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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1982
Runtime1h 37m
LanguageDutch
CertificationNR
GenresFantasy, Drama
Votes13
DirectorRaúl Ruiz
WritersRaúl Ruiz
TypeFeature Film
Rating7.0 out of 10
Cast7 credited
Also Known AsOn Top of the Whale
About On Top of the Whale
A parody of anthropology, linguistics, and cultural imperialism. The film follows an unlikely team of linguists into the wilds of an ersatz Patagonia to study the last speakers of a dying language. That language apparently consists of a single word, which therefore means everything.
Directed by Raúl Ruiz, On Top of the Whale leans on a strong ensemble — Willeke van Ammelrooy, Jean Badin, Fernando Bordeu — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about fantasy titles of 1982.
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