The Keep
“They were all drawn to the keep. Tonight, they will all face the evil.”
Synopsis
Set during World War II, a German army garrison is sent to guard a mountain pass in a village in Romania's Carpathian mountains and sets up barracks in an ancient stone fortress. Two of the soldiers unwittingly release a mysterious entity that kills or corrupts those within its influence, drawing the attention of a Gestapo commander, a Jewish scholar, and a mysterious traveller.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Vinegar Syndrome Promo TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2024-11-29
Top Cast
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Scott Glenn
Glaeken Trismegestus
Alberta Watson
Eva Cuza
Jürgen Prochnow
Captain Klaus Woermann
Robert Prosky
Father Mihail Fonescu
Gabriel Byrne
Major Kaempffer
Ian McKellen
Dr. Theodore Cuza
William Morgan Sheppard
Alexandru
Royston Tickner
Tomescu
Michael Carter
Radu Molasar
John Vine
Lutz
Wolf Kahler
S.S. Adjutant
Jona Jones
Otto
Rosalie Crutchley
Josefa
Frederick Warder
Border Guard 1
Bruce Payne
Border Guard 2
David Cardy
Alexandru's Son
John Eastham
Alexandru's Second Son
Philip Bloomfield
Josefa's Son
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 16, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 1, 1985
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$6M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$3.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.61x
-$2.3M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Michael Mann
- Screenplay & Story
- Michael Mann
- Original Score
- Christopher Franke, Edgar Froese, Johannes Schmölling
- Original Title
- The Keep
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
- Production Budget
- $6M
- Worldwide Gross
- $3.7M
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures, Associated Capital, Capital Equipment Leasing, Howard W. Koch Productions, Gene Kirkwood Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Michael Mann
Michael Mann, F. Paul Wilson
Christopher Franke, Edgar Froese, Johannes Schmölling
Alex Thomson, Arthur Lavis
Dov Hoenig
Hawk Koch, Gene Kirkwood, Colin M. Brewer
Department Leadership Roster
Michael Mann
Director
Michael Mann
Screenplay
Hawk Koch
Producer
Alex Thomson
Director of Photography
Dov Hoenig
Editor
Gene Kirkwood
Producer
Anthony Mendleson
Costume Design
Wally Veevers
Visual Effects Supervisor
John Box
Production Design
Robin Browne
Visual Effects Supervisor
Christopher Franke
Original Music Composer
Edgar Froese
Original Music Composer
Johannes Schmölling
Original Music Composer
Alf Joint
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Keep.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Keep
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Keep about?
Set during World War II, a German army garrison is sent to guard a mountain pass in a village in Romania's Carpathian mountains and sets up barracks in an ancient stone fortress. Two of the soldiers unwittingly release a mysterious entity that kills or corrupts those within its influence, drawing the attention of a Gestapo commander, a Jewish scholar, and a mysterious traveller.
Who directed The Keep?
The Keep was directed by Michael Mann.
Who stars in The Keep?
The principal cast of The Keep includes Scott Glenn, Alberta Watson, Jürgen Prochnow, Robert Prosky, Gabriel Byrne.
When was The Keep released and how long is it?
The Keep was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 1h 36m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Keep?
The Keep had a reported production budget of $6M and grossed $3.7M at the worldwide box office (0.61 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Keep?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Keep was composed by Christopher Franke, Edgar Froese, Johannes Schmölling.
Is The Keep based on a book or true story?
The Keep is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "F. Paul Wilson".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Keep?
The Keep holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).