The Keep (1983)

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers:

F. Paul Wilson (novel)
Michael Mann (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 December 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Romance | Thriller | War

Tagline:

THEY WERE ALL DRAWN TO THE KEEP. The soldiers who brought death. The father and daughter fighting for life. The people who have always feared it. And the one man who knows its secret... THE KEEP Tonight, they will all face the evil.

Plot:

Nazis are forced to turn to a Jewish historian for help in battling the ancient demon they have inadvertently freed from its prison.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | SS | Fortress | Demon | Electronic Music Score

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Scott Glenn	...	Glaeken Trismegestus
Alberta Watson	...	Eva Cuza
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Captain Klaus Woermann
Robert Prosky	...	Father Mihail Fonescu
Gabriel Byrne	...	Major Kaempffer
Ian McKellen	...	Dr. Theodore Cuza
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Alexandru (as Morgan Sheppard)
Royston Tickner	...	Tomescu
Phillip Joseph	...	Sergeant Oster
Michael Carter	...	Molasar
John Vine	...	Lutz
Jona Jones	...	Otto
Wolf Kahler	...	S.S. Adjutant
Rosalie Crutchley	...	Josefia
Frederick Warder	...	Border Guard #1
Bruce Payne	...	Border Guard #2
David Cardy	...	Alexandru's Son
John Eastham	...	Alexandru's Second Son
Philip Bloomfield	...	Josefia's Son
Yashaw Adem	...	Carlos
Stephen Whittaker	...	S.S. Commando
Stephen Jenn	...	S.S. Commando
Benedick Blythe	...	S.S. Commando
Robin Langford	...	S.S. Commando
Renny Krupinski	...	Wehrmacht Soldier
Peter Guinness	...	Wehrmacht Soldier
Sean Baker	...	Wehrmacht Soldier
Timothy Block	...	Wehrmacht Soldier
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ian Ruskin	...	S.S. Commando (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Mann

Writing credits
F. Paul Wilson		(novel)
Michael Mann		(screenplay)

Produced by
Richard Brams	....	associate producer
Colin M. Brewer	....	executive producer
Theresa Curtin	....	associate producer
Gene Kirkwood	....	producer
Hawk Koch	....	producer (as Howard W. Koch Jr.)
Gavin MacFadyen	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Tangerine Dream

Cinematography by
Alex Thomson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dov Hoenig
Chris Kelly
Tony Palmer		(uncredited)

Production Design by
John Box

Art Direction by
Alan Tomkins
Herbert Westbrook

Set Decoration by
Michael Seirton

Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson

Makeup Department
Jan Dorman	....	hairdresser
Graham Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Richard Glass	....	standby contact lens optician
Joyce James	....	hairdresser
Beryl Lerman	....	makeup artist
Nick Maley	....	makeup designer
Richard Mills	....	makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Patrick Clayton	....	production supervisor
Phil Sanderson	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Corbett	....	assistant director
Paul Madigan	....	first assistant director: second unit
Callum McDougall	....	third assistant director
Kieron Phipps	....	second assistant director
Roger Simons	....	assistant director
Vic Smith	....	second assistant director

Art Department
George Ball	....	property master
Peter Benson	....	propman: floor
Albert Blackshaw	....	construction manager
Mick Chubbock	....	plasterer
Dean Coldham	....	plaster department
Denis Hopperton	....	chargehand floor propman
Geoff Langley	....	assistant construction manager
Kevin Phipps	....	draughtsman
Jill Quertier	....	production buyer
Lucy Richardson	....	assistant art director
Rosalind Shingleton	....	draughtswoman
Bill Stallion	....	storyboard artist
Leslie Tomkins	....	art director: models
Peter Wilkinson	....	assistant construction manager
Lawrie Ayres	....	stand-by props: second unit (uncredited)

Sound Department
Campbell Askew	....	footstep editor
Robin Gregory	....	sound mixer
Peter Horrocks	....	dialogue editor
John Iles	....	consultant: dolby sound
Stephen Janisz	....	assistant sound editor
Bob Jones	....	dubbing mixer
Peter Pennell	....	assistant sound editor
Terry Sharratt	....	boom operator
Stephen Spencer	....	assistant sound editor
Jeremy Strachan	....	assistant dialogue editor
Graham Sutton	....	assistant footsteps editor
William Trent	....	sound editor (as Bill Trent)
Doug E. Turner	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Doug Turner)

