The Dancer Upstairs (2002) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

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As a Latin American nation nears collapse under a highly organized terrorist movement, idealistic policeman Agustin Rejas faces the greatest challenge of his career: to catch the mysterious guerilla leader Ezequiel. The brains behind the bloody revolution that threatens to bring the government and e

Cast & Crew

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John Malkovich

Javier Bardem

Juan Diego Botto

Laura Morante

Elvira Minguez

Alexandra Lencastre

Film Details

Also Known As

Dancer Upstairs, Dancers Upstairs, The

MPAA Rating

Genre

Adaptation

Drama

Political

Thriller

Release Date

2002

Production Company

Atresmedia; Fernando Cuesta; Mr. Mudd Productions

Distribution Company

Fox Searchlight Pictures; 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; 20th Century Fox International; Cooperative Nouveau Cinema (Cnc); Fox Searchlight Pictures; Fox Searchlight Pictures; Jvc Entertainment Inc; Nuvision; Pyramide Distribution; Pyramide Films; StudioCanal; Studiocanal; Videocine

Location

Ecuador; Portugal; Spain

Technical Specs

Duration

2h 8m

Synopsis

As a Latin American nation nears collapse under a highly organized terrorist movement, idealistic policeman Agustin Rejas faces the greatest challenge of his career: to catch the mysterious guerilla leader Ezequiel. The brains behind the bloody revolution that threatens to bring the government and entire country down, Ezequiel is as elusive as Rejas' superiors are corrupt--an irony not lost on Rejas, who left a career as a lawyer to try to find "a more honorable way of practicing the law." The military's response to the brutal tactics of Ezequiel's followers is equally ferocious, creating an atmosphere of mass panic. In the midst of the chaos, Rejas finds respite in Yolanda, his daughter's soulfully beautiful ballet teacher. But she, who appears to be a shelter from the storm, may in actuality be the storm's eye. As Rejas draws nearer to the man who considers himself to be the "Fourth Flame of Communism," he and the dancer he loves will be forced to choose between love, country and self.

Director

John Malkovich

Cast

Javier Bardem

Juan Diego Botto

Laura Morante

Elvira Minguez

Alexandra Lencastre

Oliver Cotton

Luis Miguel Cintra

Javier Manrique

Abel Folk

Marie-anne Verganza

Lucas Rodriguez

Xabier Elorriaga

Natalia Dicenta

Wolframio Benavides

Ramiro Jimenez

Montserrat Astudillo

Woman In Pick-Up/Edith Pusanga

Galo Urbina

Indian #1 In Pick-Up

Jairon Flores

Indian #2 In Pick-Up

Lam Chuen

Jose Antonio Izaguirre

Isabel Prinz

Ignacio Carreno

Quesada'S Bodyguard

Benjamas Boonnak

Chinese Ambassadress

Tito Garcia

Veronica Noboa

Luis Gaspar

Steve Emerson

Carlos Carrillo

Eusebio Lazaro

Paulina Aguilar

Esteban Salazar

Shanty Policeman

German Nunez

Pachacutic Chugchilan

Santiago Carlos Vellido

Soldier #1, Rejas' Office

Diego Naranjo

Captain Montesinos

Montserrat Iglesias

Student; Radio Announcer

Celina Casari

Maribel Rivera

Ignacio Duran

Theatre Manager

Frida Torresblanco

Woman In Theatre

Ana Lozano

Lola Peno

Francisco Javier Paez

David Aguilar

Boy With A Poster

Raquel Rocha

Woman In Convertible

Alexis Rodrigues

Man In Convertible

Daniel Aguilar

Yousaf Bokhari

Radio Announcer

Natalia Tarnawiecki

Radio Announcer

Carlos Thiebaut

Radio Announcer

Kolja Blacher

Dominik Wollenweber

Javier Casado

Juanjo Guillen

Elvira Mfnguez

Crew

Cesar Abades

Special Effects Technician

Reyes Abades

Special Effects

Roberto Aguirre

Location Manager (Ecuador Crew)

Rita Alamda

Production Assistant (Portuguese Crew)

Jost Luis Alcaine

Director Of Photography

Pedro Alcalde

Music Conductor

Pocho Alvarez

Production Manager (Ecuador Crew)

