Sökarna
Encyclopedia
Sökarna is a 1993 Swedish crime film
directed by Daniel Fridell
and Peter Cartriers. Liam Norberg stars as Jocke, a young criminal who after serving jail time becomes a successful bank robber and drug dealer. The story is set in an alternative, visually stylized Stockholm
in the early 1990s.
A month before the premiere, Norberg was arrested for a robbery he had committed in 1990, and sentenced to five years in jail. Later it was also revealed that Norberg had used money from his robberies to help finance the production. The film is considered a major cult classic in Sweden.
The Swedish hip-hop group Infinite Mass
gained public attention after their appearance in the movie with their controversial song "Area Turns Red", also known as "Shoot the Racist".
in the early 1990s. The youths are rebellious with a passion for money and crime. They dream about having money and living the life of superstars. To achieve this lifestyle they commit certain misdemeanors, property crimes, and various violent crimes; especially against Nazi skinheads, a subculture whose movement had a renaissance in Sweden in the early 1990s.
After participating in a raid of a clothing warehouse, Joakim Wahlåås (Liam Norberg) gets arrested and sentenced to a few years in a Swedish penitentiary. While in jail, Joakim gets exposed to inmate brutality, and associates with the heavily criminal Tony (Thorsten Flinck
), who introduces Joakim (also called Jocke, or Jocke-pojken) to cocaine.
Shortly after being released from Jail Joakim and Tony team up with Joakim's old friends and begin to commit more violent crimes: bank robberies, and drug distribution. The friends quickly become rich, and spend thousands of dollars on Versace clothes, champagne, drugs, and women.
A few years, many women, and plenty of free-base
pipes later, their lavish lifestyle begins to take its toll. The friends become dependent on cocaine and heroin. They also begin to distrust each other, and subsequent to an argument about the division of profit from a drug trade, Tony kidnaps Joakim's long time girlfriend Helen. As Joakim becomes aware of the kidnapping, he begins searching for Tony.
The film ends in a deadly confrontation, between Tony and Joakim. Joakim survives the confrontation with Tony, but a few minutes later Joakim is arrested by the police.
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
directed by Daniel Fridell
Daniel Fridell
-Director:*2012: Apartment 1303 3D*2011: El Medico: The Cubaton Story*2006: Säg att du älskar mig *2005: Bloodbrothers*2001: En klass för sig *2000: Swedish Beauty*1997: Beneath the Surface...
and Peter Cartriers. Liam Norberg stars as Jocke, a young criminal who after serving jail time becomes a successful bank robber and drug dealer. The story is set in an alternative, visually stylized Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the early 1990s.
A month before the premiere, Norberg was arrested for a robbery he had committed in 1990, and sentenced to five years in jail. Later it was also revealed that Norberg had used money from his robberies to help finance the production. The film is considered a major cult classic in Sweden.
The Swedish hip-hop group Infinite Mass
Infinite Mass
Infinite Mass is a Swedish hip hop group that was formed in 1991.In 1992 the group won the talent show Swedish Championship of Rap. The same year, they achieved fame when they participated in the movie Sökarna and released the single "Shoot the Racist" which was later renamed "Area Turns Red"...
gained public attention after their appearance in the movie with their controversial song "Area Turns Red", also known as "Shoot the Racist".
Plot
The story is about three friends growing up in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the early 1990s. The youths are rebellious with a passion for money and crime. They dream about having money and living the life of superstars. To achieve this lifestyle they commit certain misdemeanors, property crimes, and various violent crimes; especially against Nazi skinheads, a subculture whose movement had a renaissance in Sweden in the early 1990s.
After participating in a raid of a clothing warehouse, Joakim Wahlåås (Liam Norberg) gets arrested and sentenced to a few years in a Swedish penitentiary. While in jail, Joakim gets exposed to inmate brutality, and associates with the heavily criminal Tony (Thorsten Flinck
Thorsten Flinck
Thorsten Flinck, born April 17, 1961 in Solna, is a Swedish actor, director, and musician. He is known for mostly playing psychopaths and villains, and also for his outrageous personality both on stage and in real life...
), who introduces Joakim (also called Jocke, or Jocke-pojken) to cocaine.
Shortly after being released from Jail Joakim and Tony team up with Joakim's old friends and begin to commit more violent crimes: bank robberies, and drug distribution. The friends quickly become rich, and spend thousands of dollars on Versace clothes, champagne, drugs, and women.
A few years, many women, and plenty of free-base
Freebase (chemistry)
Freebase or free base refers to the pure basic form of an amine, as opposed to its salt form. The amine is usually an alkaloid natural product. Free base is commonly used in organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals to describe the unprotonated amine form of a compound.Most alkaloids are unstable in...
pipes later, their lavish lifestyle begins to take its toll. The friends become dependent on cocaine and heroin. They also begin to distrust each other, and subsequent to an argument about the division of profit from a drug trade, Tony kidnaps Joakim's long time girlfriend Helen. As Joakim becomes aware of the kidnapping, he begins searching for Tony.
The film ends in a deadly confrontation, between Tony and Joakim. Joakim survives the confrontation with Tony, but a few minutes later Joakim is arrested by the police.
Cast
- Liam Norberg - Joakim "Jocke" Wahlåås
- Ray Jones IV - Ray Lopez
- Thorsten FlinckThorsten FlinckThorsten Flinck, born April 17, 1961 in Solna, is a Swedish actor, director, and musician. He is known for mostly playing psychopaths and villains, and also for his outrageous personality both on stage and in real life...
- Kola-Tony - Jonas KarlssonJonas KarlssonSven Bert Jonas Karlsson is an Swedish actor and author.Karlsson was born in Södertälje. He won a Guldbagge-Award for Best Actor in 2004 for the movie Details. He published his first book, a collection of short stories, in 2007....
- Gurra - Musse HasselvallMusse HasselvallPer Michael Carl "Musse" Hasselvall is a Swedish actor, television presenter and martial artist.Hasselvall had supporting roles in the 1993 film Sökarna and the 1994 film Report to Heaven. From 2005 to 2006, he presented the martial arts show Rallarsving, in which he travelled the world learning...
- Andy - Malou Bergman - Helen
- Per-Gunnar Hylén - Mike
- Örjan RambergÖrjan RambergRalf Örjan Valter Ramberg, né Rahmberg , is a Swedish actor, born in Örgryte, Gothenburg.-Biography:Örjan Ramberg started his acting career in musicals with successful leading parts in the original Swedish stagings of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar...
- Assistant principal - Per SandborghPer Sandborgh- Career :Sandborgh is known for his work with dubbing animated films, TV series, and video games. Some of his roles include:*Joker...
- Porr-Bengt - Jan Nygren - Principal
- Paolo RobertoPaolo RobertoPaolo Roberto is a Swedish ex-boxer, actor, and TV host of partial Italian descent.-Outside boxing:...
- Prisoner - Caroline af UgglasCaroline af UgglasCaroline Thérese af Ugglas Liljedahl is a Swedish singer, artist and chorister.Af Ugglas participated in Melodifestivalen 2007 with "Tror på dig", written by herself along with Heinz Liljedahl and Mattias Torell...
- Singer in the street - E-TypeE-type (musician)Bo Martin Erik Eriksson , better known by his stage name E-Type, is a Swedish Eurodance musician.-Early years:...
- Himself - Anna BookAnna BookAnna Book is a Swedish pop singer. She participated in Let's Dance, the Swedish version of Dancing With The Stars, in 2006 and finished in 2nd place....
- Herself