THE DANCER UPSTAIRS

Year: 2002
USA: Fox Searchlight
UK: Twentieth Century Fox
Cast: Javier Bardem, Juan Diego Botto, Laura Morante, Elvira Minguez, Alexandra Lencastre, Oliver Cotton, Abel Folk, Wolframio Sinue, Marie-Anne Verganza, Luis Miguel Cintra, Vivian Aguero, JoAo Emilio Almeida, Elvira Manrique, Javier Manrique, Lucas Rodriguez
Director: John Malkovich
Countries: Spain / USA
UK: 133 mins
USA Rated: R for strong violence, and for language
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and moderate, bloody violence
USA Release Date: 2 May 2003 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 6 December 2002

Synopsis

As a Latin American nation nears collapse under a highly organized terrorist movement, idealistic policeman Agustin Rejas (Javier Bardem) faces the greatest challenge of his career: to catch the mysterious guerilla leader Ezequiel (Abel Folk).

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 honourable 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 (Laura Morante), his daughter's soulfully beautiful ballet teacher. 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.

Based on Nicholas Shakespeare's adaptation of his novel of the same name, THE DANCE UPSTAIRS marks John Malkovich's feature film directorial debut.

On DVD, THE DANCER UPSTAIRS contains a commentary from John Malkovich and Javier Bardem and two fascinating featurettes - 'Journeys with John Malkovich' and a behind the scenes documentary 'Revealing The Dancer Upstairs'.

DVD EXTRAS

Certificate: 15
Running Time: 127 Minutes
DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Widescreen 16x9)
DVD Sound Quality: 5.1 Dolby
DVD Subtitles: English for the hearing impaired
DVD Features: Commentary from John Malkovich and Javier Bardem
Featurette: Sundance Channel Featurette
Journeys with John Malkovich
Featurette: Revealing The Dancer Upstairs