Naboer (2005)

Director:

Pål Sletaune

Writer:

Pål Sletaune (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 March 2005 (Norway)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Noen dører bør aldri åpnes (Some doors should never be opened)

Plot:

John has just been left by his girlfriend Ingrid. That day he allows himself to be seduced into a mystical and scary world, where it is impossible to separate truth from the lies

Plot Keywords:

Psychological Thriller | Neighbor | Rotting Corpse | Female Nudity | Leg Spreading

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Kristoffer Joner	...	John
Cecilie A. Mosli	...	Anne (as Cecilie Mosli)
Julia Schacht	...	Kim
Anna Bache-Wiig	...	Ingrid
Michael Nyqvist	...	Åke
Øystein Martinsen	...	Peter
Odd Arno Midtsjø	...	Gammel Mand
Magne Kipperrud	...	Kollega

Directed by
Pål Sletaune

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pål Sletaune		screenplay

Produced by
Anna Anthony	....	co-producer
Hans Bitsch	....	co-producer
Hugo Hagemann Føsker	....	associate producer
Marius Holst	....	executive producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	co-executive producer
Lars Jönsson	....	co-executive producer
Håkon Øverås	....	executive producer
Turid Øversveen	....	producer: Spillefilmkompaniet 4 1/2
Bent Rognlien	....	line producer
Aagot Skjeldal	....	associate producer
Pål Sletaune	....	producer
Ib Tardini	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Simon Boswell

Cinematography by
John Andreas Andersen

Film Editing by
John Andreas Andersen
Darek Hodor

Casting by
Ellen Michelsen

Production Design by
Jack Van Domburg

Set Decoration by
André Henriksen		(decorator)
Olivier Marcouiller		(decorator)
Anne Karin Omsted		(decorator)
Karen Søndrol

Costume Design by
Ingvild Eiring

Makeup Department
Veslemøy Fosse Ree	....	special makeup effects artist
Stine Monsen	....	hair stylist
Linda Sande	....	makeup supervisor
Erik Thorsen	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Bjørn Fjærestad	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Erik Settemsdal	....	assistant director

Art Department
Øyvind Grev Møgster	....	set dresser
Bjørn Grønnerud	....	carpenter
Marius Haugan	....	props
Rolf Kise	....	carpenter
Kristian Lie	....	carpenter
Kjerand Nesvik	....	graphic artist
Geir Opheim	....	construction manager
Kari Skjolden	....	property master
Åsmund Stemme	....	props
Ann-Kristin Talleraas	....	assistant decorator
Pål Tohje	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Hugo Ekornes	....	foley editor
Roy Fenstad	....	dialogue editor
Roy Fenstad	....	foley artist
Roderick Matte	....	boom operator
Gunnar W. Meidell	....	foley recordist
Hans Møller	....	boom operator
Christian Schaanning	....	sound designer
Ad Stoop	....	sound

Stunts
Jeppe Laursen	....	stunt coordinator
Trine Sneisen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Eirik Holst Aagård	....	focus puller
Kristoffer Aamot	....	clapper loader
John Andreas Andersen	....	still photographer
Agnete Brun	....	still photographer
Anders Eide	....	grip
Karsten Heidar	....	electrician
Jon Arne Jørgensen	....	best boy electric
Nicholas Messel	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cecilie Windt	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Tor-Ole Aagedal	....	negative cutter (as Thor-Ole Aagedal)
Ann Karin Aasgaard	....	negative cutter (as Ann-Karin Aasgård)
Andrzej Kiwala	....	color grader
John Robert Mariani	....	assistant editor
John Robert Mariani	....	post-production assistant
Christian Siebenherz	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Terry Davies	....	conductor
Geoff Foster	....	music mixer
Christian Schaanning	....	music editor

Other crew
Eirik Kaasa Eliassen	....	budget consultant
Ingvild Evjemo	....	production assistant
Tone Belden Haver	....	production assistant
Aslaug Konradsdottir	....	script supervisor
Linn Landewall	....	production assistant
Karl Kristian Meidell	....	assistant location manager
Christian Siebenherz	....	assistant to director
Mette Waaberg	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• 4 1/2 Film
• Columbia TriStar Nordisk Film Distributors A/S
• Memfis Film & Television (in association with)
• Norsk Filmfond (with the participation of)
• Produksjon 4 1/2
• Spillefilmkompaniet 4 1/2
• Zentropa Entertainments (in association with)

Distributors

• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (2005) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Bio Rex Distribution (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Nordisk Film Distributors A/S (2005) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Bio Rex Distribution (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• TLA Releasing (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Next Door (Denmark) (International: English title)

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

Denmark | Sweden | Norway

Language:

Norwegian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:18 | Finland:K-18 | UK:18 | Singapore:M18 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Norway:18

Filming Locations:

Jar, Norway

Company:

4 1/2 Film

Trivia:

The first Norwegian made film to get an 18 rating in 17 years in Norway. The last one to get an 18 rating before this one was Hotel St. Pauli (1988).

Soundtrack:

Athmosphere

Unusually Erotic Horror Thriller... From the Land of Black Metal

John, who has recently been left by his girlfriend, is lured into his next door neighbors' apartment. Inside he finds two women (who claim to be attractive, but this is debatable), a seduction and some of the most bizarre mind-bending you'll see in a film (Norwegian or otherwise).

For some reason this film is translated as "Next Door" when the word "naboer" means "neighbor", but I guess literal translations aren't the thing. I mean, the movie "Mark of the Devil" is originally in German and means something like "Witches Bleeding, Tortured To Death"... so, hey, I guess Americans can call movies whatever they want.

"An homage to Roman Polanski with nods to David Lynch," says Variety. I don't know enough about Polanski's work to really comment on that, but the Lynch connection is clear. There are many occasions in this film where it is unclear whether the main character is delusional or sane. Although, the difference is this: in a Lynch film, you are left to come up with your own theory, while here the situation is cleared up satisfactorily.

I really enjoyed this movie. It played out really slow, but in such a way that the "Reveal" was well-paced and we were only given enough hints to keep going along while getting hungrier for more (like a carrot on a stick). Any slower and it would have lost me, any faster and it would be a short film.

Personally, I found certain scenes to be highly erotic and incredibly sexy. This might be just me, since the scenes also contain excessive violence. Should violence be sexy? I don't know, but in this case I was rather taken by the presentation. Like "Jenifer" which I just watched, the film blends the disgusting with the beautiful -- with surprising results.

This will not appeal to everyone. The film is certainly "bizarre" and the movie is subtitled, which some will not enjoy. But if you like David Lynch or have a craving for something you're not likely to find in your average film, this is the film for you. (Note: the film is considered "horror" and has horror elements, but I'd sooner put it under "suspense".)