That was it for the guy, his sole gig as a leading man. And it's truly iconic, the best performance in Finnish cinema. There is a mesmerizing quality to his bearing, his way of being in front of the camera; constantly aware of it, defiant yet considerate at the same time. Immensely graceful in his nonchalance, Pajala is able in one movie to do something that very few actors can pull off: surpass his character.
If I had to point out a single scene, it would have to be the one where Taisto Kasurinen, Pajala's down-and-out character is lying on the back seat of his convertible, playing with a tiny musical box. After a while, in sudden realization, he looks around in a kind of jaded awe, and slightly brushes the leather upholstery with his hand. It's a moment of perfection, genius in its execution.
Yes, Ariel was the high water mark, and like all great waves, this one eventually broke and rolled back. The crash, however, did not happen on the screen. Pajala vanished from the public eye, did only a handful of minor roles after Ariel, served some years in prison for drug charges and died of cancer at his mother's home in 2007. Life imitating art etc.
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti