In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
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- Unrated
- 1h 21min
- Documentary, Biography
- 29 Mar 2008 (Japan)
- Movie
Janitor Henry Darger spent decades creating a 15,000-page illustrated novel depicting an epic battle between good and evil. His fantasy world, combining religious imagery and heroic drama, remained undiscovered until his twilight years.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast
| Larry Pine | ... |
Henry Darger (voice)
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| Dakota Fanning | ... |
Narrator / Vivian Girls (voice)
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Frier McCollister | ... |
Additional Voice (voice)
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| Wally Wingert | ... |
Additional Voice (voice)
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Janice Hong | ... |
Additional Voice (voice)
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Ruby McCollister | ... |
Additional Voice (voice)
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Paul Robert Langdon | ... |
Additional Voice (voice)
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Mary O'Donnell | ... |
Self - Neighbor
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Kiyoko Lerner | ... |
Self - Landlady
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Mary Rooney | ... |
Self - Parish Bookkeeper
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David Berglund | ... |
Self - Neighbor
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Regina Waters | ... |
Self - Neighbor
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Mark Waters | ... |
Self - Neighbor
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Henry Darger | ... |
Self (photos)
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Directed by
| Jessica Yu | ||
Written by
| Henry Darger | ... | (writings) |
| Jessica Yu | ... | () |
Produced by
| Ellin Baumel | ... | line producer |
| Karen Carter | ... | associate producer |
| Sally Jo Fifer | ... | executive producer |
| Joan Huang | ... | co-producer |
| Cara Mertes | ... | executive producer |
| Kara Vallow | ... | animation producer |
| Susan West | ... | producer |
| Jessica Yu | ... | producer |
Music by
| Jeff Beal | ||
Editing by
| Jessica Yu | ||
Editorial Department
| Michael Mintz | ... | color corrector |
| Thom Whitehead | ... | on-line editor |
Casting By
| Linda Lamontagne | ||
Art Department
| Henry Darger | ... | artwork |
| Eric Koenig | ... | storyboard artist |
| Aurian Redson | ... | storyboard artist |
Sound Department
| Jeff Beal | ... | sound recordist: Many Rooms Music |
| Stephanie Brown | ... | supervising sound editor |
| Rick Ellis | ... | sound recording engineer |
| Paul Hackner | ... | re-recording engineer |
| Matt Hedges | ... | sound facility coordinator |
| Matthew Iadarola | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Eddie Kim | ... | sound designer |
| Tomas Marsh | ... | sound recording engineer |
| Del Martin | ... | re-recording engineer |
| Eryne Prine | ... | foley supervisor |
| Cynthia DeLaney Gorman | ... | post sound operations (uncredited) |
| Matt Hedges | ... | sound editorial coordinator (uncredited) |
| Eryne Prine | ... | sound editor (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Michael F. Barrow | ... | cinematographer: New York (as Michael Barrow) |
| Tim Bieber | ... | director of photography: Chicago |
| Lamar Bloodworth | ... | gaffer |
| Joe Brady | ... | assistant camera |
| Osa Elmfors | ... | assistant camera |
| Ron Forsythe | ... | key grip |
| Bill Frye | ... | grip |
| Marlene Haegele | ... | second assistant camera |
| Shana Hagan | ... | director of photography: Los Angeles |
| T.S. Hale | ... | grip |
| Russell Harper | ... | director of photography: Chicago |
| Wesley Hicks | ... | additional camera operator |
| Darren Kasmir | ... | gaffer |
| Harry Lapham | ... | key grip |
| Juliet Lofaro | ... | still photographer |
| Guy Moeller | ... | grip |
| Ryan Puckett | ... | grip |
Animation Department
| Andrew Brandou | ... | animator |
| Britt Ehringer | ... | animator |
| Peter Ehrlich | ... | animator |
| Matthew Gadbois | ... | animator |
| Meher Gourjian | ... | animator |
| Tom Kanchanapinyokul | ... | animator |
| Eric Koenig | ... | animation storyboard artist |
| Aurian Redson | ... | animation storyboard artist |
| David Wigforss | ... | animator |
Music Department
| Joan Beal | ... | conductor: choir |
Additional Crew
| Bill Abrams | ... | legal counsel: Abrams, Garfinkel & Rosen LLP |
| David Beall | ... | cleanup artist |
