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Is there another film also about theater inside an insane asylum?

posted 12 years ago by ZombieTongue
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Do you know of another film also about theater inside an insane asylum?

I have been trying to find info about another film set inside an asylum (or similar location where people are essentially detained) where they participate in a theatrical production. It has been quite a while since I read about the film, so my memory is pretty faded.

I do remember that it was not a documentary and I think that it was South American (like Brazil or Argentina). Maybe it was not South American, but I am pretty sure it was not an English language film.

It definitely was not a comedy but might have some comedic stuff in it. I am not sure about release date either. I'd say 70s at the earliest early 2000s at the latest.

Sorry that I cannot remember any more. It's driving me crazy that I cannot remember anything else and that all of the searches I've tried have not helped.

I'd appreciate any help
Thanks

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[–] Benedict_Cumberbatch 12 years ago

"Kiss of the Spider Woman" (1985) is a Brazilian co-production set in a prison, which gave William Hurt the Oscar.

And there's Philip Kaufman's "Marquis for the masses" movie, QUILLS (2000), with Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Michael Caine and Joaquin Phoenix. But these are probably not what you're looking for... I'm afraid.

"Live on, love all, and let live" - River Phoenix.

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[–] bradjanet 12 years ago

The Australian film "Cosi" is worth seeking out ... it is about the inmates of a psychiatric hospital putting on a sort of version of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutti ... it's a very sweet movie, with some bite.

But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.

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[–] ZombieTongue 12 years ago

Interesting. The story does match, but certainly not what I was looking for. Thanks though. I will check it out as well.

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[–] nocomputer1962 10 years ago

How about Weeds (1987) starring Nick Nolte? If memory serves, it is set in a prison.

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[–] LuciaJoyce 12 years ago

There's this: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0257497/ and then there's this: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383028/

--
I should warn you -- he's a Fourierist.

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[–] ZombieTongue 10 years ago

Hi thanks for the reply.

Neither of these films are the one I am looking for:
La Commune (Paris, 1871) (www.imdb.com/title/tt0257497)
Synecdoche, New York (www.imdb.com/title/tt0383028)

I hadn't heard of La Commue before but it seems interesting. I'll check it out when I get the chance.
I saw Synecdoche NY several years ago and liked it.

Thanks for trying to help

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[–] nwar 10 years ago

Is it possible you're conflating the plots of more than one movie together? I do that all the time. Another good insane asylum film with theater elements is The Ninth Configuration (1980).

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[–] ZombieTongue 10 years ago

Yeah I'm sure it was only one movie but that I just didn't have enough info to remember too much about it. I did not see the film but came across its IMDB page and saw the poster a few years ago. Frustrating though because I can't really explain the poster. There is an image in my mind but not too many details. I mean "There's a guy's face on it" doesn't really help that much.

But in terms of country of origin and language spoken, that one I am not sure about. I think either South American or European but still no certain.

Thanks for pointing out Ninth Configuration though. I will check it out when I can :)

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[–] eblafferty 11 years ago

ZombieTongue: Many years ago there was a film by Frederick Weis(s?) called Titicut Follies that was set in an asylum in New England, but that may have been a documentary intended to expose practices and conditions in a mental hospital.

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[–] ZombieTongue 10 years ago

Thanks for pointing out that Wiseman documentary. Not what I was looking for but still looks good. I remember seeing his documentary High School back in film school. Thanks again

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[–] ZombieTongue 10 years ago

Another idea is The Mansion of Madness (1973) though the poster is not the same film I saw listed on IMDB back when started thread.

"The inmates of an insane asylum take over the institution, imprison the doctors and staff, and then put into play their own ideas of how the place should be run."

I don't think there is any theater, but it says "put into play" and perhaps I misread and thought were putting on a play. I hope it is not the right movie.

I'll still be on the lookout for the film whose poster is vaguely in my head.

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[–] bransonch-1 10 years ago

Maybe try King of Hearts from the same period roughly. Insane asylum...check. Theatrical tone...check.

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[–] ZombieTongue 10 years ago

Thanks for that idea. I saw that film when I was much younger. So not what I am looking for. It has been years since I saw it though so I should see it again someday.

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[–] Yasujiro60 10 years ago

Are you thinking of Man of La Mancha?

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[–] bradjanet 8 years ago

i know this answer is years late, but the Italian movie,"Caesar Must Die" concerns a production of Julius Caesar by real high-security prisoners.

But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.

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[–] ZombieTongue 8 years ago

Thanks. I watched Caesar Must Die in 2015. I really liked it.

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[–] bradjanet 8 years ago

Yay !... so did I.

But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.

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[–] persistenceofvision 8 years ago

Highly unlikely that you're thinking of this movie, but there's Aria (1987), a movie with multiple directors - the segment directed by Robert Altman is about eighteenth-century asylum inmates being taken to a theatre and watching a performance

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[–] lindatwaikiki 8 years ago

I just watched Marat/Sade on Turner Classic Movies, and it reminded me of Six Characters in Search of an Author, filmed by BBC in 1992. About theater, check. Inside an insane asylum, no, but it has a manic feel to it.

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[–] ZombieTongue 8 years ago

Thanks for sharing

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