Special Effects by
Nick Allder	....	special effects supervisor
Alan Bryce	....	special effects technician (as Allan Bryce)
Kevin Herd	....	special effects technician
Garth Inns	....	special effects
John McGoldrick	....	special effects technician
Melvyn Pearson	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Robin Browne	....	visual effects supervisor
Roy Carnell	....	matte camera operator
Ron Crees	....	matte cameraman
Doug Ferris	....	matte artist
Roy Field	....	optical effects
Denis Fitzgibbons	....	matte camera operator (as Denis Fitzgibbon)
John Fletcher	....	visual effects focus puller
Stuart Galloway	....	matte camera operator
Denis Hall	....	optical effects
Jamie Harcourt	....	optical camera operator
Keith Holland	....	matte camera operator
John Palmer	....	matte cameraman
Keith Thomas	....	visual effects focus puller
John Turner	....	matte camera operator (as John Turner-Grant)
Wally Veevers	....	visual effects supervisor
Ken Worringham	....	optical camera operator
Martyn Hall	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Keith Holland	....	visual effects camera operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Andy Bradford	....	stunts
Jim Dowdall	....	stunts
Tracey Eddon	....	stunts
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Alf Joint	....	stunt coordinator
Doug Robinson	....	stunts
Paddy Ryan	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Atherfold	....	camera grip (as Ken Atherfold)
Graham Attwood	....	still photographer
Dave Clarke	....	supervising electrician (as David Clarke)
Wick Finch	....	electrician
Anthony Gaudioz	....	focus puller (as Tony Gaudioz)
Bill Geddes	....	camera grip
John Golding	....	second camera operator
Arthur Lavis	....	unit cinematographer
Shaun O'Dell	....	camera operator
Shane O'Neill	....	clapper loader
Steve Parker	....	assistant camera
Dave Ridout	....	electrician
Peter Robinson	....	focus puller
Andrew Shields	....	video playback operator
Gary Spratling	....	clapper loader
John Ward	....	Steadicam operator
Micky Wilson	....	electrician

Animation Department
Ann Ducommun	....	assistant animator

Casting Department
Noel Davis	....	casting: U.K.
Nancy Klopper	....	casting: USA
Bonnie Timmermann	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	costume supervisor
June Kirby	....	wardrobe assistant
Ken Lawton	....	wardrobe master

Editorial Department
Chris Kelly	....	associate editor (as Christopher Kelly)
Steve Maguire	....	second assistant editor
Tony Palmer	....	second assistant editor
Pamela Power	....	additional editor
Phil Sanderson	....	first assistant editor
Andy Stears	....	assistant optical editor
Adam Unger	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Gordon Greenaway	....	assistant music editor
Laurie Anderson	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Howard Pugh	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Julie Adams	....	dialogue coach
Enki Bilal	....	illustrator: demon
John Carr	....	laser effects
Bryan Coates	....	location manager
Vicki Deason	....	production assistant (as Vicki Manning)
Ann Edwards	....	continuity
Ken Goddard	....	laser effects
Denise Horsham	....	creature crew
Aneuryn Jones	....	animal supplier: North Wales
Bob Keen	....	creature crew
Doreen Landry	....	unit publicist
Nick Maley	....	creature designer
Nick Maley	....	prosthetics designer
Andrew Mollo	....	historical consultant
Josephine Olive-O'Neill	....	assistant production accountant (as Josephine O'Neill)
Christine Overs	....	creature crew
Richard Padbury	....	creature crew
Basil Somner	....	location manager
John Bernard Wall	....	production accountant
Kevin Westley	....	set runner
David White	....	creature crew

Production Companies

• Associated Capital
• Capital Equipment Leasing

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1984) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1989) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• ReelEye Company (special effects contact lenses)

Other Companies

• Delta Sound Services  sound re-recording
• Filmfex Productions Ltd.  opticals
• Geoff Axtell Associates Ltd.  titles
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• LaseFX  laser effects
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Optical Film Effects  opticals
• Rank Film Laboratories  opticals
• Vee Films  opticals
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)  opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min | West Germany:91 min (video) | 210 min (original cut)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | France:-12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16 | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Company:

Associated Capital

Trivia:

Timothy Block worked eight weeks.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When the two soldiers are ripping the cross from the wall you can see the whole 'stone' wall flexing.

