Herra Huu - Jestapa jepulis, penikat sipuliks
Jaakko Talaskivi:
Herra Huu - Jestapa jepulis, penikat sipuliks (Finland, 1973)
55 min. - Finnish - No english subtitles
K-3
The first ever screening for children in the history of Rokumentti is Herra Huu – Jestapa jepulis penikat sipuliks. The film is produced by the Film Cooperative of Finland, and starred and partly written by M.A. Numminen, and it is suitable for all ages. Numminen is also responsible for the music, which is a significant part of the film.
The main characters in this film are children from a rural village, who like playing at an abandoned house. The attic of the house is inhabited by Herra Huu, a weirdo with a brimmed hat and a black cloak. Herra Huu considers himself to be a scary ghost, but the children think he is just a nuisance who messes up their games. Despite his (hardly) scary threats, the children don’t seem to mind his odd ramblings, and Herra Huu is forced to reconsider if the whole scaring business makes any sense after all.
Besides the quirky story, Herra Huu is also an hilarious example of the political atmosphere of the 1970s. The adults in this film mostly babble about their left-wing views and the power of co-operation. Eeva Järvenpää’s review in Helsingin Sanomat in 1973 also criticized the crude symbolism and coarse political message of the film.
Warning! M.A. Numminen’s weird antics and face-twisting may not be suitable for all adults, especially in the morning after a long festival night.
Sat 16th Nov at 12:00pm Tapio 2