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The King Is Alive

Play trailer Poster for The King Is Alive R 2000 1h 48m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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61% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Stranded in the heat of a barren African desert, eleven bus-passengers shelter in the remnants of an abandoned town. As rescue grows more remote by the day and anxiety deepens, an idea emerges: why not stage a play. However the choice of King Lear only manages to plunge this disparate group of travelers into turmoil as they struggle to overcome both nature's wrath and their own morality.
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The King Is Alive

The King Is Alive

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Critics Consensus

Though the plot feels rather contrived, the ensemble acting in this Dogme 95 film is good.

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Critics Reviews

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Brandon Judell IndieWire 07/03/2014
9/10
The King is Alive interweaves the madness, the foolhardiness, the greed and the ferocity of human nature that Shakespeare depicted so brilliantly in Lear back in 1606, and shatters us again and again with its insights made refreshed. Go to Full Review Lisa Nesselson Variety 07/06/2008
:ags in the middle, growing more interesting -- if hardly more original -- only as the situation deteriorates. Go to Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out 06/24/2006
It's all very watchable, thanks to excellent performances all around... Go to Full Review Film4 07/06/2008
The endless vistas of sand that surround the forlorn settlement embody the void at the heart of its abandoned, terrified characters. Go to Full Review Jason Gorber Film Scouts 06/21/2007
A
I spent much of the movie marvelling about how the form and style of the Dogme film fit perfectly into the story, and how none of the players seemed like they were pretending, even when they were being theatrical. Go to Full Review Andy Klein New Times 06/10/2004
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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Steve D 01/31/2024 It doesn't amount to much. See more 01/30/2011 I am sure that pissing on JJ Lee wouldn't move me as much now as it did ten years ago. So, I have to reassess my views on this shit. See more 08/15/2010 a soap opera in the desert .. zzzzz See more 05/10/2010 Humans get lost in the "African" desert practicing a play while a black old man watches silently from distant. The universe's tale perhaps ? See more 11/12/2009 What an unpleasant and nasty little film. The film is a character study of human nature with a bunch of unappealing characters. You can hardly become involved in a film when everyone in it is a jerk. Very slow moving, but has some stunning visual moments. The acting is good. See more 09/15/2009 Bad Jennifer Jason Leigh!! What that women was going to her husband, with the bus driver, so pitiful. Kudos to the bus driver, for not giving in. See more Read all reviews
The King Is Alive

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Cast & Crew

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Kristian Levring

Director

Miles Anderson

Jack

Romane Bohringer

Catherine

David Bradley

Henry

David Calder

Charles

Bruce Davison

Ray

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The King Is Alive

Bruce Davison is Ray in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. David Bradley is Henry in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. Jennifer Jason Leigh is Gina in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Romane Bohringer in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. Kristian Levring directs Jennifer Jason Leigh on the set of IFC Films' The King Is Alive. Janet McTeer is Liz in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. Ray (Bruce Davison) leads a group of disparate tourists stranded in the desert in IFC Films' The King Is Alive. The King Is Alive (2000) The King Is Alive (2000) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Stranded in the heat of a barren African desert, eleven bus-passengers shelter in the remnants of an abandoned town. As rescue grows more remote by the day and anxiety deepens, an idea emerges: why not stage a play. However the choice of King Lear only manages to plunge this disparate group of travelers into turmoil as they struggle to overcome both nature's wrath and their own morality.
Director
Kristian Levring
Producer
Patricia Kruijer, Vibeke Windeløv
Screenwriter
Anders Thomas Jensen, Kristian Levring, William Shakespeare
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Good Machine, Newmarket Capital Group, Nordic Film & TV Fund
Rating
R (Language|Sexuality)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 11, 2000, Wide
Box Office (Gross USA)
$103.5K
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Surround