Tim Kidner The next time that hot topic comes up at the pub quiz or during intelligent dinner-party chit-chat, that of the complexities of and the chief protagonists in Norwegian Cinema, you'll at least be able to add this little gem to the topic.You'll immediately be seen as a true film-buff and you can feel very happy with yourself, especially as no-one else will know what the heck you're talking about. Throw in the film's premise and they'll start checking what alcoholic drinks you've imbibed on.I'm sure you've read by now that it's all to do with a 1950's social survey on how single men use their kitchen compared to married women. Even the funny little snail-like caravans that the surveyors sleep in resemble strange kitchen appliances. Director and co-writer Bent Hamer, who later made the more approachable and conventional 'O'Horten' certainly has a creative and mischievous eye and we are always quietly enthralled by the odd but homely goings on.The increasing interaction between the surveyor Folke (Tomas Norstrom) (who has been expressly told to say nothing to his subject) and Norvicke (Joachim Calmeyer), firstly when the latter's friends call by and they seem to dismiss as having a man in a thick suit and tie sat high up on a step ladder as completely normal and then conversation slowly but surely develops.Kitchen Stories remains one of World Cinema's hidden gems - quite modest, rather eccentric and totally unforgettable. Ultimately heart- warming also, this is one quirky little Euro-flick that can be enjoyed by many and many times over, too.

maria-499 *****SUPER SPOILER ALERT***** With respect to the allegedly ambiguous ending ... it's not ambiguous. There is mention of the pipe on the table at the end. But if you consult around 1:22 you will see two pipes on the table, not one.Lovely film, enjoyed it very much indeed. It is subtle and strangely moving. It's unfortunate that English speakers are missing such a lot; for example that Isak always speaks Norwegian and Folke, Swedish. They literally understand one another even though they don't speak one another's language. It's easy to see that there are a lot of layers to the dialogue and jokes, spare and minimal as these are.Highly recommended.

uroskin A film about scientific observation and how it affects researcher and research subject alike set in 1950s rural Norway hardly sounds a promising scenario, but you have to try out Salmer fra kjøkkenet / Kitchen Stories, which screened on Rialto Channel a few nights ago. It's the sort of movie Ingmar Bergman could have made if he had had a sense of humour instead of being the stereotypical dour Swede. It certainly had me on the floor with glee from the opening scene when a troop of identical looking caravan pulling cars cross the Norway-Sweden border where they had to change driving lanes (Sweden drove on the left of the road in the 1950s, while Norway did not) and one of the drivers was physically unwell from having to drive on the "wrong" side of the road. All part of a whole host of digs Scandinavians make at each other, like any neighbouring nationalities do, but it never turned malicious. The Swedish researchers going to observe Norwegian bachelor peasants in their ergonomic use of their kitchens had me slightly squirming in my seat, because it so horribly illustrated bad sociological or psychological research, where observers think they can just watch their subjects go about their lives without actually influencing the situation or behaviour. If it all sounds unpromising or esoteric as a comedy film, don't be disheartened, but try to catch it next time it's on. Scandinavian humour is very droll.

Electrohermit After watching this wonderfully original film, I could not help but ponder how in the world the writer managed to obtain the means for production, to put this story onto film. We are lucky those who read the script had the calm vision to see the genius. This is an absolute masterpiece of film making. As another member commented, many directors are afraid to allow the natural human pace to guide the energy of the film. Indeed, the tempo of the characters is core to the essence of the film and is truly educating. Everything works in this film, the dialogue the characters, the period. The movie reaches that special level of intelligence where it could easily come across boring, but every second keeps you captivated. And that is pure magic. The acting is impeccable and the dialogue utterly brilliant. This is a film that people will be watching hundreds of years from now. I give it a 10 out of 10, it is perfection.