Sílení (2005)

Director:

Jan Svankmajer

Writers:

Edgar Allan Poe (story) and
Marquis de Sade (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 November 2005 (Czech Republic)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Plot:

A horror movie testing two approaches to running an insane asylum - absolute freedom versus control and punishment...

Plot Keywords:

Marquis | Punishment | Nightmare | Control | Asylum

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Pavel Liska	...	Jean Berlot
Jan Tríska	...	Marquis
Anna Geislerová	...	Charlotte
Jaroslav Dusek	...	Dr. Murlloppe
Martin Huba	...	Dr. Coulmiere
Pavel Nový	...	Servant Dominic
Stano Danciak	...	Innkeeper
Jirí Krytinár	...	Reciting Madman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ctirad Götz	...	Ostler
Iva Littmanová
Katerina Ruzicková
Jan Svankmajer	...	Himself
Katerina Valachová

Directed by
Jan Svankmajer

Writing credits
Edgar Allan Poe		(story) and
Marquis de Sade		(story)
Jan Svankmajer

Produced by
Juraj Galvánek	....	co-producer
Jaromír Kallista	....	producer
Jaroslav Kucera	....	co-producer
Dusan Kukal	....	co-producer
Shimon Shemtov	....	assistant producer
Helena Uldrichová	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Juraj Galvánek

Film Editing by
Marie Zemanová

Casting by
Radek Hruska

Production Design by
Jan Svankmajer
Eva Svankmajerová

Costume Design by
Veronika Hrubá
Eva Svankmajerová

Makeup Department
Ivana Chlostova	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Vera Ferdová	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mendel Hardeman	....	second assistant director
Martin Kublák	....	assistant director
Marketa Tom	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Daniel Bird	....	propmaker
Karel Vanásek	....	property master

Sound Department
Dalibor Janda	....	sound editor
Ivo Spalj	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Václav Tlapák	....	focus puller

Animation Department
Bedrich Glaser	....	animator
Martin Kublák	....	animator

Other crew
Joseph Cahill	....	propaganda posters

Production Companies

• Athanor
• C-Ga Film (co-production)
• Ceská Televize (co-production)
• Barrandov Studios (co-production)
• The Czech Republic State Fund for Support and Development of Cinematography (support)
• Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic (support)
• Eurimages Council of Europe (support)
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne (support)
• At Armz (in collaboration with)
• Ren Corporation Ltd. (in collaboration with)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Zeitgeist Films (2006) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)

Also Known As:

"Lunacy" - USA
"Démence" - France (imdb display title)
"Der Wahnsinn" - Germany (festival title)
"Holdkór" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Insania" - Argentina
"Szaleni" - Poland (imdb display title)
"Trela" - Greece (festival title)

Runtime:

Japan:123 min | Czech Republic:118 min | Argentina:118 min

Country:

Czech Republic | Slovakia | Japan

Language:

Czech

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Czech Republic:15 | Japan:R-15 | Argentina:16

Company:

Athanor

Trivia:

The official Czech submission to the 2007 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

the art house horror film of the year!!

I just saw this film at the Montreal fantasia film festival. And this being Svankmajer's most recent film, I jumped for tickets. Absolutely amazing. Something of a political comment, the film show's us to ways of running an insane asylum. I have always loved Jan Svankmajer for his use of macabre animation (using raw meat, bones and eye balls). And it's use in context with 'Lunacy' is chilling. Truly one of the best horror films I've see all year. It's not the sort of horror that is entertaining to watch or bring your girlfriend. But if you love films and your looking for a horror film that will keep you thinking...then find a way to see this film.