shipherd Review of The King Is Alive

The King Is Alive (2000)

A busload of European tourists, stranded in a deserted mining town in an African desert, attempt to perform Shakespeare's KING LEAR as they struggle to survive and stay sane.

[13 July 2003]

I was inspired to write this because the other review was so dismissive of the film. The set-up may be contrived, but I found Levring's film compelling, visually inventive, richly atmospheric, and often surprising. The relationships among the characters drew me in and the performances were gripping. All told, the film provides an inspiring example of the Dogma approach to filmmaking that ventures beyond the formulaic Hollywood mold. Props to Levring and the actors!