Paolo Amici

Sound Effects Editor

Yul Anderson

Song Performer ("All Along The Watchtower")

Yul Anderson

Piano Arrangement ("All Along The Watchtower"), Vocals Arrangement ("All Along The Watchtower")

David Andrade

Stunt Man (Ecuador Crew)

David Andrade

Juan Aragones

"B" Camera Clapper (Portuguese Crew), "B" Camera Loader (Portuguese Crew)

Jose Arcos

Electrician (Portuguese Crew)

Paola Ardizzoni

Still Photographer

M Carmen Arellano

Production Runner (Ecuador Crew)

Marta Argerich

Song Performer ("Le Cygne (Le Carnaval Designer Animaux)")

Martha Argerich

Jaime Avellaneda

Grip (Ecuador Crew)

Jose Aviles

Props Buyer (Ecuador Crew)

Pedro Ayres

Song ("Viagens Interditas")

Inigo Bach

Grip (Madrid Crew)

Inigo Bach

Electrician (Madrid Crew)

Juan C Barahona

Production Assistant (Ecuador Crew)

Sonia Barral

Production Assistant

Mario Battistel

Katrina Bayonas

Olga Blazquez

Production Secretary

Irene Blecua

Assistant Editor

Antonio Bloch

Production Sound Mixer

Yousaf Bokhari

Yousaf Bokhari

Associate Producer

Patricia Bonet

Post-Production Assistant

Sandino Burbano

Floor Runner (Ecuador Crew)

Cesar Bustamante

Special Effects Assistant (Ecuador Crew)

M Coneicao Cabral

Production Secretary (Portuguese Crew)

Alberto Calderon

Jorge Calvo

Digital Effects (Mad Pix Company)

Italo Cameracanna

Jeremy Capilla

Wardrobe Assistant (Ecuador Crew)

Jose Carracedo

Jordi Casugas

Joao Cayatte

Assistant Director (Portuguese Crew)

Luis Chalacan

Electrician (Ecuador Crew)

Pilar Cienfuegos

3-D Artist (Mad Pix Company)

Miguel Cogolludo

Cartoon Animation (Kandor Graphics)

Ion Collar

Production Assistant (Madrid Crew)

Monica Consuegra

Stunt Performer (Madrid Crew)

Cristobal Corral

Still Photographer (Ecuador Crew)

Costa-gavras

Jose Luis Crespo

Music Score Engineer

Jose Luis Crespo

Ana Paula Cruz

Production Assistant (Portuguese Crew)

Fernando Cuesta

Sound Cable Person (Ecuador Crew)

Rodrigo Cueva

Grip (Ecuador Crew)

Lucy Da Silva

Assistant Makeup (Ecuador Crew)

Rodrigo Dacosta Leao

Song ("Viagens Interditas")

Sabina Daigeler

Costume Designer

Luis Miguel Daza

Marco De Gregory

Isaac De La Pompa

3-D Artist (Mad Pix Company)

Raquel Del Val

Wardrobe Assistant

Sergio Del Val

Stunt Performer (Madrid Crew)

Sandy Denny

Song ("Who Knows Where The Time Goes")

Enzo Di Liberto

Amr Diab

Song Performer ("Awadouni")

Victor Domingos

Military Advisor (Portuguese Crew)

Bob Dylan

Song ("All Along The Watchtower")

Jon Elicegi

Steve Emerson

Adelaide Empis

Production Manager (Portuguese Crew)

Ana Escribano

Production Assistant

Juan Faidutti

Electrician (Ecuador Crew)

Diego Falconi

3rd Assistant Director (Ecuador Crew)

Clarissa Farran

Cesar Fernandes

3rd Assistant Director (Portuguese Crew)

Antonio Fernandez

Generator Driver (Madrid Crew)

Elias Fernandez

Electrician (Madrid Crew)

Elsa Fernandez

2nd Assistant Editor

J Fernandez

Cartoon Animation (Kandor Graphics)

Jose Manuel Fernandez

Juancho Fernandez

Inferno Composition (Mad Pix Company)

Raquel Fernandez

Music Assistant

Susana Fernandez

Art Department Assistant (Madrid Crew)

Daniel Ferreira

Production Runner (Portuguese Crew)

