IMDb > The Keep (1983)
The Keep
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The Keep (1983) -- Nazis guard a citadel that harbors a dangerous force that starts wreaking havoc and death upon them, forcing an uneasy alliance with a Jewish professional who can stop it.

Overview

User Rating:
5.7/10   2,951 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 9% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Michael Mann
Writers:
F. Paul Wilson (novel)
Michael Mann (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Keep on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 December 1983 (USA) more
Tagline:
THEY WERE ALL DRAWN TO THE KEEP. The soldiers who brought death. The father and daughter fighting for life. The people who have always feared it. And the one man who knows its secret... THE KEEP Tonight, they will all face the evil.
Plot:
Nazis guard a citadel that harbors a dangerous force that starts wreaking havoc and death upon them, forcing an uneasy alliance with a Jewish professional who can stop it. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
Top Ten Underrated Films (Of All Time)
 (From FilmShaft.com. 2 September 2009, 11:15 AM, PDT)

The Keep heads for the big screen in London
 (From 24FramesPerSecond. 9 July 2009, 12:37 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
An interesting, though muddled, adaptation of F. Paul Wilson's top notch novel more (134 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Scott Glenn ... Glaeken Trismegestus

Alberta Watson ... Eva Cuza

Jürgen Prochnow ... Captain Klaus Woermann
Robert Prosky ... Father Mihail Fonescu

Gabriel Byrne ... Major Kaempffer

Ian McKellen ... Dr. Theodore Cuza

William Morgan Sheppard ... Alexandru (as Morgan Sheppard)
Royston Tickner ... Tomescu
Phillip Joseph ... Sergeant Oster
Michael Carter ... Molasar
John Vine ... Lutz
Jona Jones ... Otto

Wolf Kahler ... S.S. Adjutant
Rosalie Crutchley ... Josefia
Frederick Warder ... Border Guard #1

Bruce Payne ... Border Guard #2
David Cardy ... Alexandru's Son
John Eastham ... Alexandru's Second Son
Philip Bloomfield ... Josefia's Son
Yashaw Adem ... Carlos
Stephen Whittaker ... S.S. Commando
Lan Ruskin ... S.S. Commando
Stephen Jenn ... S.S. Commando
Benedick Blythe ... S.S. Commando

Robin Langford ... S.S. Commando
Renny Krupinski ... Wehrmacht Soldier
Peter Guinness ... Wehrmacht Soldier
Sean Baker ... Wehrmacht Soldier
Timothy Block ... Wehrmacht Soldier
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Directed by
Michael Mann 
 
Writing credits
F. Paul Wilson (novel)

Michael Mann (screenplay)

Produced by
Richard Brams .... associate producer
Colin M. Brewer .... executive producer
Theresa Curtin .... associate producer
Gene Kirkwood .... producer
Hawk Koch .... producer (as Howard W. Koch Jr.)
Gavin MacFadyen .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Christopher Franke  (as Tangerine Dream)
Edgar Froese  (as Tangerine Dream)
Johannes Schmölling  (as Tangerine Dream)
 
Cinematography by
Alex Thomson (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Dov Hoenig 
Chris Kelly 
Tony Palmer (uncredited)
 
Production Design by
John Box 
 
Art Direction by
Alan Tomkins 
Herbert Westbrook 
 
Set Decoration by
Michael Seirton 
 
Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson 
 
Makeup Department
Jan Dorman .... hairdresser
Graham Freeborn .... makeup artist
Joyce James .... hairdresser
Beryl Lerman .... makeup artist
Nick Maley .... makeup designer
Richard Mills .... makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Patrick Clayton .... production supervisor
Phil Sanderson .... post-production supervisor
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Corbett .... assistant director
Paul Madigan .... first assistant director: second unit
Callum McDougall .... third assistant director
Kieron Phipps .... second assistant director
Roger Simons .... assistant director
Vic Smith .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
George Ball .... property master
Peter Benson .... propman: floor
Albert Blackshaw .... construction manager
Denis Hopperton .... chargehand floor propman
Geoff Langley .... assistant construction manager
Kevin Phipps .... draughtsman
Jill Quertier .... production buyer
Lucy Richardson .... assistant art director
Rosalind Shingleton .... draughtswoman
Bill Stallion .... storyboard artist
Leslie Tomkins .... art director: models
Peter Wilkinson .... assistant construction manager
 
Sound Department
Campbell Askew .... footstep editor
Robin Gregory .... sound mixer
Peter Horrocks .... dialogue editor
John Iles .... consultant: dolby sound
Stephen Janisz .... assistant sound editor
Bob Jones .... dubbing mixer
Peter Pennell .... assistant sound editor
Terry Sharratt .... boom operator
Stephen Spencer .... assistant sound editor
Jeremy Strachan .... assistant dialogue editor
Graham Sutton .... assistant footsteps editor
William Trent .... sound editor (as Bill Trent)
Doug E. Turner .... sound re-recording mixer (as Doug Turner)
 
Special Effects by
Nick Allder .... special effects supervisor
Alan Bryce .... special effects technician (as Allan Bryce)
Kevin Herd .... special effects technician
Garth Inns .... special effects
John McGoldrick .... special effects technician
Melvyn Pearson .... special effects
 
