The King Is Alive
Starring:Miles Anderson, Romane Bohringer, David Bradley (IV), David Calder, Bruce Davison, Brion James, Peter Khubeke, Vusi Kunene, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Janet McTeer, Chris Walker, Lia Williams
Director: Kristian Levring
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD
Average customer rating:
- Pretentious, Dreary, Ugly and Boring -- With Unlikable Characters
- Dogme 95 at it's best. from Jay, Cambridge Ma
- One of the top twenty best pictures in 2001
- One of the best twenty top films in 2001
- The Dead Zone
|
The King Is Alive
Starring: Miles Anderson , Romane Bohringer , David Bradley (IV) , David Calder , and Bruce Davison
Director: Kristian Levring
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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Calder, David
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James, Brion
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ASIN: B00003CY24
Release Date: 2002-11-19 |
Description
"Stunning" (The Village Voice), "stylish" (Los Angeles Times) and "potent" (Variety), this exquisitely crafted film charts the tale of ten hapless tourists lost in the heart of the African desert. Compelling performances from a "strong international cast" (The Hollywood Reporter) highlight this "original, epic vision [that] reacquaints us with the mystery of what it isto be human" (Film Quarterly)! When their bus breaks down in the middle of the Namibian desert, a mismatched group of travelers meets the absurdity of their situation head onby staging an impromptu production of "King Lear." But as tempers flare, passions ignite and their hopes of rescue dwindle, they soon begin to realize that in the heart of the African wilderness, the only thing more fearsome than Mother Nature is human nature.
Customer Reviews:
Pretentious, Dreary, Ugly and Boring -- With Unlikable Characters.......2006-07-28
I'm a fan of survival films, especially desert survival films like "Flight of the Pheonix" and "Sands of the Kalahari." Other films could partially fit this description as well, such as "Lawrence of Arabia," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Sahara," "The English Patient" and even the recent "Mummy" flicks.
"The King is Alive" is such a film. A bunch of travelers get stuck in the desolate Namibian desert and conduct Shakespeare's play "King Lear" to pass the time and keep their sanity.
"The King is Alive" is a Dogme 95 film wherein the director is bound by various restrictions, such as actual locations, natural light, no soundtrack or special effects. This is not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, it could well lend a gritty realism to the picture.
Unfortunately "The King is Alive" is a colossal bore. The characters are all incredibly unlikable; the story is dreary, slow and boring. The reenactment of "King Lear" comes across unbelievable and pretentious. The film basically shows the WORST in humanity and hence comes across negative, hopeless and pessimistic. Despite the beautiful Namibian photography, this is a very UGLY film.
Want proof? One girl fatally poisons another woman for no important reason and an aging man literally urinates on a dying woman (!!). Need I say more?
Needless to say, if you're loooking for a hope-affirming film that will testify to the endurance, greatness and triumph of the human spirit, this is NOT it.
I'm not suggesting that all films have to be optimistic in nature, after all, I'm a fan of some fairly solemn films (e.g. "Apocalypse Now," "Runaway Train"), but this is ridiculous. I'd hate to meet the screenwriter because, whoever it is, he or she must be a very UGLY person.
I give one star for the gorgeous cinematography, half a star for Jennifer Jason Leigh, the only remotely likable person, and half a star for the gritty realism.
Oh, by the way, the end credits part rips-off the credits sequence of "Apocalypse Now." Perhaps the director felt he had an equally great film on his hands. Not even close.
Dogme 95 at it's best. from Jay, Cambridge Ma.......2005-01-30
I am a dogme 95 film aesthetic junkie. I'm not sure if this is quite as good as "Celebration" or "Julien the Donkey Boy" in their pure "viscerality" of effect, but it has other messages that the others don't. I find very little to criticize in this film from a plot or cinematic angle. I do agree with another reviewer that the "King Lear" analogy is a bit far-fetched, but
the fact that the play itself was used to maintain a sense of civilized and group behavior was excellent.Jennifer jason Leigh's role was a breakthrough of sorts. Finally she was given
a bit of a respite from her "weirdo" roles, and her deathbed pummeling of "The old Letch" character was exceptional. Also
the viscous honesty and the primal racsism and sexism wereamong various characters was almost scary. There are so many layers of meaning in this film that one could discuss it indefinitely. Suffice it to say if you are looking for mind numbing entertainment look elsewhere, but if you want a mind stretching cinematic experience the "King is Alive" certainly does the trick.
