Psychedelica Blues

1969 Norwegian film

Psychedelica Blues

Directed by| Nils Reinhardt Christensen
Written by| Nils Reinhardt Christensen
Based on| Karin Bang's novel Blues (1968)
Produced by| Bente Erichsen
Starring| Kjersti Døvigen
Finn Kvalem
Ståle Bjørnhaug
Ditlef Eckhoff
Cinematography| Gunnar Syvertsen
Edited by| Edith Toreg
Music by| Ralph Lundsten
Kjell Karlsen
Distributed by| Norenafilm

Release date

* October 16, 1969 (1969-10-16)

Running time

| 84 minutes
Country| Norway
Language| Norwegian

Psychedelica Blues is a Norwegian youth drama film from 1969 directed by Nils Reinhardt Christensen.[1][2] Along with Øyvind Vennerød's Himmel og helvete, it was the first Norwegian film that dealt with adolescents' use of narcotics,[3] and it was the first Norwegian film to clearly depict the use of LSD. Because it was released after Vennerød's film, it received far less attention.

## Plot

[edit]

The story deals with four days in Lissy's life in which she finds an outlet for a rebellious urge that has built up over several years. Lissy comes from a sheltered home with a conventional father who is a municipal politician. In the new environment she slips into the circle around the jazz group The Blue Bells, where she meets Lillegutt (Little Boy). He is a key member of the gang and supplier of drugs. Lillegutt is a cynical and intelligent judge of character, who has turned his back on a society of hypocrites. Through him, Lissy opens her eyes to the dividing lines between what is accepted and what is real.[4]

## Background

[edit]

Christensen had previously seen success with the film Line in 1961 and with his Stompa films (1962–1967). He chose to base his last film on Karin Bang's 1968 novel Blues.[5] In contrast to Himmel og helvete, Christensen chose a more experimentalist style and a less moralizing story, always portraying Lissy's own perspective.

## Reception

[edit]

The film received mixed reviews. Finn Syversen wrote in Aftenposten that "Christensen has wisely refrained from using the notion of drug abuse as a polemic topic. The debate on this phenomenon, which is relatively little explored by medical and sociological experts, has thus not been allowed to influence his intentions in any provocative, trend-setting way. ... We fully believe in Kjersti Døvigen's Lissy, who gives the role a character that reveals that she has a certain intuition for symptoms of loneliness in the cynical pessimism that plagues so many of today's young people. ... Repetitions of motifs were probably not avoidable in such a film, but they do not weaken the impression to any great extent. Psychedelia Blues is a highly worthwhile experiment."

## Cast

[edit]

* Kjersti Døvigen as Lissy
* Finn Kvalem as Lillegutt
* Ståle Bjørnhaug as Leif
* Ditlef Eckhoff as Wilhelm
* Thomas Fasting as Jan
* Truls Dramar as Joppe
* Knut M. Hansson as Ragnar Borg
* Vibeke Falk as Molle Borg
* Kjell Frantzen as Brun, a university lecturer
* Svein Sturla Hungnes
* Helge Hurum as a band member
* Per Jansen as Eigil
* Randi Nordby as Mrs. Korsmo
* Eva Opaker as an alternative
* Arve Opsahl as Hans Korsmo
* Anne Marie Ottersen as Liven
* Gloria Rose as La Bommie
* Espen Rud as a band member
* Kåre Tengs-Pedersen as a band member

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Krawc, Alfred (1986). International Directory of Cinematographers, Set- and Costume Designers in Film: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden (from the Beginnings to 1984). Munich: Saur. p. 553.
2. ^ Making Pictures: A Century of European Cinematography. London: Aurum. 2003. p. 443.
3. ^ Vold, Jan Erik (2001). Uten manus: dokumentarisk 1980–2000. Oslo: Gyldendal. p. 305.
4. ^ "Psychedelica blues". Norsk filmografi. Nasjonalbiblioteket. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
5. ^ "Karin Bang". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Psychedelica Blues at IMDb
* Psychedelica Blues at the National Library of Norway

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