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The Kingdom (Riget)

The Kingdom (Riget)

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Splendid!
Review: Yes, splendid, splendid film about a bunch of encentrics who work at a Danish hospital called The Kingdom. I enjoyed the wry and offbeat humor. This film feels like a satire on soap operas and on David Lynch's work. For more info on how to get The Kingdom 2. Contact riget@webtv.net

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Over-rated
Review: Not a bad TV series (because of its taboo-breaking nature, it'd never play in the States!), but the pacing starts to break down in the 2nd part. Also, the patronizing use of mentally-handicapped actors as kind of a Greek chorus starts to wear thin. An interesting story that never quite comes to a boil...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A left hand job by Lars von Trier
Review: This is the first of two series. Trier made this because he was bored, and he said that he made it with the right hand on the back. The next serie he promised to make with both hands tied on the back. Are you looking for a deeper meaning in the film? There is no deep meaning, just for fun. The both series became very popular in Scandinavia.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A Bore... Don't believe the hype!
Review: Well, I had HIGH hopes for this turkey. Being a BIG fan of surreal (sometimes completely incomprehensible) filmmaking, I was excited by the reviews. But what I was treated to was a complete bore. For almost TWO HOURS absolutely nothing happens. Doctors walk around in a hospital. Walk doctors, walk. Doctors argue. Argue, doctors, argue. People talk. Talk, people talk. The only remotely bizarre thing that happens in the first two hours is you hear a the ghost (you don't even SEE the ghost!) of a girl crying in an elevator, and you see a dismembered head. Wow. People have said this is a crazy film, like none you will ever see. Bull. These people obviously haven't seen the films of Jodorowsky ("Holy Mountain" and "El Topo" are MUCH more interesting and bizarre than this) or Lynch (this has got nothing on "Eraserhead" or even "Blue Velvet). As for the much acclaimed visual style, well, that's probably the film's saving grace. If it weren't for this, I would easily have given the film one star. The film looks very distinctive, with a washed out, dirty brown look, and a documentary-esque shaky cam. It really is striking. But so what? The french film "Delicatessen" certainly used this similar process to much better effect (the film actually had a good pace and some striking ideas). Please, this movie is a bore. If you are interested in one-of-a-kind filmmaking that is bizarre and wild, check out "El Topo", "Holy Mountain", "Eraserhead", any of Seijun Suzuki's films, or any of Jean Rollin's sensual and surreal vampire films. Do yourself a favor and skip this garbage. Use your four hours for doing yard work.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: LARS! LARS! WHAT HAST THOU WROUGHT!
Review: Actually, I'd give it 4.75 stars. The last, say, half-hour or so isn't nearly as inventive as the first four, and the ending is a real letdown if you don't know there's a "Kingdom II" (I didn't the first time I saw this).

But, oh, those first four...!

I got my first hit of the cinematic drug that is "The Kingdom" with a large audience at the glorious Detroit Film Theatre. We cackled and howled all the way through it, but I had to leave a light on when I went to bed that night. First time I've ever seen a horror/comedy that united those two reactions so seamlessly.

At first, I didn't know what to make of the quasi-documentary look (washed-out & grainy picture, jerky camera, jump cuts, etc.), but I got used to it very quickly and it became a key part of the atmosphere. As my friend noted, it feels kinda like you're watching things you're not supposed to see, shot secretly with a hidden camera and smuggled out of the hospital. (Of course, he also kept bellowing, "Lars! Oh, Lars! What hast thou wrought! " after it was over, so I don't know if you want to listen to him.)

I should also note that the Dishwasher Chorus really irritated me the first time, but I've grown fond of the pair on subsequent viewings. Anyone else have similar feelings?

Watch it in the right frame of mind, and it could drive you stark raving mad. If that sounds like a compliment to you, this is your kind of movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Kingdom continues!
Review: In my opinion, Lars von Trier is probably the most inventive European director since Godard. Contact me at riget@webtv.net for information on how to buy a copy of THE KINGDOM 2!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I hate TV...and loved this
Review: Just to add to the groundswell, this is a terrific watch (tv?movie?). The Twin Peaks references are deserved (loved that too), and I'm glad to see someone providing information on Pt.2, as the moment part one ended I went into withdrawals! If you like a challenge, something different, the unusual, treat yourself to this. Wonderful

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A great thriller
Review: Nothing can prepare you for the originality and brilliance of this film. It's amazing to learn this was made for television.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This ain't no Danish Scum!
Review: This is a superb Danish film. A treasure box filled with excitement, scares and laughter! The director, Lars does it again with The Kingdom 2 and if you contact me at my email, I can give you info how you can obtain your own copy of The Kingdom 2!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: What Great Fun!
Review: I've just caught on to "The Kingdom," a wonderfully demented horror-comedy. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoyed the first 7 episodes of "Twin Peaks" and has had it up to here with ER." However, I'm wondering about "The Kingdom II." Does anyone know if it's on video? If not, why not? Are there any plans to release it? It would seem to me to be a natural.


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