One of the top twenty best pictures in 2001.......2004-06-05
This film turns around the study of the several sociological human reactions under edge knife conditions. The play of Lehar in the middle of the desert is just one more device to explore the inner soul of every human being in that hopeless place.
An extraordinary performance of Jeniffer Jason Leigh.
In this argumental line there's a film of Buñuel titled El angel exterminador , that is very closed related to this one.
One of the best twenty top films in 2001.......2004-06-04
This film is deeply disturbing anguishly. A superb sociological of the human being through a catharsis process. The playing of Lear in the middle acts as an efficient device for exploring the multiple facets that the people adopts when is under an edge knife situation like this one.
Stunning performances and high realism.
A must in your collection.
The Dead Zone.......2004-01-29
This "experimental" movie about 11 people who get lost in the desert, managing to survive in a difficult and unusual situation, is a missed attempt at trying to examine the human condition. Shakespeare`s play "King Lear" is a central element here, as the filmmaker tries to use it as a starting point to study its characters ideas, dramas, reactions and motivations, however this doesn`t quite work as well as it should and ends up being a pretentious, long and lifeless movie. There`s a promising dramatic tension in the beginning and some actors try to achieve something, but it ultimately fails and goes nowhere. The directing is weak as it should since this is a "Dogma" movie, one that doesn`t use artificial resources to enhance the lightning, scenery, direction or wardrobe, but here it just seems poor, uninteresting and unfinished. The characters are dull and despicable (I understand that`s the idea but they didn`t grab my attention) and the plot moves at a snail`s pace, becoming empty and dry just like the desert landscape where the movie was made. The King is dead.
![The King Is Alive [Region 2]](http://www.germanelectronics88.com/noimage.gif)
Average customer rating:
- Pretentious, Dreary, Ugly and Boring -- With Unlikable Characters
- Dogme 95 at it's best. from Jay, Cambridge Ma
- One of the top twenty best pictures in 2001
- One of the best twenty top films in 2001
- The Dead Zone
|
The King Is Alive [Region 2]
Starring: Miles Anderson , Romane Bohringer , David Bradley (IV) , David Calder , and Bruce Davison
Director: Kristian Levring
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Anderson, Miles
| ( A )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Bohringer, Romane
| ( B )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Calder, David
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Davison, Bruce
| ( D )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
James, Brion
| ( J )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
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Kunene, Vusi
| ( K )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Leigh, Jennifer Jason
| ( L )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
McTeer, Janet
| ( M )
| Actors & Actresses
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| Video
Williams, Lia
| ( W )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Used DVDs
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
| Action & Adventure
| African American Cinema
| Animation
| Anime & Manga
| Art House & International
| Classics
| Comedy
| Cult Movies
| Documentary
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| Educational
| Fitness & Yoga
| Gay & Lesbian
| Horror
| Kids & Family
| Military & War
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| Mystery & Suspense
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Special Interests
| Sports
| Television
| Westerns
( K )
| Titles
| Features
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| Video
Similar Items:
- Mifune
- The Celebration
- Italian for Beginners
- Hamlet
- Othello
ASIN: B00005UJBD |
Customer Reviews:
Pretentious, Dreary, Ugly and Boring -- With Unlikable Characters.......2006-07-28
I'm a fan of survival films, especially desert survival films like "Flight of the Pheonix" and "Sands of the Kalahari." Other films could partially fit this description as well, such as "Lawrence of Arabia," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Sahara," "The English Patient" and even the recent "Mummy" flicks.
"The King is Alive" is such a film. A bunch of travelers get stuck in the desolate Namibian desert and conduct Shakespeare's play "King Lear" to pass the time and keep their sanity.
