A group of people start a business where they impersonate the recently deceased in order to help their clients through the grieving process.A group of people start a business where they impersonate the recently deceased in order to help their clients through the grieving process.A group of people start a business where they impersonate the recently deceased in order to help their clients through the grieving process.
- Awards
- 5 wins & 7 nominations total
- Lamp Shop Owner
- (as Efthymis Filippou)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaEfthymis Filippou, screenwriter, had to step in as the "owner of the lighting shop" two days before shooting of the film started.
- Quotes
Stretcher-bearer: [speaking to the nurse] We're going to do a test. I'm going to use this object. If it doesn't change colour and stays white, then it automatically means you are competent and reliable, and can stay in our group. If it changes colour, there are two possibilities. First, it might turn blue. If it turns blue, then it automatically means that you are competent, but unreliable. Therefore? There's no therefore. It doesn't really matter if it turns blue. It's just something I said. The second and worst possible outcome is for this club to turn red. Which means automatically that you are too unreliable to and too incompetent to stay with us. Let's see.
[He stares at the club for a long time. Its color does not change. Suddenly, he hits her over the head with the club]
Stretcher-bearer: It changed. It turned red. I'm afraid you'll have to go.
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Venice Film Festival 2011 (2011)
- SoundtracksPopcorn
Written by Gershon Kingsley
Performed by Marsheaux
Under license from Boune Co/D-Version Music Publishing Ltd & Undo Records
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, 'Alps' is a movie both intriguing and frustrating. Lanthimos and co-writer Efthymis Filippou have come up with a genius conceit, which they then fail to explore as interestingly or as deeply as they could have. The narrative has surprisingly little emotional weight, constantly flirting around the edges of greatness but never quite making it. Scenes where the Alps members pose as the deceased initially have promise, but because Lanthimos and Filippou don't allow their characters to display any emotions; they ultimately have limited impact.
How can you create a meaningful film about grief when you don't allow any of your characters to grieve, or emote in any way? Additionally, there are numerous protracted silences in the film which- because of the aforementioned emotional frigidity of the characters- seem unnecessarily drawn out rather than intelligently introspective. Also, the sub-plot involving the gymnast and her coach, while entertaining, seems out of place in the grand scheme of things. It has no bearing on the main story; making one wonder whether or not it was included just to pad out the running time.
What was Lanthimos trying to say with 'Alps,' exactly? Some postulate the film may be an analogy about groupthink, while others claim it is some sort of capitalist cultural critique. The director himself has stated that "Alps is about a person who tries to enter a fabricated world," which doesn't really go a long way to explaining his intended meaning behind it. Ultimately, whatever message was at the core of 'Alps' is one so obscured by the confounding coldness of Lanthimos's approach that it's likely lost forever (on this viewer, anyway).
Having said that, there is a lot to praise about 'Alps.' Christos Voudouris's muted cinematography is attractive, lending to the proceedings a stark atmosphere that matches the narrative's dispassionate tone. His composition is frequently inspired, and some of his shots linger in the mind long after the credits have rolled. The story features much bizarre, dark humor that works well, and the cast are all great. Angeliki Papoulia and Johnny Vekris particularly impress as the nurse and the coach, respectively, turning in memorable performances despite Lanthimos and Filippou's scant characterization.
Yorgos Lanthimos's 'Alps' is a cold, calculated conundrum. As a complete package, it doesn't really work- though it contains scenes of power and moments of interest. Strikingly shot by Christos Voudouris, and routinely well-acted; it is not the creative and technical travesty some claim it to be. This is not to say it is a masterpiece either, for it is very far from that. Though Lanthimos has made much better films- 'Dogtooth' or 'The Lobster' come to mind- 'Alps' is certainly worth seeing; if only so you know you haven't missed the director's magnum opus.
- reelreviewsandrecommendations
- Jan 18, 2023
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Alpler
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- €97,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $16,057
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,628
- Jul 15, 2012
- Gross worldwide
- $233,222
- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1