's easy.

You can glue it, right?

It's iron though.

Maybe it can be soldered.

Isn't this quite expensive?

I don't know. It's a gift.

A colleague of my father's made it.

You must own a lot of stuff.

Well it's about how you

use your money.

I guess so.

If you have what to use.

Die Weisheit. Nicht hören,

Nicht sehen, Nicht sprechen.

This place is still so small.

These prefab houses are

nice for their expandability.

You can hang the old laundry

cauldron up on the roof logs.

There is no need for boiling

your dirty laundry.

Even the most difficult stains

come off without boiling.

For a successful man.

Gives the man

more than just a neat smell.

Galax.

SEARCHING FOR FINNISH HAPPINESS

VITASPERMO - AN INJECTION

A DAY KEEPS YOU PERKY

BUELCREAM - PIMPLE FOAM

BRINGER OF LOVE IS YOUR SAVIOUR.

A STORK? NO! LIGHT OF DAWN

CONTRACEPTIVE FOAM FOR CHRISTIAN HOMES

A stork?

No.

Light of Dawn - contraceptive foam.

Also for Christian...

A stork? No.

Light of Dawn - contraceptive foam.

Also for Christian...

I can't...

Light of Dawn - contraceptive foam.

Also for Christian homes.

Horribly cold.

Carefully. It's burnt.

- I can't even work like this.

- Do you have to?

You could stay here

for the whole week.

SALES OF ADVERTISING TIME IN 1970

WILDCAT

CROWNS A HAPPY NIGHT

HUNTING

I'll take the wig off.

ONE CLASS ABOVE

WHY

VIOLENCE OF THE SYSTEM

Hey, Susanna.

- What are you doing?

- I'm waking you up.

Don't wake me up.

Of course I'm being serious.

GENTLE VIOLENCE

You're not very wise.

Forgive me.

Veli!

Crazy!

I'll say it went off accidentally

as I was cleaning it.

It did go off accidentally!

WHY

The principle of owning

generates violence.

REBELLION 1

We want to own our close ones like

a house, a room, a doormat.

WHY

Owning is violence.

It erupts as violence.

Private property and the exploitation

of people are

society's systemic violence.

VIOLENCE OF THE SYSTEM

It extends even to

the closest relationships.

OWNS

The cruelness in society's ideals

seeps in day by day.

Moment by moment.

Gentleness, owning, getting, losing...

painful internal conflict that explodes

into our eyes as violence.

KNOWLEDGE

REBELLION 2

STRANGER IN ONE'S OWN COUNTRY

Consumerist fascism

leaves no options.

We are slowly starting to consider

that kind of a life natural

which doesn't have any

natural ingredients.

Knowledge of one's own place and

possibilities is lost in

the wordmongery of ostensible wellness.

EXPLOITATION

CONSUMERIST FASCISM

REVOLUTION IN FASHION

It feels like

that everything that has been made

should be torn down

to begin anew.

To see things clearly.

In a new way.

Of course it doesn't mean

anything to others as they are

ready to put up new advertisements

to replace the old ones.

But it matters to me.

REBELLION 3

THERE IS NO RETURN

Even the poor and penniless

imagine finding

happiness as a private entrepreneur.

As a petty merchant of one's own

physical or mental labour.

Welfare society is a

treacherous, misguiding word.

It cannot cover up the violence

in our financial system.

A prerequisite for individual's

happiness is born only when

the society goes through a

structural transformation.

From within the financial structure.

We need handshakes

between the exploited.

Western welfare state Sweden

attracts us as an ideal.

As strongly as Sweden exploits

cheap Finnish workforce.

Welfare is a dangerous illusion

that is used by property owners

and labour union betrayers

to deceive us.

This is the end of illusions.

REBELLION 4

WORDS THAT HAVE

LOST THEIR MEANING

...any other possibility

than to be destroyed?