"Riget" (1994) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.7/10   

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:

Doctor | Hospital | Science | Ambulance | Elevator

Awards:

16 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

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)

(more)

Series Directed by
Morten Arnfred		(4 episodes, 1994)
Lars von Trier		(4 episodes, 1994)

Series Writing credits
Tómas Gislason		(4 episodes, 1994)
Lars von Trier		(4 episodes, 1994)
Niels Vørsel		(4 episodes, 1994)

Series Produced by
Sven Abrahamsen	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Philippe Bober	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Ole Reim	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Ib Tardini	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Joachim Holbek		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Eric Kress		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Molly Marlene Stensgård		(unknown episodes)
Jacob Thuesen		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Jette Lehmann		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Bjarne Nilsson		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Birthe Lyngsøe	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Kim Olsson	....	special makeup effects (unknown episodes)
Lis Olsson	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Bo Ehrhardt	....	post-production manager (unknown episodes)
Tove Jystrup	....	post-production manager (unknown episodes)
Bo Lindkuist	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Katrine Bonfils	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Jan Iversen	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Per Kjær Jørgensen	....	set constructor (unknown episodes)
Jens Nissen	....	set constructor (unknown episodes)
Torben Bækmark Pedersen	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Søren Schwartzberg	....	assistant property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Kristian Eidnes Andersen	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Peter Christian Hansen	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Benny Jensen	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Hans Møller	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Per Streit	....	sound designer (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Niels Fly	....	special effects (unknown episodes)
Lise Mierca	....	online editor (unknown episodes)
Niels Skovgaard	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Søren Buus	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Deni Jordan	....	stunts (4 episodes, 1994)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Leif Petersen	....	grip (unknown episodes, 1994)
Henrik Dithmer	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
Henrik Harpelund	....	Steadicam operator (unknown episodes)
Kaj Larsen	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Morten Nybø	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Ole Pedersen	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
Erik Thal-Jantzen	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annelise Bailey	....	wardrobe supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Sophie Ljungblom	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Vibeke Aagaard	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
Ingrid Høybye	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Charlotte Pedersen	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
Anne-Marie Vidkjær	....	stage manager (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Arte
• Coproduction Office
• Danmarks Radio (DR)
• Greco
• Nederlandse Omroepstichting (NOS)
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne
• Sveriges Television (SVT) (Malmö)
• TV Collaboration Fund
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)
• Zentropa Entertainments

Distributors

• Danmarks Radio (DR) (1994) (Denmark) (TV)
• Camera Film (1994) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• October Films (1995) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Arte
• Arthaus Filmverleih
• Electric Parc (2004) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Forel (Taiwan) (DVD)
• Hallmark Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• ICA Projects (1997) (UK) (VHS)
• ICA Projects (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Koch Lorber Films (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2007) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Nachshon Films (1994) (Israel) (all media)
• Nederlands Omroepstichting
• PolyGram Video (1997) (Denmark) (VHS)
• SPO (2001) (Japan) (VHS)
• SPO (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• Seville Pictures (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sveriges Television (SVT) (1995) (Sweden) (TV)
• Trust Film Sales (2003) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Versus Entertainment (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (Canada) (VHS)
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

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 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Arte

Trivia:

Despite (maybe even because of) his character's Dane-detesting attitude, Ernst-Hugo Järegård became hugely popular in Denmark in the wake of Riget, and was even considered a sex symbol by many Danish women - much to his own surprise.

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:

Bondo: I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I can't prove anything.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Im Laboratorium des Doktor von Trier: Zurück zur Magie des Kinos (1998) (TV)

Cannot give this any more praise

Acclaimed director Lars Von Trier came to Riget (The Kingdom) after the failure of his film Europa (1991) and some trouble with his personal life, weather these contrasting elements had anything to do with the set up of the story of the Kingdom is unknown, but it might explain the playfulness of the film. This was the first time that von Trier would use the documentary-style approach he continued in his Dogme film The Idiots (1998) and with this project it worked wonders at enriching the source material with a certain satire. We except straight away that these bizarre occurrences are actually happening in the largest hospital in Denmark (The Kingdom of the title) and we have no reason to doubt it. As well as visual style, the characterisation is also good, Von Trier and fellow writers Tomas Gíslason and Niels Vørsel understand that we need to be interested in the characters of a TV show if we are to follow them for the duration of the series, and the characters in The Kingdom are no exception. We have at the focus of the action Dr Helmer played by the late Ernst-Hugo Järegård, a Swede with a troubled past who despises the hospital and it's practices, his recurring catchphrase "Bloody Danes" is a memorable addition to the proceedings. But more importantly is the character of Mrs Drusse (Kirsten Rolffes), the Ms Marple type character who's strange visions of the ghostly young Mary set the ball rolling. All of the actors are perfectly cast and have a great time mixing the surreal horror with the more comedic moments. Having seen both series of the Kingdom, I would say that series two is much better, perhaps because by this time we have a better grasp on the characters, but that by no way means that series one isn't just as good, let's not forget just how important a stepping stone it is. With this one Von Trier and co-director Morten Arnfred created a modern TV masterpiece. 10/10