Samuli Torssonen
Encyclopedia
Samuli Torssonen is a Finnish
film writer, director, actor and producer, best known as the creator of the viral Star Wreck
sci-fi series.
He is currently producing the movie Iron Sky
.
film (in 1992) was a computer graphics-oriented short film of space battles, produced by Torssonen himself, but later Torssonen recruited his friends to help him in these productions. One of them was Rudi Airisto, who helped him to add parody aspects to the Star Wreck films.
After four animated short films, Torssonen and his friends released Star Wreck V: Lost Contact (in 1997).
Torssonen's longlasting dream had been to create the sixth and possibly final episode for Star Wreck saga. At first Torssonen thought that it would only be a 15 minute-long special-effects packaged short film. After Airisto moved to the UK
to study, Torssonen asked Timo Vuorensola
to be the director. Star Wreck IV½: Weak Performance was released (in 2000) and was followed by the feature length conclusion to the series, Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning
(released in 2005).
The Star Wreck
series contains quirky Finnish and "Trekkish" humour, with elements parody
ing both Star Trek
and Babylon 5
.
Torssonen himself acts in the Star Wreck
adventures as main character James B. Pirk (named after the Star Trek character James T. Kirk
), captain of the starship C.P.P. Potkustartti (Kickstart).
Torssonen and his Star Wreck
movies have been a small cult hit especially in the Finnish science fiction scene, and now also to some extent for the young and internet audiences.
, but all are subtitle
d in English
.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
film writer, director, actor and producer, best known as the creator of the viral Star Wreck
Star Wreck
Star Wreck is a series of Finnish Star Trek parody movies started by Samuli Torssonen in 1992. The first movie, simply named Star Wreck, was a simple Star Control-like animation with three ships shooting at each other, but later movies featured 3D CGI, animated characters and, in the latest films,...
sci-fi series.
He is currently producing the movie Iron Sky
Iron Sky
Iron Sky is an upcoming Finnish science-fiction comedy film from the makers of the Star Wreck series Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning. The film is directed by Timo Vuorensola and produced by Tero Kaukomaa of Blind Spot Pictures production company. The film stars Udo Kier and Tilo Prückner...
.
Torssonen's film career
The first Torssonen Star WreckStar Wreck
Star Wreck is a series of Finnish Star Trek parody movies started by Samuli Torssonen in 1992. The first movie, simply named Star Wreck, was a simple Star Control-like animation with three ships shooting at each other, but later movies featured 3D CGI, animated characters and, in the latest films,...
film (in 1992) was a computer graphics-oriented short film of space battles, produced by Torssonen himself, but later Torssonen recruited his friends to help him in these productions. One of them was Rudi Airisto, who helped him to add parody aspects to the Star Wreck films.
After four animated short films, Torssonen and his friends released Star Wreck V: Lost Contact (in 1997).
Torssonen's longlasting dream had been to create the sixth and possibly final episode for Star Wreck saga. At first Torssonen thought that it would only be a 15 minute-long special-effects packaged short film. After Airisto moved to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to study, Torssonen asked Timo Vuorensola
Timo Vuorensola
Timo Vuorensola is a Finnish film director and actor. He has directed Star Wreck movies Star Wreck V: Lost Contact, and Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning, created by Samuli Torssonen. Vuorensola plays Lieutenant Dwarf in the films, and is currently directing the film Iron Sky...
to be the director. Star Wreck IV½: Weak Performance was released (in 2000) and was followed by the feature length conclusion to the series, Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning
Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning
Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning is a 2005 motion picture produced by five friends in a two-room flat with a small budget and the support of a few hundred fans and dozens of acquaintances. Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning is the seventh production in the Star Wreck movie series, the first of professional...
(released in 2005).
The Star Wreck
Star Wreck
Star Wreck is a series of Finnish Star Trek parody movies started by Samuli Torssonen in 1992. The first movie, simply named Star Wreck, was a simple Star Control-like animation with three ships shooting at each other, but later movies featured 3D CGI, animated characters and, in the latest films,...
series contains quirky Finnish and "Trekkish" humour, with elements parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
ing both Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
and Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
.
Torssonen himself acts in the Star Wreck
Star Wreck
Star Wreck is a series of Finnish Star Trek parody movies started by Samuli Torssonen in 1992. The first movie, simply named Star Wreck, was a simple Star Control-like animation with three ships shooting at each other, but later movies featured 3D CGI, animated characters and, in the latest films,...
adventures as main character James B. Pirk (named after the Star Trek character James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
), captain of the starship C.P.P. Potkustartti (Kickstart).
Torssonen and his Star Wreck
Star Wreck
Star Wreck is a series of Finnish Star Trek parody movies started by Samuli Torssonen in 1992. The first movie, simply named Star Wreck, was a simple Star Control-like animation with three ships shooting at each other, but later movies featured 3D CGI, animated characters and, in the latest films,...
movies have been a small cult hit especially in the Finnish science fiction scene, and now also to some extent for the young and internet audiences.
Filmography
Following is a filmography of Samuli Torssonen as a writer/producer. He has made all of his films in FinnishFinnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
, but all are subtitle
Subtitle (captioning)
Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. They can either be a form of written translation of a dialog in a foreign language, or a written rendering of the dialog in the same language, with or without added...
d in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Short films
- Star Wreck (1992)
- Star Wreck II: The Old Shit (1994)
- Star Wreck III: Wrath of the Romuclans (1995)
- Star Wreck IV: The Kilpailu (1996)
- Star Wreck V: Lost Contact (1997)
- Star Wreck 4½: Weak Performance (2000)
External links
- Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning
- Starwreck.com forums (English and Finnish)
- IMDb entry for Samuli Torssonen
- IMDb entry for Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning
- Wreck-a-movie The world's first internet studio for collaborative film production.