The King Is Alive (2000)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Writers:

William Shakespeare (inspired by play "King Lear")
Kristian Levring (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 May 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

As the sand shifts...madness nears.

Plot:

When a bus breaks down in the desert, the passengers decide to stage "King Lear." |

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Bus | Sex | Temper | Shakespeare's King Lear

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Miles Anderson	...	Jack
Romane Bohringer	...	Catherine
David Bradley	...	Henry
David Calder	...	Charles
Bruce Davison	...	Ray
Brion James	...	Ashley
Peter Khubeke	...	Kanana (as Peter Kubheka)
Vusi Kunene	...	Moses
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Gina
Janet McTeer	...	Liz
Chris Walker	...	Paul
Lia Williams	...	Amanda

Directed by
Kristian Levring		(uncredited)

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(inspired by play "King Lear")
Kristian Levring		(screenplay) &
Anders Thomas Jensen		(screenplay)

Produced by
Svend Abrahamsen	....	producer: Danish Broadcasting Corporation
Christopher Ball	....	executive producer (as Chris J. Ball)
Malene Blenkov	....	associate producer
Kobus Botha	....	line producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	executive producer
Patricia Kruijer	....	producer
David Linde	....	executive producer
William Tyrer	....	executive producer (as William A. Tyler)
Vibeke Windeløv	....	producer

Original Music by
Derek Thompson

Cinematography by
Jens Schlosser		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Nicholas Wayman-Harris		(as Nicholas Wayman Harris)

Casting by
Mali Finn
Moonyeenn Lee
Bruno Levy		(as Bruno Levi)
Joyce Nettles

Production Management
Charlotte Buch	....	post-production supervisor
Linda Hawkins	....	executive in charge of production: Newmarket Capital Group
Amy J. Kaufman	....	executive in charge of production: Good Machine International (as Amy Kaufman)
Kristina Kornum	....	production manager

Art Department
Simon Bang	....	credit graphics

Sound Department
Jan Juhler	....	sound
Chris Martin	....	boom operator
Peter Schultz	....	sound engineer
Torben Strand	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Lars Bo Blarke	....	assistant camera
Troels Levring	....	assistant still photographer
Gavin McCloud	....	assistant camera
Frantisek Novák	....	assistant camera (as Franticek Novak)
Anders Overgaard	....	still photographer
Richard Valls	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger	....	casting assistant: USA (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosa Díaz	....	wardrobe consultant

Editorial Department
Lars Kaaber	....	editor: Shakespeare text
Kelly Miller	....	post-production: Good Machine International
Gabriela Soria	....	assistant to editor
Kelli Taylor	....	post-production assistant
Nick Willis	....	assistant to editor

Music Department
Derek Thompson	....	song producer: "Blood on the Moon" (as Hoodlum Priest)

Other crew
Dag Alveberg	....	support: Nordic Film and Television Fund
Daniel Auchab	....	production assistant
Caroline Behrens	....	caterer
Gert Behrens	....	location manager
Steen Bergholdt	....	accountant
Elmarie Botha	....	production coordinator
Neelsie Botha	....	production assistant
Laurence Brown	....	legal advisor: Richards Butler Law Firm, London (as Lawrence Brown)
Louise Cross	....	assistant: Joyce Nettles
Claire Downs	....	script doctor
Carlos K. Goodman	....	legal advisor: Lichter, Grossman, Nichols & Adler, Inc. (as Carlos Goodman)
Jakob Grønlykke	....	assistant to director
Jakob Grønlykke	....	creative advisor
Henrik Gutterman	....	travel agent: Hemingways
Jens Georg Hansen	....	insurance: Marsh A.S.
Carla Hoffman	....	production assistant
Karen Hogarty	....	legal advisor: Richards Butler Law Firm, London
Lars Kaaber	....	advisor: Shakespeare text
Ann Køj	....	accountant (as Anne Koej)
Tareq Kubaisi	....	tk: VTR
Linda Lichter	....	legal advisor: Lichter, Grossman, Nichols & Adler, Inc.
Hans Lönnerheden	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Dieter Mack	....	production assistant
Bibi Malby	....	set assistant (as Bibi Husted Malby)
Mikkel Maltha	....	legal advisor: Zentropa Entertainment
Jill McCullough	....	dialogue coach
Ingrid Morgen	....	caterer
Mette Nelund	....	assistant: Vibeke Windeløv
Gino Noli	....	location manager
Mikael Olsen	....	support: The Danish Film Institute
Frida Paustian	....	production coordinator
Carsten Rasch	....	set assistant
Ulrich Reik	....	set assistant
Katrine Schlüter	....	legal advisor: Dragsted, Schlüter & Aros
James Shirras	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Leonore Skousen	....	production assistant
Armelle Verenka	....	set assistant
Ann Vognsen	....	accountant (as Anne Vogensen)
Rikke Williams	....	travel agent: Hemingways

