Nightwatch (1994) Nattevagten (original title)

Director:

Ole Bornedal

Writer:

Ole Bornedal

Release Date:

25 February 1994 (Denmark)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

De søger en nattevagt, Martin er ikke mørkeræd, han har kun et problem... han får jobbet !

Plot:

In order to finance his law studies, Martin starts as a night watchman in a mortuary. When the victims...

Plot Keywords:

Bet | Prostitute | Night Watchman | Serial Killer | Detective

Awards:

10 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	...	Martin (as Nikolaj Coster Waldau)
Sofie Gråbøl	...	Kalinka
Kim Bodnia	...	Jens
Lotte Andersen	...	Lotte
Ulf Pilgaard	...	Inspector Wörmer
Rikke Louise Andersson	...	Joyce
Stig Hoffmeyer	...	Rolf
Gyrd Løfquist	...	The Old Nightwatch
Niels Anders Thorn	...	The Doctor
Leif Adolfsson	...	Theater Instructor
Henrik Fiig	...	Actor
Jesper Hyldegaard	...	Bar Guest
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Pub Thug #1 (as Ulrik Thomsen)
Christian Friis	...	Pub Thug #2 (as Chris Friis)
Peter Rygaard	...	Servant
Karin Rørbeck	...	Girl at University (as Karin Rørbæk)
Michael Goeskjær	...	Lecturer
Mika Heilmann	...	Dead Woman
Michel Castenholt	...	Gay Man
Jytte Rosholm	...	Female Doctor
Cecilie Brask	...	Pige på universitet
Steen Stig Lommer	...	Chef
Kjeld Nørgaard	...	Chef

Directed by
Ole Bornedal

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ole Bornedal

Produced by
Michael Obel	....	producer
Jesper Boas Smith	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Joachim Holbek
Knud Odde		(as Sort Sol)
The Sandmen
Sort Sol

Cinematography by
Dan Laustsen

Film Editing by
Camilla Skousen

Production Design by
Søren Krag Sørensen

Art Direction by
Søren Krag Sørensen

Costume Design by
Margrethe Rasmussen

Makeup Department
Michael Sørensen	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Flinth	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Michael Dela	....	sound
Nino Jacobsen	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Rolf Konow	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Michael Frank Nielsen	....	color timer

Transportation Department
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator

Production Companies

• Thura Film (presents)
• Obel Film

Distributors

• All Right Film Distribution (1994) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (1995) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film (1995) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Califórnia Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Lumière Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Metrodome Distribution (2008) (UK) (DVD) (as Metrodome Entertainment )
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (Russia) (VHS)
• Prooptiki Video (1996) (Greece) (VHS)
• Sandrew Film (1995) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Sandrews (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Nattevagten" - Denmark (original title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

Denmark

Language:

Danish | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | France:-12

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Thura Film

Quotes:

Martin:You know what Hans Christian Andersen did? Every time he had masturbated he wrote a little X in his diary
Jens:If I had written down an X every time I had masturbated, there wouldn't be any pencils left in the whole wide world

Movie Connections:

Featured in Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film (2009)

Am I the only person here who didn't think this was all that great?

I really wanted to like this movie, I'd read about it for years before it finally came out on video here. Maybe my expectations were too high. Really, I don't know what everyone else is raving about here, I thought this was a very average thriller. I'm not surprised this was remade by hollywood, as the plot and characters and dialogue already seem quite "hollywood" influenced to me in this original, though with that careful european touch, which really just made the movie seems slow to me.

I thought this movie was going to be atmospheric and creepy, but there was hardly any atmosphere at all, the direction was pretty dry and by-the-numbers. There were maybe 15 minutes filled with scary going-ons, and the rest was quite slow and talky, with no sense of buildup or dread whatsoever. The red herrings and forshadowing were so obvious in this, it was like getting slapped in the face.

Like I said, I went into this with good intentions. I like horror from extreme gore, to atmospheric chillers, from "Dead Alive" to "The Others. This movie filled neither of these needs. Not so much bad, as just average. I suppose if all you watch is mainstream hollywood films, or if you liked that pointless piece of crud "With a Friend Like Harry", then this will probably seem great to you.