Private tutor?

[J.Honkanen]

Thanks Alden! That cleared it up for me. Unfortunately, I'm far from being a techie. Just learning as I go. I think I will take you up on your advice and swing down to the local Walmart. I actually found some DVDs that look halfway decent on Amazon. The American one, believe it or not. I checked Amazon.co.uk first, thinking they would probably have a larger selection, just to find out they were coming from Jersey.

I found another website where you can buy region 2 DVDs, but the shipping cost was more expensive than the actual movies. My friend said she'll see about sending me a couple of her old DVDs and even some Finlandia vodka! I'm excited.

[AldenG]

When you have a chance, I'd like to hear more about the sources you mentioned.

When we were considering mailing some things home from Helsinki, we did balk a little at the priority mail prices. Not that they're necessarily worse than the opposite direction, I couldn't quite remember. But one thing we noticed was that the lowest price was . . . I don't remember, 30's, 40's, something like that? I believe that was for 0-1 kg, or it might have been for 0-2 kg. But as you added the kilograms, it didn't climb very much. If you had a bunch of DVDs you wanted to order, it might make sense to correspond with the store and see if combining them in one shipment would bring your shipping & handling down to a reasonable per-DVD level. Except for DVDs with booklets, or Metsolat with its wooden case, a number of DVDs will fit in a kilogram package.

I searched on Amazon (maybe with different words than you used) and came up with a lot of irrelevant stuff and only a sprinkling of DVDs such as Leningrad Cowboys in Russia. If you found some gold, I'd love to hear about it.

And the place shipping from Jersey... You meant Jersey the island or New Jersey the state?

Anyway, if you find a source you particularly like, please share with us. I saw a couple that will ship to the US but since I wasn't ready to buy, I didn't find out anything about shipping costs -- other than that they use priority mail.

[Pursuivant]

And the place shipping from Jersey... You meant Jersey the island

Of course if its amazon.co.uk - Jerseys outside the EU tax zone like Åland, so they don't pay VAT...

[J.Honkanen]

AldenG,

Here's a link to my wish list on Amazon.co.uk so you can see the DVD's I found:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wis ... TJHA3PGMGN

Most of them come from the same seller in New Jersey, US. So, once I had my list, I just typed in the names of the movies on the US Amazon website. The actual DVD's are cheaper from the states, not to mention shipping fees. Definately not a gold mine, but there's a few movies on there. I wonder if you could e-mail the seller and ask if he has more? Don't know if you can. I've never tried.

The other website I mentioned was www.suomikauppa.fi They don't have a large selection either, but they have a few that look ok. It looks like they have more kids movies than anything else. A lot of which are labeled as region 0, so they should play on any DVD player. The shipping rate there was more than the actual products cost. Which, I suppose is probably normal. I don't remember the weight, but I was hoping to order 3 DVDs and some sweets for my daughter from them and the shipping cost ended up being around 60 euros I think. They do ship to anywhere in the world though, which is nice if you can afford the shipping rates. Also, they sell a wide variety of things there, not just DVDs. So, if you want food products, clothing, sauna stuff etc. that you can't find in the states, that might be a good place to start.


If you or anyone else know of some other websites to order better DVD's from I'd love to have them.

[AldenG]

If you or anyone else know of some other websites to order better DVD's from I'd love to have them.

No, like you I'm just starting to look at the possibilities. In years past we have relied on VHS cassettes and multisystem equipment.

I knew in theory I could reconfigure our old DVD player but I hadn't gotten around to actually trying it and ordering anything. Finding DVDs is not urgent at the moment because we just brought back so many from our trip. But longer term I know I'll want more.

I do wish that Matti Kassila's 1984 "Niskavuori" and his 1988 "Ihmiselon ihanuus ja kurjuus" would come out on DVD already. We have them on PAL VHS, but with subtitles on DVD I could lend them to friends. It's odd how poorly Finnish marketers understand what would and wouldn't do well on the art theater circuit outside the country. Those two would do extremely well in the US, unlike some of the Kaurismäki films that actually have been attempted here (not making it much beyond NYC) or like Tuntematon sotilas which is highly meaningful to Finns but just a dated and confusing WWII movie to Americans. ("Was Finland actually in WWII? Whose side were they on, anyway?" etc.)

Both of the Kassila films are outstanding glimpses into something true about Finland. (So is Tuntematon sotilas but it just doesn't speak to Americans.) The first is about a time of generational shift in the nation as well as in the particular farm where it is set. The second is an even more painstaking period piece with authentic decor, etc., about Finland's only winner of the Nobel for literature. The first is quite well done and the second is nothing short of a masterpiece, even though I heard through the grapevine that it received only a tepid reception from Finns. There is a thirst for authenticity in art-film goers, and these films provide an untasted flavor of it.

Sometimes you wish the people who control such things were reading these forums, you know? I've had a rave review of "Ihmiselo" on imdb for years now but nothing happens. Heck, I'd do the subtitles for free. For 14 years now I've been a member of a movie group in Atlanta that only goes to art-theater offerings. In all that time, we've never had the option to choose a Finnish film. The closest things have been Cuckoo (Käki, technically a Russian film) and Lovers of the Arctic Circle, a Spanish film which ends in Rovaniemi.

[Pursuivant]

Dunno, I've got a couple movies like "Raid", "Vares", "Paha Maa" ripped I've sent to people. Some DVD players are pissy about computer-made stuff though. Then also I've gotten a "shopping list" from people off CDON and the likes or popped over to Anttila (just too bad the freerecordshop went under)... its doable.

