The Dancer Upstairs (2002)

Director:

John Malkovich

Writers:

Nicholas Shakespeare (novel)
Nicholas Shakespeare (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 September 2002 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

An honest man caught in a world of intrigue, power and passion.

Plot:

A police detective in a South American country is dedicated to hunting down a revolutionary guerilla leader.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Revolutionary | Revolution | Government | Love

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Javier Bardem	...	Agustín Rejas
Juan Diego Botto	...	Sucre
Laura Morante	...	Yolanda
Elvira Mínguez	...	Llosa
Alexandra Lencastre	...	Sylvina Rejas
Oliver Cotton	...	Merino
Luís Miguel Cintra	...	Calderón
Javier Manrique	...	Clorindo
Abel Folk	...	Ezequiel / Durán
Marie-Anne Berganza	...	Laura
Lucas Rodríguez	...	Gómez
Xabier Elorriaga	...	Pascual
Natalia Dicenta	...	Marina
Wolframio Sinué	...	Santiago
Ramiro Jiménez	...	Sergeant Pisac

Also Known As:

Pasos de baile (Spain)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, and for language.

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

Spain | USA

Language:

English | Quechua | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | France:U | Germany:12 | Peru:14 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Espinho, Aveiro, Portugal

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

In the beginning of the film, one of the revolutionaries tells a checkpoint security guard that his dead dog's name is Tupac. Tupac Amaru was the last indigenous leader of the Inca people in Peru and Tupac Amaru II was the leader of the 1780s uprising in colonial day Cusco, Peru. (The late hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur is named after the latter).

Goofs:

Continuity: There is a scene were Javier (the main cop) and Yolanda are talking about judging characters, Javier has the book in his hands. One shot, the camera is on Javier then goes back to Yolanda. In between those two shots, Yolanda's position changes.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Revealing 'The Dancer Upstairs' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Awadouni

Gripping

Very closely based on Guzman and the Shining Path Maoist terrorists in Peru, this movie is compulsive viewing.

The plot is fairly standard good cop tracks down bad guys - there are no bonus points for this plot. Indeed, some of the coincidences that arise as the film goes on are the weakest link in this otherwise near-flawless movie.

There has been much talk about the violent scenes in this movie, which are many, but especially the scenes with animals. My view is that it is no more morally wrong to depict violence to animals than it is to depict violence to humans, as long as no animal (or human) is actually harmed in making the depiction. We are told that none of the animals were harmed in the making of the film (and presumably also none of the people). As far as I am concerned that is the end of that matter - the use of animals, unhamred, for this purpose is acceptable. To argue otherwise I find, frankly, daft. However, I would recommend that people who get particularly upset when violence to animals is depicted should simply avoid this movie.

Back to the movie - the acting and the cinematography are superb. It is gripping - the film is 135 minutes long which is well past my attention span unless the film is really good. This film is just that.