In a weird twist, Easter 2012 saw a few films being released in Norway before the rest of the world. The normally backwards release system here means that “The Muppets” may not actually see an official release date here meaning that the vikings resort to downloading to try and keep up with the rest of the world.
It is for this reason that I feel that I have come across somewhat of an exclusive for the next few posts. An exclusive afforded myself and the rest of a nation.these
The 4th April 2012 saw the official release of Iron Sky and American Reunion. Two weeks and a month ahead of their UK release dates respectively. I wonder if I got to see these before the good Dr Kermode and the rest of the UK film critics? So what did I think of them? Well that has be to be subject of a letter to the Wittertainment chaps…hasn’t it??
Allo Allo meets Blazing Saddles and Spaceballs!
Dear Peanutbutter and Jam,
I am a medium term listener and 5th time writer in-er. I have been listening to the podcast since mid 2011 and whilst playing “catch up” I distinctly remember reference made to the film “Iron Sky” that I am about to review. I remember at the time that Mark was excited by the strap line “In 1945 the Nazis landed on the moon. In 2018 they will return.”
I live in Norway and felt lucky to see a film before the rest of the world and not months behind as is normally the case here! I really wanted to write about how wonderfully silly and fun I thought “Iron Sky” was. The premise of the film, that during World War 2 some of the Nazis escaped to the moon to plot their dastardly return, is utterly ridiculous and tees you up perfectly for the kind of film that this is.
The best way I can describe Iron Sky is that it is a satirical mash up of Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles and Spaceballs and the camp Nazi mockery of BBC’s Allo Allo. A former Finnish flatmate of mine is a huge fan of Allo Allo so this would not surprise me if the BBC’s sitcom provided a lot of inspiration for the Finish director Timo Vourensola during the making of this film.
Iron Sky is set in a world where the first female President of the USA, someone whose name is not given but bears more than a resemblance to Sarah Pallin, is standing for relection into her second term in the White House. In a bid to do so she sends the first black astronaut to the moon but he is caught by the space Nazi’s who are confused by him. Whilst torturing him the Nazis find that his technology is what is required to launch the mother of all attacks and send a scouting mission to Earth to get some smart phones for their raw computing power.
The actors all played the roles fittingly with special mention going to the Julia Dietze as the blinkered but sympathetic Nazi. The special effects were ropey in places but only by Hollywood standards but staggering for a film that was made for only $10 million.
The laughs come thick and fast and close to the bone playing on Nazi stereotypes, Black stereotypes, American stereotypes, all stereotypes….no one is safe even the Finnish! Iron Sky is the kind of intelligently silly B-Movie that has been missing from the cinemas for a long time. I really want to know how Americans take to it. My main fear is that this will open the door to a raft of substandard, satirical, slapstick also rans in a bid to recreate Iron Sky. Please don’t. Maybe you should leave satire to the Finnish. I never thought I would say that …
Thanks
Kobestarr off of Bergen, Norway via Manchester
K*
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