Die Stadt der Blinden (2008)

A city is ravaged by an epidemic of instant "white blindness". Those first afflicted are quarantined by the authorities in an abandoned mental hospital where the newly created "society of ... See full summary »

Director:

Fernando Meirelles

Writers:

José Saramago (novel), Don McKellar (screenplay)

Stars:

Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Gael García Bernal

15 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yûsuke Iseya	...	First Blind Man
Jason Bermingham	...	Driver #1
Eduardo Semerjian	...	Concerned Pedestrian #1
Don McKellar	...	Thief
Ciça Meirelles	...	Driver #2
Antônio Fragoso	...	Concerned Pedestrian #2
Lilian Blanc	...	Concerned Pedestrian #3
Douglas Silva	...	Onlooker #1
Daniel Zettel	...	Onlooker #2
Yoshino Kimura	...	First Blind Man's Wife
Joe Pingue	...	Taxi Driver
Susan Coyne	...	Receptionist
Fabiana Gugli	...	Mother of the Boy
Mitchell Nye	...	Boy
Danny Glover	...	Man with Black Eye Patch

Storyline

A city is ravaged by an epidemic of instant "white blindness". Those first afflicted are quarantined by the authorities in an abandoned mental hospital where the newly created "society of the blind" quickly breaks down. Criminals and the physically powerful prey upon the weak, hoarding the meager food rations and committing horrific acts. There is, however, one eyewitness to the nightmare. A woman whose sight is unaffected by the plague follows her afflicted husband to quarantine. There, keeping her sight a secret, she guides seven strangers who have become, in essence, a family. She leads them out of quarantine and onto the ravaged streets of the city, which has seen all vestiges of civilization crumble.

---

Plot Keywords:

blindness | hospital | quarantine | epidemic | pubic hair | 

---

Taglines:

You'll never see it coming

---

Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence including sexual assaults, language and sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Ensaio Official site [Brazil] Miramax [United States]

Country:

Canada Brazil Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Stadt der Blinden

Filming Locations:

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,950,260 (USA) (3 October 2008)

Gross:

$3,073,392 (USA) (10 October 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rhombus Media, O2 Filmes, Bee Vine Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The screenplay for this film was featured in the 2007 Blacklist; a list of the "most liked" unmade scripts of the year.

---

Goofs

When the Doctor's wife is boiling water, there should not be any sound, because the kettle does not have a whistle cap on it.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
First Blind Man: I'm blind.

---

Connections

Referenced in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Episode #7.141 (2009)

---

Soundtracks

The Hexagrams
Written by Marco Antônio Guimarães
(c) 1993 Uakti Music - Used by Permission
Performed by Marco Antônio Guimarães (as Uakti)
Provided courtesy of Decca Label Group

User Reviews

Intense, slow, gritty, powerful and methodic

I expected an over-the-top action flick, a-la Mad Max style or I Am Legend style. This movie was much slower, much dirtier, and more real. It was more like the BOOK "I Am Legend." The point of the flick was the human element and not the action. It was great.

Having said that, I should have waited to rent it. The audience sitting around me was not intelligent enough to appreciate it -- nor intelligent enough to shut up during the movie. Their chattiness seemed to be born out of boredom. Shame.

I wondered how the movie would end. And at 2 hours long I had plenty of time to think about it. I could not guess it. Perhaps someone smarter, or who thinks in more obvious terms could have guessed it. But I was surprised by it. And it really leaves you thinking. That is, if you were thinking during the movie up to that point.

This movie is dirty to watch and will leave you feeling dirty. In a very adult, intelligent, thought-provoking manner. I write few reviews. This movie moved me to write a review.