Insomnia (1997)

In a Norwegian city with a 24-hour daylight cycle a Swedish murder investigator has been brought in on a special case. Sleep deprived, he makes a horrible mistake which is discovered by the killer he has been hunting.

Director:

Erik Skjoldbjærg

Writers:

Nikolaj Frobenius (screenplay), Erik Skjoldbjærg (screenplay)

Stars:

Stellan Skarsgård, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Maria Mathiesen

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Maria Mathiesen	...	Tanja Lorentzen
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Jonas Engström
Sverre Anker Ousdal	...	Erik Vik
Gisken Armand	...	Hilde Hagen
Kristian Figenschow	...	Arne Zakariassen (as Kristian Fr. Figenschow)
Thor Michael Aamodt	...	Tom Engen
Frode Rasmussen	...	Chief of Police
Bjørn Moan	...	Eilert
Maria Bonnevie	...	Ane
Marianne O. Ulrichsen	...	Frøya
Bjørn Floberg	...	Jon Holt

Storyline

In a Norwegian city with a 24-hour daylight cycle, a Swedish murder investigator is brought in to find an elusive killer. But when the officer accidentally kills his own partner and covers it up, a double sided game of cat-and-mouse ensues.

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Plot Keywords:

fog | accidental shooting | hallucination | detective | northern norway | 

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Taglines:

Den som synder, sover ikke. [He who sins, does not sleep.]

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Insomnia homepage

Country:

Norway

Language:

Norwegian Swedish

Release Date:

29 May 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bezsennosc

Filming Locations:

Nyksund, Norway

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,366, 31 May 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$221,173, 13 December 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Norsk Film, Nordic Screen Production AS, Norsk Filminstitutt

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #47.

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Goofs

Tanja's right eye twitches during the autopsy when Jonas fingers are near it.

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Connections

Featured in Erik Skjoldbjærg and Stellan Skarsgard on 'Insomnia' (2014)

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Soundtracks

Abby Road
Music by Stephen Loveday/Darren Loveday
Published by Music House/EMI Music Services

User Reviews

A thriller with a twist

Erik Skjoldbjaerg's 1997 film 'Insomnia' starring Stellan Skarsgard is a fine example of the rich films being offered by the foreign film market. Skarsgard plays Jonas Engstrom, a disgraced detective who, with his partner, travels to Norway to help a small town solve the murder of a 17-year-old girl. Due to the atmospheric conditions (there is 24 hour sunshine) and recent events, Engstrom is suffering from a severe bout of insomnia, which is causing problems with his work and psyche.

Not having seen Christopher Nolan's remake, I didn't know what to expect from the story, so I was pleasantly surprised by the unconventional progression of the storyline and the various twists within the script. I have only seen Skarsgard in a couple of films, but he is always fantastic, as he is in this film as well. There are few actors who can keep a straight face, yet still manage to convey complex emotion, and Skarsgard is one of them. He walked through his scenes with a somberness that is reminiscent of most M. Knight Shymalan heroes; powerful, yet weary. Skjoldbjaergs's direction is absolutely beautiful. The colors are quite sharp, and most scenes are expertly framed – most would make gorgeous still frames.

I plan to see the remake of 'Insomnia' eventually, but whether you have seen it or not, I would recommend catching the film that inspired it. 7/10.

--Shelly