Århus by Night

A great film-within-a-film and a fascinating insight into the making of a low budget movie in the 1970's. Coming towards the end of the traditional film making era, the mechanical camera equipment, lighting, sound, waiting for the rushes ect. was a lot clunkier and slower than today. The bundles of equipment creates a cramped feel around the scenes being shot within the movie. Frederik the director is making a short film about his childhood and how those experiences inform his adult life. The cast in Frederik's film are non-professional and the person playing his adult girlfriend is Lisa the girl Frederik is in love with. Unfortunately Lisa has a boyfriend. The lusty, boozy, wayward, but committed behaviour of the professional crew is a comedy delight and acutely observed. Malmros (a vastly underrated director) must have been in that situation many times. The one night Frederik lets himself go, he misses the chance to be with Lisa.