Thanks
Sam Bassett	....	special thanks
Ginger Corbett	....	special thanks
Linda Hawkins	....	special thanks
Susan Jacobs	....	special thanks (as Sue Jacobs)
Brion James	....	in memoriam
Amy J. Kaufman	....	special thanks (as Amy Kaufman)
Gleb Klioner	....	special thanks
Leif Magnusson	....	thank you for giving us light
Jes Olson	....	special thanks
Paula Paisez	....	special thanks
Ulla Rørdam	....	special thanks
Paul Schwartzman	....	special thanks (as I Consiglieri Paul Schwartzman)
Jan Tvilling	....	special thanks
Ray Williams	....	special thanks
Katrine Winnicki	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Newmarket Capital Group (as Newmarket)
• Good Machine (as Good Machine International)
• Zentropa Entertainments (as Zentropa Entertainments 5 ApS)
• Danmarks Radio (DR) (as Danish Broadcasting Corporation)
• SVT Drama (in collaboration with)
• TV2 Norge (in collaboration with)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (in collaboration with) (as YLE)
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond (supported by) (as Nordic Film and Television Fund)
• Det Danske Filminstitut (supported by) (as The Danish Film Institute)
• Ballistic Pictures (uncredited)

Distributors

• IFC Releasing (2001) (USA) (theatrical) (as IFC Films)
• Good Machine International (2001) (non-USA) (all media)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2001) (Japan) (theatrical)
• New Films International
• Newmarket Films
• RCV Film Distribution (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Alpha 60  song recorded at: "Blood on the Moon"
• Blarke Sonne Levring  special thanks
• Chrono Post  special thanks
• DPA - Miniatures Microphones  special thanks
• Dragsted, Schlüter and Aros  legal advisor
• E. Phil & Søn  special thanks
• Good Machine International  sales
• Hemingways  travel agency
• Hokus Bogus Rekorder ApS  video to 35 mm transfer (as Hokus Bogus ApS)
• Johan Ankerstjerne A/S  film lab
• Kameraudlejningen  special thanks (as Kamera Udlejningen)
• Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Goodman  legal advisor (as Lichter, Grossman, Nichols & Adler, Inc.)
• Lüderitz Police Department  special thanks
• Maersk Lüderitz  special thanks
• Mainstream ApS  sound mixing studio
• Marsh A/S  insurance (as Marsh A.S.)
• Mr. Youngs  screening facilities (as Mr. Young's/MPC)
• Namdeb  special thanks
• Nest Hotel  special thanks
• Produktionsselskabet  production services (as Produktionsselskabet A/S)
• Richards Butler International Law Firms  legal advisor (as Richards Butler Law Firm, London)
• Torben Ager Andersen  online facilities
• Trust Film Sales  sales (as Trust Film Sales ApS)
• VTR  tk
• W.A.V.E. Productions  on-line facilities (as Wave A/S)
• Worldwide Contractor  special thanks
• Zum Sperrgebeit  special thanks

Also Known As:

Dogme # 4 - The King Is Alive (Denmark) (series title)
Dogme 4
The King Is Alive (Denmark)
O Rei Está Vivo (Portugal) [pt]
The King Is Alive (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

Denmark:110 min | France:108 min | Japan:108 min | Portugal:108 min | USA:105 min (TV version: IFC print)

Country:

Sweden | Denmark | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Iceland:14 | Denmark:11 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Kolmanskop, Sperrgebiet, Namibia

Company:

Newmarket Capital Group

Movie Connections:

References Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Soundtrack:

Blood on the Moon

A brilliant and yet cruel tale of the human condition by the words of Shakespeare's King Lear.

A brilliant and yet cruel tale of the human condition by the words of Shakespeare's King Lear. The true nature of this film is in the relationship between the rawness of the desert and the fragility of the social being. Amazingly, the spirit of the desert witnesses the demise of a group of people who are facing death, acting Shakespeare to deceive it and ironically get deceived by fate itself at the end. The realistic notion, given by hand-held camera as well by the wonderful colors captured, will dive one's in the crucial themes of the movie: death, love and hope.