Sara Fijo

Lily Flor

Wardrobe Assistant (Ecuador Crew)

Daniela Forn

2nd Assistant Director

Roberto Frisone

Art Director (Ecuador Crew)

Juan Carlos Fuentes

Caravan Driver (Madrid Crew)

Angel Gallardo

Arturo Garcia

Fernando Garcia

Construction Manager (Ecuador Crew)

Juan Manuel Garcia

Props Assistant (Madrid Crew)

Manolo García

Manuel Garcia

Miguel Garcia

Stunt Performer (Madrid Crew)

Diego Garrido

Rerecording Mixer

Antonello Giorgiucci

Augusto Gomes

Electrician (Portuguese Crew)

Andres Vicente Gomez

Christian Gomez

Music Coordinator

Javier Gomez

Production Assistant (Madrid Crew)

Josean Gomez

Production Supervisor (Ecuador)

Belen Goni

Assistant Accountant

Alfredo Gonzalez

Electrician (Madrid Crew)

Domingo Gonzalez

Serafin Gonzalez

Ramon Guzman

Inferno Composition (Mad Pix Company)

Lianne Halfon

Executive Producer

Julian Hernandez

Wardrobe Truck Driver (Madrid Crew)

Luis Herrera

Video Operator (Ecuador Crew)

Juan Roman Herrero

Inferno Composition (Mad Pix Company)

Rafael Hosteleria

Alberto Iglesias

Camilla-valentine Isola

Pablo Iturralde

Stand-By Propman (Ecuador Crew)

Mary Jamison

Adr Dialogue Coach

Guiselle Jaramillo

Unit Manager (Ecuador Crew)

Fernando Jimenez

Construction Manager (Ecuador Crew)

O Jimenez

Cartoon Animation (Kandor Graphics)

Ezequiel Larru

Inferno Composition (Mad Pix Company)

Lucila Lema

Quechua Coach (Ecuador Crew)

Pierre-francois Limbosch

Production Designer

Aaron Lopez

"A" Camera Clapper Loader

Alfonso Lopez

Special Effects Assistant (Ecuador Crew)

Ana Lopez

Javier Lopez

Propman (Madrid Crew)

Jose M Lopez

Stunt Performer (Madrid Crew)

Miguel Angel Lopez

Electrical Truck Driver (Madrid Crew)

Rosa M. Lopez

Seamstress (Madrid Crew)

Rui Louro

Production Supervisor (Portuguese Crew)

Ana Lozano

Sonia Lozano

Music Production Assistant

Mischa Maisky

Song Performer ("Le Cygne (Le Carnaval Designer Animaux)")

Pedro Malgheas

John Malkovich

Roberto Mancino

Production Runner (Ecuador Crew)

Ascen Marchena

Assistant Editor

Ezio Marcorin

Sound Effects Editor

D Marcos

Cartoon Animation (Kandor Graphics)

Marco Marinelli

Sound Effects Editor

Massimo Marinelli

Sound Effects Editor

Fernanda Marreiros

Cashier (Portuguese Crew)

David Martinez

1st Assistant Director

Margarita Mcdermott

Production Coordinator

Silvia Meireles

Wardrobe Assistant

Marcelo Mejia

Propman (Ecuador Crew)

Emiliano Merino

Javier Merino

Electrician (Portuguese Crew)

Victor Minguez

Production Assistant (Madrid Crew)

Miguel Molina

Electrician (Ecuador Crew)

Tito Molina

Floor Runner (Ecuador Crew)

Goyo Montero

Juan C Moreto

Electrician (Ecuador Crew)

Luis Munoz

Electrician (Portuguese Crew)

Laura Musso

Set Dresser (Madrid Crew)

Tote Navalon

"B" Camera Focus Puller

Simon Njoo

Assistant Editor

Pablo Nunez

Opticals (Story Film)

Pablo Nunez

Main And End Titles (Story Film)

Ana Maria Ormaza

"B" Camera Loader (Ecuador Crew)

Renato Ortega

Production Coordinator (Ecuador Crew)

Dimas Ortiz

2nd Assistant Editor

Marilo Osuna

Veronica Parada

Production Secretary (Ecuador Crew)