| David Berglund | ... | photos of Henry Darger courtesy of |
| Scott Marvel Cassidy | ... | book art sequences |
| Denise Chavez | ... | cleanup artist |
| Scott Crary | ... | distribution assistant |
| Jake Delman | ... | production assistant |
| Amy Dorn | ... | production assistant |
| Ron Forsythe | ... | researcher |
| Tony Haske | ... | production assistant |
| Rachel Katz-Atkin | ... | production assistant |
| Kiyoko Lerner | ... | Henry Darger's artwork and writings used by permission of / consultant / photos of Henry Darger courtesy of |
| Eric Lusk | ... | cleanup artist (as Erik Lusk) |
| Lisa Masseur | ... | production assistant |
| Mark Masseur | ... | production assistant |
| Rodd Miller | ... | cleanup artist |
| Christopher Nguyen | ... | production assistant |
| Elise Pearlstein | ... | researcher |
| Katherine Pitts | ... | operations manager |
| Larry Powell | ... | production assistant |
| Andrea Sausen | ... | production assistant |
| Kris Scheiffele | ... | researcher |
| Armando Nieto Soto III | ... | cleanup artist (as Armando Soto) |
| Joe Vaux | ... | cleanup artist |
| Chris Ware | ... | title art |
| Thom Whitehead | ... | digital transfers |
| Martin Yu | ... | animated website |
Thanks
| Brooke Anderson | ... | thanks |
| David Berglund | ... | special thanks |
| Karen Carter | ... | thanks |
| Loretta Jeneski | ... | thanks (as Loretta Janeski) |
| Dao Le | ... | thanks |
| Kiyoko Lerner | ... | special thanks |
| Claudine Magre | ... | thanks |
| Mary O'Donnell | ... | special thanks |
| David Obermeyer | ... | thanks |
| Mary Rooney | ... | special thanks |
| Ted Shen | ... | thanks |
| Trixie | ... | thanks |
| Marc Waters | ... | special thanks |
| Regina Waters | ... | special thanks |
| Sydney Wilkinson | ... | thanks |
Production Companies
- Cherry Sky Films
- Diorama Films
- ITVS International (in association with)
Distributors
- Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Wellspring Media (2004) (United States) (theatrical)
- Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (tv) (limited)
- Wellspring Media (2005) (United States) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Alexian Brothers (other photos courtesy of)
- Chapin Hall Center, University of Chicago (other photos courtesy of)
- Cherry Sky Films (additional funding)
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) (funding)
- Crest National (thanks)
- Danetracks (sound design and mixing)
- Lincoln Developmental Center (other photos courtesy of)
- MacDonald and Associates (stock footage)
- MacDowell Colony (thanks)
- Matchframe Video (motion control)
- Mercy Home for Boys & Girls (other photos courtesy of)
- Mr. Big Films (also thanks)
- Nathan Lerner Foundation (special thanks)
- Pair of Hands (online editing and digital transfers)
- Rolling Rock Limited (also thanks)
- Schumacher Camera (thanks)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (other photos courtesy of)
- St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Chicago (also thanks)
- The Corporation of Yaddo (thanks)
- The Folk Art Museum (also thanks)
- The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (additional funding)
- The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (thanks)
- Zona Productions (motion control)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Henry Darger worked all his life in menial jobs in Chicago. Living alone and in poverty, he had no friends or close family. Spending all his off hours alone, he whiled away the hours working on a 15,000 page illustrated novel called The Realms of the Unreal. A stunning amalgam of religious imagery, fantasy, and heroic drama, the work was only discovered after Darger was moved to a hospital during the last days of his life. Darger also wrote journals and an autobiography. The documentary uses interviews with Darger's neighbors and narration of passages from his works, along with his illustrations, to explore the mind and work of Henry Darger.
Written by Ken Miller |
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Box Office
| Opening Weekend United States | $15,477, 26 Dec 2004 |
Did You Know?
| Soundtracks | Flash Pan Hunter (Intro) See more » |
| Quotes |
[last lines]
[end title cards] Title Card: After Darger's death in 1973, the Lerners decided to share their discovery of his work, preserving his room and its contents. Title Card: Since then, Henry Darger's work has been exhibited and collected worldwide. His art has inspired the creation of paintings, poetry, music, and works in theatre, dance, and opera. Title Card: The room was dismantled in 2000. See more » |