LENINGRAD COWBOYS: THRU THE WIRE

The music video for “Thru the Wire” by the Leningrad Cowboys. Somewhere between Alabama and Utah, sometime in the future, Nicky escapes from a prison. He searches for his girl in every bar and hotel. Meanwhile, two agents of the law pursue him.

Cigarette smoke hangs in the air throughout this early Leningrad Cowboys music video. Shot in high-contrast monochrome, and with the band decked out in trench coats and fedoras, the vibe is pure pulp. Kaurismäki aces the noir pastiche, while the boys lend their gravelly vocals and some sultry sax.