Riget 

Doctors at an ultramodern hospital in Denmark become convinced, by way of weird, inexplicable happenings, that the place is haunted.

Stars:

Ernst-Hugo Järegård, Kirsten Rolffes, Ghita Nørby

20 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Ernst-Hugo Järegård	...	Stig Helmer 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Kirsten Rolffes	...	Sigrid Drusse 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Holger Juul Hansen	...	Einar Moesgaard / ... 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Søren Pilmark	...	Jørgen Krogshøj 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Ghita Nørby	...	Rigmor Mortensen 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Jens Okking	...	Bulder Harly Drusse 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Otto Brandenburg	...	Hansen 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Baard Owe	...	Palle Bondo 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Birgitte Raaberg	...	Judith Petersen 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Peter Mygind	...	Morten 'Mogge' Moesgaard 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Vita Jensen	...	Opvasker #1 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Morten Rotne Leffers	...	Opvasker #2 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Udo Kier	...	Age Krüger / ... 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Holger Perfort	...	Professor Ulrich 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Laura Christensen	...	Mona Jensen / ... 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Ole Boisen	...	Christian 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Ruth Junker	...	Opvasker #1 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Peter Gilsfort	...	Opvasker #2 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Ulrik Cold	...	Narrator 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Søren Elung Jensen	...	Læge 8 episodes, 1994-1997
Louise Fribo	...	Sanne 7 episodes, 1994-1997
Paul Hüttel	...	Steenbæk 7 episodes, 1994-1997
Klaus Wegener	...	Skadestuelæge 7 episodes, 1994-1997
Annette Ketscher	...	Skadestuesygeplejerske / ... 7 episodes, 1994-1997
Mette Munk Plum	...	Monas mor 7 episodes, 1994-1997
Julie Wieth	...	Sygeplejerske ved Mona / ... 6 episodes, 1994-1997
Birte Tove	...	Sygeplejerske på neurokirurgisk 6 episodes, 1994-1997
Solbjørg Højfeldt	...	Camilla 6 episodes, 1994-1997
Erik Wedersøe	...	Ole / ... 5 episodes, 1994-1997
Henning Jensen	...	Bob 5 episodes, 1994-1997
Annevig Schelde Ebbe	...	Mary Krüger 5 episodes, 1994-1997
Tomas Stender	...	Medicinstuderende / ... 5 episodes, 1994-1997
Claus Nissen	...	Jensen 5 episodes, 1994-1997
Birthe Neumann	...	Fru Svendsen / ... 4 episodes, 1997
John Hahn-Petersen	...	Nivesen 4 episodes, 1997
Søren Lenander	...	Vagt 4 episodes, 1994
Michael Simpson	...	Dyrepasser i dyrelaboratoriet / ... 4 episodes, 1994-1997
Evald Krog	...	Lillebror 4 episodes, 1997
Lise Schrøder	...	Sygeplejerske / ... 4 episodes, 1994-1997
Henrik Koefoed	...	Læge ved CTR-skanner 4 episodes, 1994
Mette Marckmann	...	Ung sygeplejerske 4 episodes, 1994
Bente Eskesen	...	Sygeplejerske på neurokirurgisk 3 episodes, 1994
Dorit Stender Petersen	...	Sygeplejerske / ... 3 episodes, 1997
Cecilie Brask	...	Kvinde i terapi 3 episodes, 1997
Benny Hansen	...	Chauffør i radioen / ... 3 episodes, 1994
Nis Bank-Mikkelsen	...	Hospitalspræst / ... 3 episodes, 1994-1997
Müslie	...	Bongo 3 episodes, 1994
Helle Virkner	...	Emma Mogensen / ... 3 episodes, 1994-1997
Lars Lunøe	...	Sundhedsminister 3 episodes, 1994-1997
Peter Hartmann	...	Flyttemand 3 episodes, 1997
Tine Miehe-Renard	...	Natsygeplejerske 3 episodes, 1997
Dick Kaysø	...	Vagtmester 2 episodes, 1994
Michelle Bjørn-Andersen	...	Børnelæge 2 episodes, 1997
Finn Nielsen	...	Madsen 2 episodes, 1994
Else Petersen	...	Patient på Ellens stue 2 episodes, 1994
Henrik Fiig	...	Trafikoffer 2 episodes, 1997
Klaus Pagh	...	Stævningsmand 2 episodes, 1997
Kim Jansson	...	Betjent Jensen 2 episodes, 1997
Thomas Bo Larsen	...	Falken 2 episodes, 1997
Claus Flygare	...	Betjent Nielsen 2 episodes, 1997
Steen Svare	...	Hospitalsansat 2 episodes, 1997
Ole Dupont	...	Læge / ... 2 episodes, 1994-1997

