Advertisement

Today’s Schedule for L.A. International Film Festival

Share

The American Film Institute Los Angeles International Film Festival opens today for two weeks at the Cineplex Odeon Century Plaza Cinemas. Here is today’s schedule:

‘From Russia With Rock’

Finland, 1988, 108 min.

10:40 p.m.

Advertisement

The burgeoning Soviet rock ‘n’ roll scene offers its bands a dilemma: whether to join the union, make a living through state-sponsored gigs and submit lyrics for government approval, or whether to stay underground and uncensored and never have a shot at success. Finnish TV director Marjaana Mykkanen’s empathetic interviews convey just how tough it is treading either path; politically, at least, these rockers are worth rooting for. But tedious footage of dozens of complete songs reveals that, though adventurous, none of the bands on view are much good by our standards. (Almost as a rule, these outfits seem like third-generation hybrids of early ‘80s English new wave, as if passe Gary Numan was the ultimate Soviet role model.)

Advertisement