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IMDbPro

The King Is Alive

  • 20002000
  • RR
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
68,911
4,247
The King Is Alive (2000)
Theatrical Trailer from IFC Films
Play trailer1:51
1 Video
10 Photos
Drama
When a bus breaks down in the desert, the passengers decide to stage "King Lear."When a bus breaks down in the desert, the passengers decide to stage "King Lear."When a bus breaks down in the desert, the passengers decide to stage "King Lear."
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
68,911
4,247
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Kristian Levring(uncredited)
    • Writers
      • William Shakespeare(with: inspiration from "King Lear")
      • Kristian Levring
      • Anders Thomas Jensen
    • Stars
      • Miles Anderson
      • Romane Bohringer
      • David Bradley
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Kristian Levring(uncredited)
    • Writers
      • William Shakespeare(with: inspiration from "King Lear")
      • Kristian Levring
      • Anders Thomas Jensen
    • Stars
      • Miles Anderson
      • Romane Bohringer
      • David Bradley
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 28User reviews
    • 33Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations

    Videos1

    The King Is Alive
    Trailer 1:51
    The King Is Alive

    Photos10

    Bruce Davison in The King Is Alive (2000)
    Jennifer Jason Leigh in The King Is Alive (2000)
    Janet McTeer in The King Is Alive (2000)
    Jennifer Jason Leigh in The King Is Alive (2000)
    Bruce Davison in The King Is Alive (2000)
    The King Is Alive (2000)
    The King Is Alive (2000)
    The King Is Alive (2000)
    The King Is Alive (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Miles Anderson
    Miles Anderson
    • Jack
    Romane Bohringer
    Romane Bohringer
    • Catherine
    David Bradley
    David Bradley
    • Henry
    David Calder
    David Calder
    • Charles
    Bruce Davison
    Bruce Davison
    • Ray
    Brion James
    Brion James
    • Ashley
    Peter Khubeke
    • Kanana
    • (as Peter Kubheka)
    Vusi Kunene
    Vusi Kunene
    • Moses
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    • Gina
    Janet McTeer
    Janet McTeer
    • Liz
    Chris Walker
    • Paul
    Lia Williams
    Lia Williams
    • Amanda
    • Director
      • Kristian Levring(uncredited)
    • Writers
      • William Shakespeare(with: inspiration from "King Lear")
      • Kristian Levring
      • Anders Thomas Jensen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the fourth film to be made according to the Dogme 95 rules. The Dogme 95 was founded by Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen and Kristian Levring.
    • Crazy credits
      In Memoriam Brion James
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Mummy Returns/Time and Tide/Town & Country/With a Friend Like Harry... (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Sly Diva
      Written by Cliff Hewitt (as C. Hewitt)

      Courtesy of Monsoon Music

    User reviews28

    Review
    Top review
    The king may be alive -
    • but the movie is deader'n a doornail. It reminded me of "The Claim", another darling of some of our local newspaper critics. Both films are pretentious and dull, with no characters to care about, and nothing much to say. ("The Claim", I guess, is saying that if you sell your wife and baby, you'll feel bad about it later even if you've made a lot of money in the interim. Well, duhhh!) "The King is Alive" is apparently saying that bus drivers not only navigate by compass in the desert, but are stupid enough not to notice that their compasses haven't moved a fraction of an inch over several score miles. It is also saying people waiting around for rescue on the desert are going to get dirty, grow beards and get upset, which I already knew. What I didn't know, was that people in such situations will engage in amateur theatrics. Really? Okay, but so what?


    A camera placed within five inches of the character's face may be of interest to a dermatologist, but brother, dialogue and body language reveals character, not extreme close ups.

    I couldn't make it to the end of "The King is Alive". I left as soon as one of the characters, presented as thirst-crazed and exhausted before he finds the body of the would be rescuer who set off several days before, manages to stroll back to the group somehow refreshed.

    Neither film maker seems to have taken to heart the concept of shot-continuity. Come on guys, you MUST have heard of it in film-making 101. Or aren't they teaching that anymore?

    If this is Danish Dagme, I'll take Dagmar.
    helpful•10
    8
    • rulerattray
    • Nov 6, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 11, 2001 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Denmark
      • Sweden
      • Finland
      • South Africa
      • Norway
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • El rey está vivo
    • Filming locations
      • Sperrgebiet National Park, Namibia
    • Production companies
      • Newmarket Capital Group
      • Good Machine
      • Zentropa Entertainments
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $17,929
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $17,929
      • May 13, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $17,929
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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