"The King is Alive" is a Dogme 95 film wherein the director is bound by various restrictions, such as actual locations, natural light, no soundtrack or special effects. This is not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, it could well lend a gritty realism to the picture.
Unfortunately "The King is Alive" is a colossal bore. The characters are all incredibly unlikable; the story is dreary, slow and boring. The reenactment of "King Lear" comes across unbelievable and pretentious. The film basically shows the WORST in humanity and hence comes across negative, hopeless and pessimistic. Despite the beautiful Namibian photography, this is a very UGLY film.
Want proof? One girl fatally poisons another woman for no important reason and an aging man literally urinates on a dying woman (!!). Need I say more?
Needless to say, if you're loooking for a hope-affirming film that will testify to the endurance, greatness and triumph of the human spirit, this is NOT it.
I'm not suggesting that all films have to be optimistic in nature, after all, I'm a fan of some fairly solemn films (e.g. "Apocalypse Now," "Runaway Train"), but this is ridiculous. I'd hate to meet the screenwriter because, whoever it is, he or she must be a very UGLY person.
I give one star for the gorgeous cinematography, half a star for Jennifer Jason Leigh, the only remotely likable person, and half a star for the gritty realism.
Oh, by the way, the end credits part rips-off the credits sequence of "Apocalypse Now." Perhaps the director felt he had an equally great film on his hands. Not even close.
Dogme 95 at it's best. from Jay, Cambridge Ma.......2005-01-30
I am a dogme 95 film aesthetic junkie. I'm not sure if this is quite as good as "Celebration" or "Julien the Donkey Boy" in their pure "viscerality" of effect, but it has other messages that the others don't. I find very little to criticize in this film from a plot or cinematic angle. I do agree with another reviewer that the "King Lear" analogy is a bit far-fetched, but
the fact that the play itself was used to maintain a sense of civilized and group behavior was excellent.Jennifer jason Leigh's role was a breakthrough of sorts. Finally she was given
a bit of a respite from her "weirdo" roles, and her deathbed pummeling of "The old Letch" character was exceptional. Also
the viscous honesty and the primal racsism and sexism wereamong various characters was almost scary. There are so many layers of meaning in this film that one could discuss it indefinitely. Suffice it to say if you are looking for mind numbing entertainment look elsewhere, but if you want a mind stretching cinematic experience the "King is Alive" certainly does the trick.
One of the top twenty best pictures in 2001.......2004-06-05
This film turns around the study of the several sociological human reactions under edge knife conditions. The play of Lehar in the middle of the desert is just one more device to explore the inner soul of every human being in that hopeless place.
An extraordinary performance of Jeniffer Jason Leigh.
In this argumental line there's a film of Buñuel titled El angel exterminador , that is very closed related to this one.
One of the best twenty top films in 2001.......2004-06-04
This film is deeply disturbing anguishly. A superb sociological of the human being through a catharsis process. The playing of Lear in the middle acts as an efficient device for exploring the multiple facets that the people adopts when is under an edge knife situation like this one.
Stunning performances and high realism.
A must in your collection.
The Dead Zone.......2004-01-29
This "experimental" movie about 11 people who get lost in the desert, managing to survive in a difficult and unusual situation, is a missed attempt at trying to examine the human condition. Shakespeare`s play "King Lear" is a central element here, as the filmmaker tries to use it as a starting point to study its characters ideas, dramas, reactions and motivations, however this doesn`t quite work as well as it should and ends up being a pretentious, long and lifeless movie. There`s a promising dramatic tension in the beginning and some actors try to achieve something, but it ultimately fails and goes nowhere. The directing is weak as it should since this is a "Dogma" movie, one that doesn`t use artificial resources to enhance the lightning, scenery, direction or wardrobe, but here it just seems poor, uninteresting and unfinished. The characters are dull and despicable (I understand that`s the idea but they didn`t grab my attention) and the plot moves at a snail`s pace, becoming empty and dry just like the desert landscape where the movie was made. The King is dead.
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