The Green Butchers (2003)

2 Danish friends are tired of their employer and open their own butcher shop. An electrician accidentally dies in the freezer and he's sold as marinated chicken and business picks up. What happens when they run out of "chicken"?

Director:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Writer:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Stars:

Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Mads Mikkelsen, Line Kruse

7 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Bjarne / Eigil
Mads Mikkelsen	...	Svend
Line Kruse	...	Astrid
Ole Thestrup	...	Holger
Bodil Jørgensen	...	Tina
Aksel Erhardtsen	...	Pastor Villumsen (as Aksel Erhardsen)
Lily Weiding	...	Fru Juhl
Nicolas Bro	...	Hus Hans
Camilla Bendix	...	Beate
Elsebeth Steentoft	...	Ingrid Grith
Kjeld Nørgaard	...	Leif Larsen (as Keld Nørgaard)
Peter Reichhardt	...	Levnedsmiddelkontrollen
Kristian Halken	...	Levnedsmiddelkontrollen
Lars Ranthe	...	Levnedsmiddelkontrollen
Mikkel Vadsholt	...	Elektriker

Storyline

Svend and Bjarne work for a butcher in a small Danish town. Fed up with their boss' arrogance, they decide to start their own butcher shop. After dismal beginnings, an unfortunate accident happens which coincides with a large order of meat. One hasty decision leads to another and soon the business thrives. In the meantime, Bjarne has to deal with his twin brother who has been in coma for years following a gruesome car accident.

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Plot Keywords:

flesh | butcher | meat | cannibalism | cold storage room | 

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Taglines:

You never forget the taste of human flesh

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, disturbing images and drug use

Details

Country:

Denmark

Language:

Danish

Release Date:

21 March 2003 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Les bouchers verts

Filming Locations:

Det Danske Filmstudie, Lyngby, Sjælland, Denmark

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,483, 12 December 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,483, 12 December 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

M&M Productions, TV2 Danmark

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 95 min (Ontario)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Svend: I don't feel like seeing a lot of people right now.
Bjarne: Then don't go into the cooler.

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Connections

Referenced in De grønne slagtere - en virkelig god marinade (2003)

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Soundtracks

Ewig war ich
from "Siegfried"
Written by Richard Wagner (as Ricard Wagner)
Sonoton Music GmbH

User Reviews

Serious comedy

The art of the absurd is alive and thriving in current Danish cinema! Well, at least it is in this movie. Nobody in this movie are amused. They are all either annoyed or shocked, and if they aren't yet, they soon will be! It is a story of screw-ups, murder, embarrassment, dignity, and, in the end, love and redemption. The chilling, awkward humorous style is idiomatic and won't appeal to everyone, but personally I found it to have just the right fascinating mix of the bizarre and the absurd. You pity the characters from a distance, even as you dislike them up close and personal. But their story is so tragic that you find it in yourself to forgive them and be happy for them, even when they get away with murder.

This is, in my judgment, definitely the best Danish movie of the last few years.

9 out of 10.