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Grittily downbeat Scandinavian thrillers have recently become a literary, television and cinematic phenomenon. The novelist Stieg Larsson gets much of the credit, but so too should Erik Skjoldbjærg s debut feature, which made enough of a splash in 1997 to earn itself a Hollywood remake starring Al Pacino - but, as so often, it s the original that s the best. In Tromsø, in the far north of Norway, a teenage girl is murdered by an unusually meticulous killer, and the local police decide they need expert assistance - but criminal investigator Engström (Stellan Skarsgård) quickly finds that his Swedish accent and unfamiliarity with the territory mark him as an awkward outsider. When a colleague accidentally dies during a shootout in thick fog, Engström uses this as an excuse to start tampering with evidence, a slippery slope whose psychological downside is intensified by the oppressive 24-hour daylight playing havoc with his sleep...
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: Norwegian ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN, SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Norwegian filmmaker Erik Skjoldbjжrg makes his directorial debut with the psychological police drama Insomnia. Swedish homicide detective Jonas Engstrцm (Stellan Skarsgеrd) and his partner, Erik Vik (Sverre Anker Ousdal), arrive in a small Northern Norwegian town to help the local police investigate the murder of a teenage girl. When Jonas finds the girl's backpack, he sets a trap for the killer near a remote shed. While waiting to make an ambush in the morning fog, Jonas accidentally shoots Erik. He knows it was only an accident, but he decides to keep it a secret because he could lose his job. Jonas chooses to carry on with his investigation while trying to cover up the evidence of Erik's death. Meanwhile, he's unable to get any sleep due to the constant sunlight of the Norwegian summer and his increasingly guilty conscience. His only help comes from highly intuitive local police officer Ane (Maria Bonnevie), who begins to form her own doubts about Jonas. As he continues to lose his grip on the case at hand, he becomes dangerously close to the suspects, Jon Holt (Bjшrn Floberg) and Frшya (Marianne O. Ulrichsen).
...Insomnia
...Insomnia
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A film to keep you awake!,
By Ekkelf (Fjaler, Norway) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Insomnia [1998] [DVD] (DVD)
Much of the new stylish film making from Scandinavia comes from Norway, and is often called "Norwave" to reflect this. Insomnia is an excellent example of this style. Compared to the Hollywood remake this film is darker, more forboding and more claustrophobic. The tension becomes almost palpable as the story unfolds in the relentless glare of north Norway's midnight sun, leading to the physical and mental deterioration of the main character as he leads a murder enquiry. And no, he does not have the cliched name of Dormer here! When it arrives, the ending is both climactic and believable. The result - a very satisfying film that is certain to keep the viewer's attention from beginning to end.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Norwegian Psychological Drama,
By
This review is from: Insomnia [1998] [DVD] (DVD)
An excellent psychological drama about a Swedish detective who is caught up in
a murder and then another. He and his partner are brought to this northern Norwegian town to solve a murder. A young girl has been murdered under mysterious circumstances. Solving the murder is the easy part, dealing with the rest of his team and trying to keep himself together is the most difficult. The entire film revolves around the Detective, played by Stellan Skarsgard. His life has come apart, and he is unable to control anything. He can't sleep, he can't block the sunshine from streaming into his hotel room. He falls apart slowly, and we are witness to the chaos. What is most interesting is that he is somehow able to function and is one step ahead of everyone else. This is a film of greys and shadows, and that reflects the feel of the film. We are never sure what is around the corner, and it keeps us on the edge of our seats. The film is dark noir, and the only sun is the sun that can't be blocked out. The other actors have bit parts, really, as we concentrate on the detective and his inner self trying to deal with his emotions. Highly Recommended. prisrob 04-10-11 Breaking the Waves [VHS] Zero Kelvin
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Norweigen gem,
This review is from: Insomnia [1998] [DVD] (DVD)
This is a typical example of how a good foreign movie gets messed up by Hollywood big-wigs. This a far better version than the Pacino-Williams film in 2 ways. Firstly visually the landscape is not only stunning but adds to the atmosphere of the film. Secondly, the actors fit their roles better [i thought the roles of Pacino-Williams never really worked], this gives you a much better sense of what the characters are going through and makes you feel attatched to them and therefore the film.
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