Principal Photography Completed in Dublin, Ireland, October 2003

 

A very dark romance.

 

A dark and eerily beautiful story of erotic obsession and madness, seen through the eyes of psychiatrist Peter Cleave. In the summer of 1959 Stella Raphael joins her psychiatrist husband, Max, at his new posting: a maximum-security hospital for the criminally insane. Gorgeous and headstrong, Stella soon falls under the spell of Edgar Stark, a brilliant and charismatic sculptor who has been confined to the hospital after murdering his wife in a psychotic rage. Stella's awareness of Edgar's crime does not diminish the volcanic attraction that ensues: a passion that will consume Stella's sanity and destroy her and those who love her.

Ian McKellen stars as Dr Peter Cleave in the film directed by David Mackenzie (Young Adam) based on the novel by Patrick McGrath (Spider).  Also starring Natasha Richardson (Maid in Manhattan), Marton Csokas (The Lord of the Rings), and Hugh Bonneville (Iris).

Buy the book online

ASYLUM Study Guide

 

Home Page

Special Features include What's New, Search, Table of Contents, and More
Questions or comments regarding this website: webmaster@mckellen.com.  Journalists, please register in our Media Lounge.
Trademark ® Copyright © 1997-2004 by Sir Ian McKellen. All rights reserved. Do not copy or redistribute in any form.