Fernando Paredes

Electrician (Ecuador Crew)

Ana Parra

Unit Manager (Madrid Crew)

Felix Pascual

Electrician (Madrid Crew)

Cristina Pastor

Assistant Editor

Jimmy Pazmino

Grip (Ecuador Crew)

R Perez

Cartoon Animation (Kandor Graphics)

Jose Pichel

Location Manager (Portuguese Crew)

Angel Planas

Stunt Coordinator (Madrid Crew)

Rui Pocas

"B" Camera Operator

Andre Principe

Production Runner (Portuguese Crew)

Daniel Quadroli

Sound Effects Editor

Jacques Raybaut

"A" Camera Operator

Jako Raybaut

Camera Operator

Victor Rodriguez

Graphic Designer (Madrid Crew)

Inaki Ros

Production Manager (Madrid Crew)

Lourdes Rosero

Assistant Art Director (Ecuador Crew)

J L Rozua

Cartoon Animation (Kandor Graphics)

Rita Rubio

3rd Assistant Director (Madrid Crew)

Camille Saint-saens

Alfredo Salazar

Video Operator (Ecuador Crew)

Ana Salazar

Wardrobe Assistant (Ecuador Crew)

Mauricio Samaniego

Floor Runner (Ecuador Crew)

Goyo Sanchez

"A" Camera Focus Puller

Nuria Sanjuan

Art Director (Madrid Crew)

Joao Filipe Santos

Electrician (Portuguese Crew)

Jose Mariano Serrano

Props Buyer (Madrid Crew)

Nicholas Shakespeare

Nicholas Shakespeare

Source Material (From Novel:"Dancer Upstairs")

M Sicilia

Cartoon Animation (Kandor Graphics)

Fernando Silva

Production Runner (Portuguese Crew)

Fernando Silva

Electrician (Portuguese Crew)

Nina Simone

Song Performer ("Who Knows Where The Time Goes")

Eva Sklar

Eve Sklar

Film Details

Also Known As

Dancer Upstairs, Dancers Upstairs, The

MPAA Rating

Genre

Adaptation

Drama

Political

Thriller

Release Date

2002

Production Company

Atresmedia; Fernando Cuesta; Mr. Mudd Productions

Distribution Company

Fox Searchlight Pictures; 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; 20th Century Fox International; Cooperative Nouveau Cinema (Cnc); Fox Searchlight Pictures; Fox Searchlight Pictures; Jvc Entertainment Inc; Nuvision; Pyramide Distribution; Pyramide Films; StudioCanal; Studiocanal; Videocine

Location

Ecuador; Portugal; Spain

Technical Specs

Duration

2h 8m

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States Spring May 2, 2003

Released in United States on Video September 23, 2003

Released in United States 2002

Released in United States January 2002

Released in United States February 2002

Released in United States September 2002

Released in United States November 2002

Released in United States July 2009

Shown at Venice International Film Festival (out of competition) August 29 - September 8, 2002.

Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (Panorama) February 6-17, 2002.

Shown at San Sebastian International Film Festival September 19-28, 2002.

Shown at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Tribute to John Malkovich) July 3-11, 2009.

Inspired by the true story of Abimael Guzman, the Peruvian guerilla leader who was captured above a Lima ballet studio.

Project previously in development at J & M Entertainment.

Feature directorial debut for actor John Malkovich.

Fox Searchlight acquired domestic distribution rights (as well as foreign rights in France and Italy) at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival for a reported $2.5 million.

Mr. Mudd Productions is John Malkovich's production company.

Released in United States Spring May 2, 2003

Released in United States on Video September 23, 2003

Released in United States 2002 (Shown at Venice International Film Festival (out of competition) August 29 - September 8, 2002.)

Released in United States January 2002 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival (Premieres) in Park City, Utah January 10-20, 2002.)

Released in United States February 2002 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (Panorama) February 6-17, 2002.)

Released in United States September 2002 (Shown at San Sebastian International Film Festival September 19-28, 2002.)

Released in United States November 2002 (Shown at AFI/Los Angeles International Film Festival (Latin Cinema Series) November 7-17, 2002.)

Released in United States July 2009 (Shown at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Tribute to John Malkovich) July 3-11, 2009.)

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