Storyline

The Kingdom is the most technologically advanced hospital in Denmark, a gleaming bastion of medical science. A rash of uncanny occurrences, however, begins to weaken the staff's faith in science--a phantom ambulance pulls in every night, but disappears; voices echo in the elevator shaft; and a pregnant doctor's fetus seems to be developing much faster than is natural. At the goading of a spiritualist patient, some employees work to let supernatural forces rest.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor | hospital | denmark | dishwasher | poison | 

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Taglines:

A baptism of fear awaits you at... THE KINGDOM

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

Denmark Italy Germany France Norway Sweden Netherlands

Language:

Danish Swedish

Release Date:

24 November 1994 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

The Kingdom II

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Box Office

Gross USA:

$86,133

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arte,Coproduction Office,Danmarks Radio (DR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

561 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the German-speaking markets, 'Riget' was translated into 'Hospital der Geister - The Kingdom', as a direct translation, 'Das Reich', for obvious reasons was deemed inappropriate.

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Goofs

Helmer procures hot coffee, and enters the archive. Mogge returns, with Krogshøj, and they lock Helmer in - he's left standing with a cup of scalding coffee - he can't move with setting off the infra-red alarm sensors. He's left, statue-like, staring at his cup of steaming liquid. Cut to Drusse and Bulder. She says she has to perform a seance for some doctors, and tells Bulder that in 1 hour, they are to attempt to enter the archive. When they get there, they inadvertently liberate Helmer, who casts away his cup of still scalding, yet hour-old coffee.

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Quotes

Lars von Trier: Next time, prepare to take the good with the evil.

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Alternate Versions

For the UK release, 5 seconds were cut from the fourth episode ("The Living Dead") where Rigmor shoots rats with a pistol. The footage was cut under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act of 1937, which forbids the depiction of cruelty to animals.

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Connections

Referenced in Midnight Movie Review: Halloween Horror Top 25, nr. 2: Antichrist (2010)

User Reviews

One of my favorites...

The Kingdom (Riget I) is quite simply a classic work of modern cinema. It's creepy, it's funny, it's emotional...and so much more. It grabs the viewer and does not let go until the end of each episode. Then, you want to view the next episode right away! It is like a great book which keeps you turning the pages one after another, after another...

I first saw The Kingdom on video and was blown away by the odd characters and the peculiar script of ideas. The story gets even more bizarre and twisted in Riget II, which has never been officially released in North America...but is available as an import for those interested. The full series is something I feel the urge to view again on a regular basis. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I've owned four subsequent editions on VHS and DVD. The official released 4-DVD import set from Denmark is the best, containing the full uncut versions of Riget 1 & 2.

The choice of the actors and actresses turned out perfect for the series, it is these performances that make The Kingdom work so flawlessly well. Ernst-Hugo Järegård & Kirsten Rolffes are the two most memorable roles in the series, and it is sad that they've both passed away. This is unfortunate as there would have been a Riget III to finish off the complete tales of The Kingdom, according to the words of Von Trier at least. It looks like that a Part 3 will never happen though, since two of the best leads of the project are gone forever.

The way The Kingdom was filmed has a stylish look that is very organic, believable, and creepy when it needs to be. They tried many things to get a deliberate "dirty look" for the series, and I think they hit the mark dead on.

Stephen King also happens to be a fan of The Kingdom, and is currently working on a longer North American version of the series. I've heard it will be fully over 20 hours, but that could be just a wild rumor. I am skeptical that this will work, but we'll just have to wait and see what it's like. Perhaps Part 3 of the story will finally get completed in this version. I'm sure I will always enjoy Von Trier's original the most, but it would be nice simply to know how the unfinished story of Part 3 evolves and is concluded...