110: Michael Mann: The Keep (with Sean Armstrong) (Patreon)

Veteran boom operator Sean Armstrong (Hannibal, Star Trek: Discovery) returns to the podcast for the latest episode on our series on the films of Michael Mann, with the one film he prefers not to discuss, his second feature, 1983’s supernatural horror thriller The Keep.

During World War II, a Nazi regiment seizes a small Romanian town during Operation Barbarossa, their push towards conquering the Soviet Union. They discover an ancient fortress in the town that is said to contain a mysterious supernatural force that begins to kill the soldiers who dare to venture inside the sanctum. As the murderous spirit begins to take human form they realize The Keep was built not to keep people out, but to keep the vengeful monster Molasar in, as he warps the minds of mortal men to set him free to wreak havoc on mankind, in a fierce battle between various forms of good and evil.

Paramount took control of the production as the costs and the running time skyrocketed, issues compounded by the sudden death of the visual effects designer (who hadn’t told anyone what he had in mind), and after reshoots the film was dumped into cinemas at Christmas, heavily butchered by the studio, and confusing to audiences. 

Sean and I discuss what Mann had in mind, the amazing anachronistic synth score by Tangerine Dream, and the pleasures that can be found in considering a damaged work of art, one Mann will likely never revisit and restore to his intentions.

Follow Sean Armstrong on Twitter.

Trailer for The Keep (Michael Mann, 1983)