Shadows in Paradise (1986)
Varjoja paratiisissa (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 1h 14min
- Comedy, Drama
- 17 Oct 1986 (Finland)
- Movie
An episode in the life of Nikander, a garbage man, involving the death of a coworker, a love affair and much more.
Director:
Writer:
Award:
- 1 win.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Matti Pellonpää | ... |
Nikander
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| Kati Outinen | ... |
Ilona Rajamäki
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| Sakari Kuosmanen | ... |
Melartin
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| Esko Nikkari | ... |
Co-worker (työkaveri)
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Kylli Köngäs | ... |
Ilona's Girlfriend (ystävätär)
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Pekka Laiho | ... |
Shop Steward (myymälänhoitaja)
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Jukka-Pekka Palo | ... |
Third Man (kolmasmies)
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Svante Korkiakoski | ... |
Police (poliisi)
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| Mari Rantasila | ... |
Nikander's Sister (Nikanderin sisar)
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Safka Pekkonen | ... |
Pianist (pianisti)
(as Safka)
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Antti Ortamo | ... |
2nd pianist (pianisti II)
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| Mato Valtonen | ... |
Pelle
(as Markku Valtonen)
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| Sakke Järvenpää | ... |
Staffan
(as Sakari Järvenpää)
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Ulla Kuosmanen | ... |
Melartin's wife (Melartinin vaimo)
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Neka Haapanen | ... |
Cook (kokki)
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Pentti Koski | ... |
Singer (laulusolisti)
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Ari Korhonen |
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Teuvo Rissanen |
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Erkki Rissanen |
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Sirkka Silin | ... |
Silmälasipäinen nainen baaritiskin takana
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Marina Martinoff |
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Jussi Tiitinen |
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Riikka Kuosmanen | ... |
Melartinin tytär
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Aki Kaurismäki | ... |
Hotel receptionist (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Aki Kaurismäki | ||
Written by
| Aki Kaurismäki | ... | () |
Produced by
| Mika Kaurismäki | ... | producer |
Cinematography by
| Timo Salminen | ||
Editing by
| Raija Talvio | ||
Editorial Department
| Eila Karkkunen | ... | negative cutter |
| Timo Nousiainen | ... | color grader |
| Jukka Nykänen | ... | assistant editor |
Art Direction by
| Pertti Hilkamo | ||
| Heikki Ukkonen | ||
Costume Design by
| Tuula Hilkamo | ||
Makeup Department
| Leena Kouhia | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Jaakko Talaskivi | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Pauli Pentti | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Pertti Hilkamo | ... | property master |
| Heikki Ukkonen | ... | property master |
Sound Department
| Juuso Hirvikangas | ... | assistant sound recordist |
| Jouko Lumme | ... | sound editor / sound |
| Kjell Westman | ... | sound mixer |
Visual Effects by
| Jochen Hinrichs-Stöldt | ... | colorist (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Malla Hukkanen | ... | still photographer (as Marja-Leena Helin) |
| Timo Markko | ... | assistant camera |
| Mikko Mattila | ... | lighting technician |
| Heikki Ortamo | ... | assistant camera |
| Olli Varja | ... | lighting technician |
Script and Continuity Department
| Malla Hukkanen | ... | script supervisor (as Marja-Leena Helin) |
Additional Crew
| Haije Alanoja | ... | production secretary |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Finnkino (1986) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1992) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Alive Vertrieb und Marketing (2007) (Germany) (DVD) (Aki Kaurismäki Collection I)
- Avalon (2024) (Spain)
- Eclipse from the Criterion Collection (2008) (United States) (DVD)
- Future Film (2013) (Finland) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
- Nordic Video (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
- Pandora Film Verleih (2009) (Germany) (DVD) (Proletarische Trilogie)
- Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2008) (United States) (DVD)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1988) (Finland) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Only connect. In gray, class-conscious Helsinki, Nikander is a stoic, solitary garbage man. Cigarettes, coffee, bingo games, and English lessons border his circumscribed life. There are few words, no smiles, and no laughter. Violence and the threat of violence seem close at hand. Ilona, a supermarket clerk who frequently loses her job, bandages Nikander's hand one evening; later he gets her out of a jam, and they begin an on-again off-again relationship. "Why do I keep losing?," Nikander asks his co-worker, Melartin, a man Nikander met in jail and helped get a job. Can he break his losing streak?
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Towards the end, there's a scene where Nikander's friend talks about a problematic fellow worker named Mikkonen. Matti Pellonpää, who plays Nikander here, would later play Mikkonen in Ariel (1988), the second part of the Proletariat trilogy directed by Aki Kaurismäki. See more » |
| Goofs | When Nikander and Ilona leave the gas station and ride down the road, they pass a white car. The white car is standing still in the middle of the road. Presumably they drove so fast that they passed the white car, but it stands still. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in I Am Curious, Film (1995). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Herbstlaub See more » |
| Quotes |
Nikander:
Remember that chick from the supermarket? Guess where she is now? Melartin: Where? Nikander: Sleeping in my bed. Melartin: Get back there then. Nikander: I can't. Melartin: What's keeping you? Nikander: Horror, fear and this job. See more » |