Visual Effects by
Robin Browne .... visual effects supervisor
Roy Carnell .... matte camera operator
Ron Crees .... matte cameraman
Doug Ferris .... matte artist
Roy Field .... optical effects
Denis Fitzgibbons .... matte camera operator (as Denis Fitzgibbon)
John Fletcher .... visual effects focus puller
Stuart Galloway .... matte camera operator
Denis Hall .... optical effects
Jamie Harcourt .... optical camera operator
Keith Holland .... matte camera operator
John Palmer .... matte cameraman
Keith Thomas .... visual effects focus puller
John Turner .... matte camera operator (as John Turner-Grant)
Wally Veevers .... visual effects supervisor
Ken Worringham .... optical camera operator
Keith Holland .... visual effects camera operator (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Andy Bradford .... stunts
Jim Dowdall .... stunts
Tracey Eddon .... stunts
Nick Hobbs .... stunts
Alf Joint .... stunt coordinator
Doug Robinson .... stunts
Paddy Ryan .... stunts
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Atherfold .... camera grip (as Ken Atherfold)
Graham Attwood .... still photographer
Dave Clarke .... supervising electrician (as David Clarke)
Wick Finch .... electrician
Anthony Gaudioz .... focus puller (as Tony Gaudioz)
Bill Geddes .... camera grip
John Golding .... second camera operator
Arthur Lavis .... unit cinematographer
Shaun O'Dell .... camera operator
Shane O'Neill .... clapper loader
Steve Parker .... assistant camera
Peter Robinson .... focus puller
Andrew Shields .... video playback operator
Gary Spratling .... clapper loader
John Ward .... Steadicam operator
Micky Wilson .... electrician
 
Animation Department
Ann Ducommun .... assistant animator
 
Casting Department
Noel Davis .... casting: U.K.
Nancy Klopper .... casting: USA
Bonnie Timmermann .... casting: USA
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows .... costume supervisor
June Kirby .... wardrobe assistant
Ken Lawton .... wardrobe master
 
Editorial Department
Chris Kelly .... associate editor (as Christopher Kelly)
Steve Maguire .... second assistant editor
Tony Palmer .... second assistant editor
Pamela Power .... additional editor
Phil Sanderson .... first assistant editor
Andy Stears .... assistant optical editor
Adam Unger .... second assistant editor
 
Music Department
Bob Badami .... music editor
Gordon Greenaway .... assistant music editor
Laurie Anderson .... score mixer (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Julie Adams .... dialogue coach
Enki Bilal .... illustrator: demon
John Carr .... laser effects
Bryan Coates .... location manager
Vicki Deason .... production assistant (as Vicki Manning)
Ann Edwards .... continuity
Ken Goddard .... laser effects
Denise Horsham .... creature crew
Aneuryn Jones .... animal supplier: North Wales
Bob Keen .... creature crew
Doreen Landry .... unit publicist
Nick Maley .... creature designer
Nick Maley .... prosthetics designer
Andrew Mollo .... historical consultant
Josephine Olive-O'Neill .... assistant production accountant (as Josephine O'Neill)
Christine Overs .... creature crew
Richard Padbury .... creature crew
Basil Somner .... location manager
John Bernard Wall .... production accountant
Kevin Westley .... set runner
David White .... creature crew
 

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Additional Details

Runtime:
96 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Colour:
Colour (Rankcolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film is dedicated to the memory of visual effects supervisor Wally Veevers. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: The Einsatzkommondos of the SS always wore field grey Waffen-SS uniforms, not the black parade jacket with swastika armband as depicted in the film. more
Quotes:
Molasar: You have... death around you. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Directors: The Films of Michael Mann (#2.1)" (2001) more
Soundtrack:
Walking In The Air more

FAQ

Did you know that there was an original ending that followed the book more closely?
more
23 out of 31 people found the following comment useful.
An interesting, though muddled, adaptation of F. Paul Wilson's top notch novel, 9 January 2003
5/10
Author: Jonathon Dabell (barnaby.rudge@hotmail.co.uk) from Wakefield, England

The Keep is weird. It has extraordinary visuals and some powerful sequences, but a bit too much of the action is tricky to follow because the scripting is muddled and some of the dialogue is delivered in an inexpressive and unclear manner. The film is based on a book by F. Paul Wilson, which is one of my all-time favourite novels.

The action revolves around a forbidding Romanian fortress set in a hillside. It is occupied by German soldiers during WWII, but the soldiers are foolish enough to disturb some of the glowing crosses embedded into the walls. From within the keep, an ancient and powerful evil force is unleashed, and only a mysterious drifter called Glaeken (Scott Glenn) knows what it is and how to destroy it.

The scene in which the evil is released is brilliant. Two soldiers venture into the inner depths of the keep, and one is mutilated by the unseen power. Another terrifc scene involves old cripple Ian McKellen being given a new lease of youth by the evil force. There's also a beautiful and erotic love scene between Glenn and Alberta Watson. Other aspects of the film aren't so good. As mentioned, there's a lack of clarity in the story telling. Also, the final conflict between Glenn and the evil force is hasty and under-developed. The pace of the film suffers from a slow and rather uninspiring opening half-hour. However, genreally speaking, The Keep is worth watching, especially if you're a fan of the book.

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Dvd's for sale from internet stores but must be bootlegs buttleontuttle
Widescreen Laserdisc on Ebay For Sale buttleontuttle
Dvd release...have people given up? stepstonefilms
The Keep on Bluray Zbranek001
sunday 4th october 2009 angelus2002
The Keep on DVD sjemmings
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