The Punched Tape of Life

Kurenniemi Erkki

Kurenniemi’s short films are prognostic in their way of conflating technology with the everyday through montage and double exposures. Shot at the Department of Nuclear Physics at the University of Helsinki, the images of The Punched Tape of Life illustrate the beauty of 1960s information technology. These decorative scenes parallel a set of ”summer interludes” which document Kurenniemi’s entourage. Kurenniemi’s original 16 mm film were all silent, but in 2003 Mika Taanila and Kurenniemi added for this version the recorded compositions Improvisation (1969) and Bells (1969).  

Production Year
1964
Duration
00:08:03
Tyyppi
Asiasana
Original Title
Elämän reikänauha
Finnish Title

Elämän reikänauha

English Title

The Punched Tape of Life

Production Countries
Finland
Dialogue
No
Sound
Yes
Cast
Erkki Kurenniemi (Author), Osmo Lindeman (Composer), Erkki Kurenniemi (Composer), Hasse Walli (Composer), Antero Honkanen (Composer), Markku Mäkeläinen (Composer), Otto Donner (Composer), Erkki Kurenniemi (Director), Raimo Tuomela (Actor), Anja Salmenhaara (Actor), Mika Taanila (Post-prod Audio)
Press Photos

Erkki Kurenniemi

Born: 1941

Erkki Kurenniemi (b. 1941) is a pioneer of Finnish electronic music. His projects and works anticipate in many ways the revolutionary impact of computers on both society and personal lives. Between 1964–70 Kurenniemi shot a number of short experimental 16mm films, part of which were later combined with his electronic music from the same era. In the short films, the futuristic fascination towards computers and electronics meets the sensuality of the organic details such as plants and insects. Some of Kurenniemi’s films are also exciting and unique documents about the 1960s underground youth having fun in Helsinki.