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Action thriller

The Keep (1983): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Keep (1983) movie poster

The Keep is a 1983 action thriller directed by Michael Mann, starring Ian McKellen and Scott Glenn. It is partly based on The Keep by F. Paul Wilson. It runs 1 hour 36 minutes and earned $4.2 million worldwide. Critics gave it 34 on Metacritic.

worldwide gross
$4.2M
Metascore
34
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The Keep (1983) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 36m (96 min)
Director
Michael Mann
Genres
Action , Drama , Mystery , Thriller
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Keep About?

The premise of The Keep without spoilers, adapted from The Keep by F. Paul Wilson. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In a remote Romanian castle during World War II, a weary soldier discovers a terrifying, ancient evil. A determined Nazi captain and his troops are stationed nearby, but they are not the primary threat. As the war rages, the warrior must face a powerful, malevolent force linked to the castle's dark history, realizing the true danger lies beyond human conflict.

The Keep Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • demon
  • lovecraftian
  • nazi
  • jewish man
  • jew
  • dark fantasy
  • surrealism
  • magic
  • cult film
  • based on novel
  • gothic horror
  • father daughter relationship
+38 more
  • inn
  • romania
  • fortress
  • racism
  • unconsciousness
  • year 1941
  • sex scene
  • monster
  • priest
  • courage
  • village
  • good versus evil
  • supernatural power
  • world war two
  • title spoken by character
  • motorcycle
  • greed
  • man uses a wheelchair
  • adult fairy tale
  • female nudity
  • soldier
  • nazi zombie
  • nazi occultism
  • ends with a freeze frame
  • wheelchair
  • commando
  • historian
  • citadel
  • greece
  • execution
  • villager
  • mountain pass
  • castle
  • nazi soldier
  • keep
  • looting
  • german soldier
  • 1940s
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Cast & crew

The Keep Cast

Ian McKellen leads the cast, with Scott Glenn. Directed by Michael Mann.

Ratings

The Keep Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Keep 34 on Metacritic.

Plot

The Keep Plot Summary

What happens in The Keep from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1941 Romania sits at the edge of a widening war as Operation Barbarossa unfolds to the east. A motorized Gebirgsjäger unit of the Wehrmacht, commanded by Captain Klaus Woermann, arrives at a remote and seemingly forsaken citadel known as The Keep, intent on seizing control of the strategic Dinu Pass high in the Carpathians. What begins as a routine operation quickly slips into something far more dangerous. Two soldiers, privates Lutz and Anton, dare to loot a gleaming metal icon housed within the keep’s ancient walls, and their act destabilizes the place. They awaken a spectral entity named Radu Molasar, a force that does not stay contained.

Full summary

The whole story of The Keep, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Keep Box Office

The Keep grossed $4.2 million worldwide.

1983 box office

Worldwide gross

$4.2M

US & Canada
$4.2M
Videos

The Keep Trailers & Videos

17 videos: 3 trailers, 9 clips, 3 featurettes and 2 behind-the-scenes videos.

All 17 videos
The Keep - Trailer
  • Trailer The Keep (1983) - Trailer HD 1080p
  • Trailer Vinegar Syndrome Promo Trailer
  • Clip The Keep (Michael Mann - 1983) - Molasar's Escape
  • Clip Tangerine Dream - Stormbringer (The Keep.Main Title.Best Sound Quality)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Keep?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who commands the German Gebirgsjäger unit that first occupies the keep?

Cars

Cars in The Keep

5 cars on screen, including the Sd.Kfz.222 and the Mercedes-Benz L 2000.

All 5 cars
  • Sd.Kfz.222 in The Keep Sd.Kfz.222 Minor role
  • Mercedes-Benz L 2000 in The Keep Mercedes-Benz L 2000 Minor role
  • Steyr 1500 A in The Keep Steyr 1500 A Minor role
  • unknown in The Keep unknown Minor role
Details

The Keep Also Known As

19 alternative titles, including “A Fortaleza Maldita” and “La Forteresse Noire”.

Also known as
  • A Fortaleza Maldita
  • La Forteresse Noire
  • O Guardador do Mal
  • Крепость
  • Башня
  • Die unheimliche Macht
  • The Keep - Die unheimliche Macht
  • La fortaleza maldita
  • La fortezza
  • El torreón
  • Το Οχυρό
  • Az erőd
+7 more
  • A Fortaleza Infernal
  • Twierdza
  • Pevnost
  • ザ・キープ
  • 악마의 성
  • Форт
  • 魔鬼战士堡

Seen The Keep?

FAQ

The Keep FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of The Keep, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Keep?

The Keep runs 1 hour 36 minutes (96 minutes).

When was The Keep released?

The Keep was released on December 16, 1983.

Who directed The Keep?

The Keep was directed by Michael Mann.

More films by Michael Mann

Who is in the cast of The Keep?

The Keep stars Ian McKellen and Scott Glenn.

How much did The Keep make at the box office?

The Keep grossed $4.2 million worldwide.

How is The Keep rated?

The Keep has 34 on Metacritic.

Is The Keep based on a book?

Yes. The Keep is partly adapted from The Keep by F. Paul Wilson.

Does The Keep have a post-credit scene?

No. The Keep has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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