''The Last Border'' ( fi, The Last Border – viimeisellä rajalla) is a 1993 Finnish
post-apocalyptic film
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astr ...
directed, written, and produced by
Mika Kaurismäki
Mika Juhani Kaurismäki (; born 21 September 1955) is a Finnish film director.
Biography
Mika Kaurismäki is the elder brother of Aki Kaurismäki, and the father of Maria Kaurismäki, who graduated from Tampere School of Art and Media in 200 ...
, starring
Jolyon Baker,
Jürgen Prochnow
Jürgen Prochnow ( ; born 10 June 1941) is a German-American actor. His international breakthrough was his portrayal of the good-hearted and sympathetic U-boat Captain "Der Alte" ("Old Man") in the 1981 war film ''Das Boot''.
He is also known f ...
,
Fanny Bastien
Fanny Bastien (née Meunier; born 13 December 1961 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany) is a French actress.
Biography
At the age of 15, Bastien left home to study at a regional dance conservatory and, the following year, joined the Académie Frat ...
and
Kari Väänänen
Kari Kyösti Väänänen (born 17 September 1953 in Ivalo) is a Finnish actor and director. Domestically he is a member of the Ryhmäteatteri group of actors. He was introduced to international audiences by Aki Kaurismäki, and belongs to the li ...
. The film takes place in the near future for 2009, when
pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...
from the entire planet has forced people to move to the
Arctic Circle, being the only viable territories.
The film was released at the
1993 Toronto International Film Festival.
Cast
*
Jolyon Baker as Jake
*
Jürgen Prochnow
Jürgen Prochnow ( ; born 10 June 1941) is a German-American actor. His international breakthrough was his portrayal of the good-hearted and sympathetic U-boat Captain "Der Alte" ("Old Man") in the 1981 war film ''Das Boot''.
He is also known f ...
as Duke
*
Fanny Bastien
Fanny Bastien (née Meunier; born 13 December 1961 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany) is a French actress.
Biography
At the age of 15, Bastien left home to study at a regional dance conservatory and, the following year, joined the Académie Frat ...
as Doaiva
*
Kari Väänänen
Kari Kyösti Väänänen (born 17 September 1953 in Ivalo) is a Finnish actor and director. Domestically he is a member of the Ryhmäteatteri group of actors. He was introduced to international audiences by Aki Kaurismäki, and belongs to the li ...
as Borka
*
Matti Pellonpää
Matti Pellonpää (28 March 1951 in Helsinki – 13 July 1995 in Vaasa) was a Finnish actor and a musician. He rose to international fame with his roles in both Aki Kaurismäki's and Mika Kaurismäki's films; particularly being a regular in Aki's ...
as Dimitri
*
Soli Labbart as Old woman
*
Clas-Ove Bruun as Skunk
*
Jussi Lampi
Jussi Lampi (born 9 February 1961 in Lappajärvi) is a Finnish musician and long-time actor. Lampi has appeared in many films and TV shows, including ''The Last Border'' (1993), '' V2 - jäätynyt enkeli'' (2007), '' Matti'' (2006), '' Pelikaa ...
as Rabbit
*
Juice Leskinen as Bartender
*
Esko Salminen
Esko Salminen (born 12 October 1940, in Helsinki) is a Finnish actor with careers on television, the stage and on the silver screen.
He has had three marriages: (1961–1963); 1971–1981); and (present). He had two children with his second wi ...
as Jake's father
*
Jochen Nickel as Beggar
*
Mato Valtonen
Markku Juhani ”Mato” Valtonen (born 21 February 1955 in Loimaa) is a Finnish actor, musician and entrepreneur. Valtonen has been a member of the Finnish band Sleepy Sleepers since 1975 and the Leningrad Cowboys since 1989.Junkkari, MarkoValto ...
as Drunkard
*
Sakke Järvenpää as Biker
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
gives ''The Last Border'' a score of 12% based on 60 ratings by audience.
In ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' magazine's October 1993 review,
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy is an American film critic and professor who has taught at Columbia University, New School for Social Research, Wellesley College, Arizona State University and UCLA Film School. Levy currently teaches in the department of cinema ...
called film "a spoof of the ''
Mad Max
''Mad Max'' is an Australian post-apocalyptic action film series and media franchise created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. It began in 1979 with '' Mad Max'', and was followed by three sequels: ''Mad Max 2'' (1981, released in the Unite ...
'' cult films." He comments, that films "subtle humor and moderate violence (by today's standards) may disappoint viewers expecting excessive treatment of such matters", but also said, that films "impressive visual design and strong perfs by
Matti Pellonpää
Matti Pellonpää (28 March 1951 in Helsinki – 13 July 1995 in Vaasa) was a Finnish actor and a musician. He rose to international fame with his roles in both Aki Kaurismäki's and Mika Kaurismäki's films; particularly being a regular in Aki's ...
and
Jürgen Prochnow
Jürgen Prochnow ( ; born 10 June 1941) is a German-American actor. His international breakthrough was his portrayal of the good-hearted and sympathetic U-boat Captain "Der Alte" ("Old Man") in the 1981 war film ''Das Boot''.
He is also known f ...
could broaden satire's commercial prospects beyond the midnight circuit."
[Emanuel Levy. The Last Border. ''Variety'', 4 October 1993.]
References
External links
*
*
English-language Finnish films
1993 science fiction films
Finnish post-apocalyptic films
Films set in the future
Films set in Lapland
1993 films
Films directed by Mika Kaurismäki
Finnish science fiction films
Motorcycling films
Outlaw biker films
1990s English-language films
{{Finland-film-stub