"Riget" (1994) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

24 November 1994 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

A baptism of fear awaits you at... THE KINGDOM

Plot:

The Kingdom is the most technologically advanced hospital in Denmark, a gleaming bastion of medical science...

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Ambulance | Elevator | Doctor | Science

Awards:

16 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 35 of 40)

Udo Kier	...	Aage Krüger (4 episodes, 1994)
Ernst-Hugo Järegård	...	Helmer / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Kirsten Rolffes	...	Sigrid Drusse (4 episodes, 1994)
Holger Juul Hansen	...	Einar Moesgaard / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Søren Pilmark	...	Jørgen Krogshøj / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Ghita Nørby	...	Rigmor / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Jens Okking	...	Bulder / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Annevig Schelde Ebbe	...	Mary / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Baard Owe	...	Bondo (4 episodes, 1994)
Birgitte Raaberg	...	Judith / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Peter Mygind	...	Mogge (4 episodes, 1994)
Vita Jensen	...	Dishwasher 1 (4 episodes, 1994)
Morten Rotne Leffers	...	Dishwasher 2 (4 episodes, 1994)
Laura Christensen	...	Mona / ... (4 episodes, 1994)
Ole Boisen	...	Christian (4 episodes, 1994)
Ulrik Cold	...	Narrator (4 episodes, 1994)
Louise Fribo	...	Sanne (4 episodes, 1994)
Peter Gilsfort	...	Dishwasher 2 (4 episodes, 1994)
Søren Elung Jensen	...	Man in Top Hat (4 episodes, 1994)
Ruth Junker	...	Dishwasher 1 (4 episodes, 1994)
Søren Lenander	...	Young Man (4 episodes, 1994)
Troels Lyby	...	Hook (4 episodes, 1994)
Holger Perfort	...	Professor Ulrich (4 episodes, 1994)
Lars von Trier	...	Himself (4 episodes, 1994)
Otto Brandenburg	...	Hansen (3 episodes, 1994)
Solbjørg Højfeldt	...	Camilla (3 episodes, 1994)
Bente Eskesen	...	Night Nurse (3 episodes, 1994)
Paul Hüttel	...	Steenbæk / ... (3 episodes, 1994)
Michael Simpson	...	Man from Haiti (3 episodes, 1994)
Benny Hansen	...	Driver on the Radio (2 episodes, 1994)
Dick Kaysø	...	Security Manager (2 episodes, 1994)
Finn Nielsen	...	Madsen (2 episodes, 1994)
Else Petersen	...	Old Lady (2 episodes, 1994)
Birte Tove	...	Nurse 1 (2 episodes, 1994)
Helle Virkner	...	Mrs. Mogensen (2 episodes, 1994)

Also Known As:

The Kingdom (France) (theatrical title) (International: English title)
Geister (Germany)
Hospital der Geister - The Kingdom (Germany) (video title)
L'hôpital et ses fantômes (France)
Lars von Trier præsenterer: Riget (Denmark) (video box title)
Lars von Triers Riget I (Denmark) (DVD box title)
Riket (Sweden)

Runtime:

Canada:265 min | Denmark:280 min | USA:279 min

Country:

Denmark | France | Germany | Sweden

Language:

Danish | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M (theatrical rating) | Australia:R (DVD rating) | Singapore:M18 | New Zealand:R16 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Arte

Trivia:

The large factory-like building that Dr. Helmer surveys with his binoculars from the hospital roof is the Swedish Nuclear Power Plant at Barsebäck. Due to its proximity to Copenhagen it was a frequent source of friction between the two countries until it was shut down in 2005.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Helmer procures hot coffee, and enters the archive. Mogge returns, with Krogshøj, and they lock Helmer in - he's left standing with a cup of scalding coffee - he can't move with setting off the infra-red alarm sensors. He's left, statue-like, staring at his cup of steaming liquid. Cut to Drusse and Bulder. She says she has to perform a seance for some doctors, and tells Bulder that in 1 hour, they are to attempt to enter the archive. When they get there, they inadvertently liberate Helmer, who casts away his cup of still scalding, yet hour-old coffee.

Quotes:

Dishwasher 2: The good will cry and the evil will laugh. That's what they say!

Movie Connections:

Featured in I Lars von Triers rige - en mand og hans tv-serie (1994) (TV)

Extraordinary

Riget (The kingdom) is short for Rigshospitalet which means danish university hospital. The hospital is real, it is located in Copenhagen (the danish capital) and it is the lead university hospital in Denmark. The TV series is very real in the fact that it is filmed on location at the hospital itself

But then the reality get very bended ;-). Lars Von Trier has a superb twisted way of looking at reality that I can best compare to David Lynch.

A fun detail is that at the time Riget was on TV I was actually working at Rigshospitalet and the whole staff was watching every show laughing their guts out. Lars Von Triers humor is very much based on reality, he accurately has the capability to take the facts that are real life issues and bend them into humor and brilliant filming

The humor is very much based on Danish temporary issues and I would suspect that some of the points are lost if you are not from Denmark - but Riget can still provide an outstanding and different experience

As dane I rate this series 10/10 since it is yet the best on danish TV