Østensjøveien

Østensjøveien in Oslo appears in the opening section of “Lasse & Geir”, the 1976 Norwegian drama directed by Svend Wam. Early in the film, Lasse and Geir are on a bus travelling from Manglerud towards the city centre, causing trouble and provoking the other passengers. The scene escalates when Lasse exposes himself to a woman on the bus and shouts one of the film’s most infamous lines: “Vil du se kukken, kjærringfaen!?!” The situation turns chaotic, and the bus driver stops the bus and calls the police. In the film, he says that the bus is by Østensjøen, which matches the real location used for the scene.

The police arrive on Østensjøveien, close to Østensjø school. Geir manages to jump over a fence before the police can grab him, and that fenced area belongs to the school grounds. The location is still recognisable today, although the surroundings have changed since the film was shot in the mid-1970s. Several playground structures have been added to the area, while the open space seen in the film now feels more developed and enclosed. The biggest change is the view towards Østensjøvannet itself. In “Lasse & Geir”, the lake area appears much more open, while today trees, tall grass and vegetation have grown so much that the water is almost hidden from the spot where the scene was filmed. You can still just about glimpse Østensjøvannet between the trees, but the view is far less clear than it was in 1976.

Lasse & Geir (1976)

Østensjøveien (2018)

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