[J.Honkanen]

AldenG,

Check out ebay. I went on there last night and found quite a few Finnish movies for sale. Couldn't find any TV series. They're not super cheap though. Most are in the $35 to $50 range. It looks like shipping to the US is 4 british pounds per DVD, when they ship directly from Finland. Yes, I know Finland does not use pounds.... that's how the shipping rates were labeled. So, that might be an ok way to buy 1 or 2 movies at a time. I bought Niskavuori for $7.99. The seller offered free shipping also because it was coming from Colorado, US. I'd be happy to burn you a copy when I get it if you want.


Pursuivant,

Would you be willing to burn me a copy of "Paha Maa"? I've heard that one is really good. If you're willing, maybe I could convince you to burn others also?

[raamv]

How come menolippu mombassa or Äideistä parhain is never mentioned...
The latter is an extremely emotional and serious true story!!

[J.Honkanen]

Just found Ponterosa on you tube. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ChEwhOVtr0

[onkko]

Just found Ponterosa on you tube. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ChEwhOVtr0

Thats good, i have rewatch it

For curiousity how much you understand from it?

Ps. google piratebay, there is few finnish films mentioned in here... well illegal in some parts of world.

[AldenG]

Is that the 1984 Niskavuori you ordered, J? I really didn't think it was on DVD. There have been a couple of earlier ones in B&W. I believe they were all quite popular in their time.

I have no doubt you will enjoy and learn from the one you ordered, I'm just doubtful whether it's the one I've praised so highly. I wouldn't want you to watch it and then wonder what on earth I was going on about...

The 1984 one is in color and stars Esko Salminen, Satu Silvo, and Rauni Luoma, all icons of modern Finnish cinema -- at least they still were 20 years ago. 1984 Niskavuori

If it's one of the older ones, let me know what you think after watching, because I haven't actually seen them.

[AldenG]

Two minutes of Ponterosa wasn't enough to interest me in sticking around for all 10 minutes.

That's a pretty tough entrance exam you're giving J, onkko, when you ask how much she understood. As fast as that wife prattles, she would be more suitable for a final exam in spoken comprehension, IMO. I haven't encountered many people who speak Finnish faster than that. A couple of times I had to back up over her for good measure. At least she was angry. That made it easier. (To understand. And to back up over her.)

ON EDIT: Actually, I don't know you're studying Finnish, J. I think I just assumed you were a spouse or an American-born Finn or something like that. Maybe you're a native speaker (or otherwise advanced speaker) just looking for a way to get Finnish media in the US.

[J.Honkanen]

Just found Ponterosa on you tube. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ChEwhOVtr0

Thats good, i have rewatch it

For curiousity how much you understand from it?

Ps. google piratebay, there is few finnish films mentioned in here... well illegal in some parts of world.

It is pretty easy to understand the movie, even though there are some words/phrases I do not understand. Overall, I think I am understanding the gist of it pretty well though. I wouldn't even attempt to translate it, but I am starting to think in Finnish which makes the language easier. Body language and facial expressions help a lot when I do not understand something perfectly. Believe it or not, I am having an easier time learning Finnish than I did when I tried to learn Spanish. Maybe it has a lot to do with the fact that I am more motivated to learn Finnish than I was Spanish. When I hear Finnish spoken, I can usually understand it without too much trouble. As long as the speaker in question is not talking too fast. It is trying to figure out the right way to say what I want to say that is difficult because I think it in English first and then have to figure out the right way to say it in Finnish. I still have a long way to go before I am fluent though.



AldenG,

The copy I bought is B&W. Made in 1957. The cast is Elsa Turakainen, Mirjam Novero, Tauno Palo, and Martti Katajisto. I know it is not the one you were talking about, but I figured for 8 bucks, it couldn't hurt to check it out. I'll let you know if it's any good. I'm finding that the more I push myself with the Finnish language, the more I realize I understand more than I give myself credit for. I was watching the first season of Duudsonit (sp?) with my sister a few nights ago and was able to translate some of it for her. Not perfectly, but enough for her get an idea of what they were saying. Granted, the language was pretty simple, but I was still proud of myself. When we were done watching it and I told her they had episodes available in English, she was a litte miffed that I made her sit through the Finnish ones. FYI: There are episodes of Duudsonit available on you tube also.

[AldenG]

I've watched some Dudesons on cable, too. An American friend of mine, a, um, guy with a, um, Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music Composition, brought it to my attention.

My wife does not like it at all and doesn't want me showing it to anyone here. (She also doesn't like me to show the Marcus Grönholm - Timo Rautiainen clip to Americans, despite its more than 1,300,000 views.) Me, I think I would understand Duudsons even with the sound turned off.

And duh, I forgot the whole starting point of this thread was your studying Finnish.

[J.Honkanen]

ON EDIT: Actually, I don't know you're studying Finnish, J. I think I just assumed you were a spouse or an American-born Finn or something like that. Maybe you're a native speaker (or otherwise advanced speaker) just looking for a way to get Finnish media in the US.

I'm a 3rd generation American Finn. Born in Texas. My grandparents came to the states in the 1930's. My grandparents were the last of this branch of the family tree to speak Finnish though. They only taught my dad English when he was growing up because they thought it was important for him to "acclimate" to the American way of life, to the exclusion of any other heritage. Which I think is a shame. So, I never learned Finnish as a kid, even though my roots are in Finland. So...... this past January I decided I was going to learn Finnish. I think I am still at a beginner's level. Maybe I should clarify exactly how much of the movie I can understand. I can understand roughly 50% of what is being said on a word for word basis. The rest I just use common sense based on the context. And, like I said before, body language and facial expressions help a lot.