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IMDbPro

In the Realms of the Unreal

  • 20042004
  • UnratedUnrated
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
Home Video Trailer from Wellspring
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
6 Photos
DocumentaryBiography

A documentary on Henry Darger, visionary artist, janitor, and novelist.A documentary on Henry Darger, visionary artist, janitor, and novelist.A documentary on Henry Darger, visionary artist, janitor, and novelist.

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jessica Yu
  • Writers
    • Henry Darger(writings)
    • Jessica Yu
  • Stars
    • Henry Darger
    • Dakota Fanning(voice)
    • Larry Pine(voice)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jessica Yu
  • Writers
    • Henry Darger(writings)
    • Jessica Yu
  • Stars
    • Henry Darger
    • Dakota Fanning(voice)
    • Larry Pine(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 36User reviews
    • 51Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 2 wins & 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    In the Realms of the Unreal
    Trailer 2:19
    In the Realms of the Unreal

    Photos6

    In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
    In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
    In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
    In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)
    In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Henry Darger
    • Self (photos)as Self (photos)
    Dakota Fanning
    Dakota Fanning
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    • …
    Larry Pine
    Larry Pine
    • Henry Dargeras Henry Darger
    • (voice)
    Frier McCollister
    • Additional Voiceas Additional Voice
    • (voice)
    Wally Wingert
    Wally Wingert
    • Additional Voiceas Additional Voice
    • (voice)
    Janice Hong
    • Additional Voiceas Additional Voice
    • (voice)
    Ruby McCollister
    Ruby McCollister
    • Additional Voiceas Additional Voice
    • (voice)
    Paul Robert Langdon
    • Additional Voiceas Additional Voice
    • (voice)
    Mary O'Donnell
    • Self - Neighboras Self - Neighbor
    Kiyoko Lerner
    • Self - Landladyas Self - Landlady
    Mary Rooney
    • Self - Parish Bookkeeperas Self - Parish Bookkeeper
    David Berglund
    • Self - Neighboras Self - Neighbor
    Regina Waters
    • Self - Neighboras Self - Neighbor
    Mark Waters
    • Self - Neighboras Self - Neighbor
    • Director
      • Jessica Yu
    • Writers
      • Henry Darger(writings)
      • Jessica Yu
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    Henry Darger worked all his life in menial jobs in Chicago. Living alone and in poverty, he had no friends or close family. Spending all his off hours alone, he whiled away the hours working on a 15,000 page illustrated novel called The Realms of the Unreal. A stunning amalgam of religious imagery, fantasy, and heroic drama, the work was only discovered after Darger was moved to a hospital during the last days of his life. Darger also wrote journals and an autobiography. The documentary uses interviews with Darger's neighbors and narration of passages from his works, along with his illustrations, to explore the mind and work of Henry Darger. —Ken Miller <wkmiller704@yahoo.com>
    povertyartistreclusechicago illinoisart7 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Documentary
      • Biography
    • Certificate
      • Unrated
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      [end title cards]

      Title Card: After Darger's death in 1973, the Lerners decided to share their discovery of his work, preserving his room and its contents.

      Title Card: Since then, Henry Darger's work has been exhibited and collected worldwide. His art has inspired the creation of paintings, poetry, music, and works in theatre, dance, and opera.

      Title Card: The room was dismantled in 2000.

    • Soundtracks
      Flash Pan Hunter (Intro)
      Written by Tom Waits

      Used by permission of Jalma Music (ASCAP)

    User reviews36

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A Different Kind of Beautiful Mind
    I remember hearing about Henry Darger several years ago, but the article I read back then was brief and I was disturbed by images of little girls being strangled in his art. I was eager to see a documentary that would more fully explain his art. I thought the film did a very good job of providing insight to his work - how his traumatic early life led to the themes of his obsessive artwork, how the torture of the little girls probably references his own feelings of feeling tortured in his own life, clues to why he drew penises on all his little blonde girls --"the Vivians," his basic sense of himself as an "innocent," his attempt to adopt children, how he created a secret world for himself, complete with talking to himself in different voices, etc. A much more interesting look into mental illness in some ways than the movie A Beautiful Mind.
    helpful•12
    9
    • jiffyxpop
    • May 24, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 29, 2008 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Diorama Films
      • PBS (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • In the Realms of the Unreal: The Mystery of Henry Darger
    • Filming locations
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cherry Sky Films
      • Diorama Films
      • ITVS International
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $417,120
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,477
      • Dec 26, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $417,120
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 21 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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