Quotes:

Captain Klaus Woermann:[catching Lutz attempting to chisel out a cross] Soldier, what's your assignment?
Lutz:To string lights, sir.
Captain Klaus Woermann:Then what the hell are you doing? Answer!
Lutz:The silver crosses, sir. There's talk among the men. They hide silver here. Treasure, sir.
Captain Klaus Woermann:Private Lutz, it's been a profitable day for you! Not only have you learned the crosses are made of nickel, not silver, but you have earned yourself a place on first watch all week!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Directors: The Films of Michael Mann (#2.1)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Walking In The Air

More than the sum of its parts

Possibly this isn't Michael Mann's best - or even next to next to best - movie, but I make no apologies for liking it quite a lot. In fact, my chief complaint about this movie is that it has never been released on DVD so that the full texture and sense of this piece could be better experienced and appreciated. It is a travesty with all the tripe that leaps from the undergrossing screen to overblown DVD these days, that no studio has had the stones to release THE KEEP on DVD.

In a weird, connect the dots fashion, I consider this film to be a critical milestone in Mann's directorial evolution. In and of itself, this makes the film entirely watchable, if not "important". The movie should be indispensable to Mann's devotees, and I find it surprising that it is not. As much as Manhunter (one of my all time favorites) and Heat (right up there with them) are ranked by most as very good films, THE KEEP, if for no other reason than its novelty should be accorded more respect than it gets.

Read the other reviews here and you can more or less understand the story line. The salient facts are there. I differ on several points, however.

First, I don't consider THE KEEP to be a 'horror movie' or even sci-fi, although it certainly has elements of both. I have no recollection of how the film was billed when it opened in '83 (in fact, I didn't see it until it appeared on Showtime, significantly later), but if you are looking for a 'horror' or 'sci-fi' flick, THE KEEP will leave you short. It is more of a 'thriller' if you had to pigeon-hole it, but even that doesn't really work, and this is what I think what confuses many who have seen and subsequently slammed this movie. To those who want a nifty tight film with all the proper cinematic and artistic "T"s crossed and "I"s dotted, you won't find it here and you will be eternally frustrated. What you will find is a unique, visionary realization of an essentially often told story of conflict between ultimate good and ultimate evil, spun in an arguably overly symbolic context.

Second, much apparently has been said about the lameness of the sets and special effects and accents and soundtrack and costumes, etc etc. I can't ever know for sure, but I don't think that Mann, with all his individual sense of style (remember, his visions and realizations virtually defined a substantial part of the 80s -- whether you liked them or not) was all that concerned about the impact of the trappings, but more on what they allowed the story to play against. The interplay of color (or lack thereof), background, character and music all create an enjoyable tapestry, best viewed from several feet away. If you get hung up on the minutae of this film, you've lost the message. In my personal opinion, this isn't a movie that should be watched critically - because it will fail in many ways, as others have already observed. Rather, you should suspend not only your disbelief but your pretentiousness and just let the movie sort of flow around you. It's a bit like drift diving in Cozumel - the warm current moves you along to the degree that details can get lost and fuzzy, but you eventually realize that's what makes the experience different and wonderful.

The music certainly isn't appropriate to the period (1941 Nazi-occupied Romania) but then this isn't a period piece. Quite the contrary, the Tangerine Dream soundtrack adds to the gauzy, dreamlike quality which to me is what makes this movie so compelling and different. The acting isn't the best and in places, yes, the audio is pretty bad, but when considered as a whole, I believe the movie succeeds. My VHS copy of THE KEEP is now getting threadworn from overplay and I hope that someone, somewhere, will bring it out on DVD.

A strong 8 out of 10.