Chainsaws Were Singing

Can one tell something about the character of a nation from its cinematic output? France gives us introspective blends of philosophy and romance. Italy gives us gorgeously photographed family dramas and political thrillers. The Scandinavian countries lead the way in modern noir. And Estonia – well, Estonia’s output is something altogether unique.

Chainsaws Were Singing is, in its own way, a very Estonian film. It will appeal to fans of the likes of The Invisible Fight and Jesus Shows You The Way To The Highway, even if its closest precedent is US production Cannibal: The Musical. Blending kitsch themes and imagery with deadpan humour, it’s a loose reworking of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with added romance and relentlessly upbeat songs, and it really has to be seen to be believed.

Even before the action begins, Tom (Karl Ilves) is having a bad day. His girlfriend has dumped him and he has decided to end his life. Whilst he’s standing on a bridge singing about his intention to plunge into depths, however, he spots a young woman paddling downstream, and is instantly smitten. This is Maria (Laura Niils), who is also somewhat down in the dumps, as both her parents have just died in a car crash, she’s lost her job and she’s been beaten up in the street. Within moments they are blissfully in love, frolicking through the fields, their happiness restored. It’s just bad luck that, when life seems perfect, they encounter a chainsaw-wielding maniac.

This is Killer. It’s the name he has on his driving licence. He too enjoys the meadows and sometimes likes to stop to gaze at a flower and contemplate life’s mysteries, but mostly he just likes killing. When he kidnaps Maria, Tom, panic-stricken, hijacks a car in order to pursue them, only to find that its occupant, Jaan (Janno Puusepp), has no friends and is so delighted by his company that he won’t leave him alone. Whilst Jaan doles out sage musical advice about how there’s no sense dwelling on life’s troubles because one can always be sure that worse things lie ahead, Tom tries to figure out a rescue plan and Maria hatches a few schemes of her own.

The film is overlong. It knows it, and even makes an apology of sorts for it halfway through one of the songs. That’s because every character here is lovingly detailed, from Killer’s abusive mother to the little brother who has dreams of becoming an artist, the forest-dwelling vigilante who calls himself Cobra and even the hippy who wanders down the road strumming his guitar and singing about vegetarianism and peace before he comes to a sticky end. We meet two police officers, one of whom is training the other in the concept of guns, using doughnuts as rewards; a yokel who won’t believe that there could be a man running around with a chainsaw because this isn’t a tree-cutting area; and incestuous twins with a penchant for torture. Director Sander Maran is also diligent about addressing practical issues, such as the way most chainsaws stop working when full of flesh, the need to refuel them, and the challenges of cleaning splattered blood off the side of a white van. To ensure that our attention doesn’t drift, there are intermittent explosions.

About a quarter of the way in, the film slips unexpectedly into black and white, and the elegant cinematography makes it clear that Maran knows his craft well, that all the schlockiness we see elsewhere is intentional. If you pay attention, you’ll notice impressive bits of technical work lurking all over the place. He also knows the films he’s spoofing intimately, and fills the film with little details which will entertain fans. Most importantly, he never treats the characters or themes as throwaway just because this is pastiche. There’s real pathos in Killer’s tragic backstory, beautifully played. Archetypal though they may be, we can believe in these characters, and the film is much more engaging – and much funnier – as a result.

Although most viewers will find themselves flagging before the end, there is a lot to enjoy here. it’s a film made for festivals like Fantasia 2024, where eager audiences can enjoy it together, or for parties where people whose attention drifts will find themselves snapped back into it by the next plot twist or musical number. Naturally, a lot of people will not get it at all, but they should be warned off by the title. There will undoubtedly be some others who consider it the best film they have ever seen. Within its aggressively carved niche, it really doesn’t have much competition. If the title sings to you, seek it out.