1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $4.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Sleepless
"Creepier than Jack the Ripper."
2001 1h 57m IT
😐
6.1
MID
★6.1TMDB · 264
HorrorMysteryThriller
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
An elderly and retired police detective and a young amateur sleuth team up to find a serial killer whom has resumed a killing spree in Turin, Italy after a 17-year hiatus.
“Creepier than Jack the Ripper.”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Max von Sydow
Moretti
Stefano Dionisi
Giacomo
Chiara Caselli
Gloria
Gabriele Lavia
Avv. Betti
Rossella Falk
Laura de Fabritiis
Paolo Maria Scalondro
Manni
Roberto Zibetti
Lorenzo
Roberto Accornero
Fausto
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Dario Argento
- Writers
- Carlo Lucarelli, Franco Ferrini, Dario Argento
- Languages
- English, Italian
- Countries
- Italy
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Dario Argento, shot by Ronnie Taylor. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Claudio Simonetti. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Anna Rosa Napoli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Max von Sydow and Stefano Dionisi and Chiara Caselli carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Creepier than Jack the Ripper.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Dario Argento directs. Ronnie Taylor behind the camera. Claudio Simonetti scores. Anna Rosa Napoli cuts. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in English, Italian.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $4.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.
- 4Directed by Dario Argento, shot by Ronnie Taylor. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Claudio Simonetti. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Anna Rosa Napoli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Max von Sydow and Stefano Dionisi and Chiara Caselli carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "Creepier than Jack the Ripper.".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0220827 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 15 themes, including "drowning", "police", "heart attack", "sadism".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Ronnie Taylor
- Original score
- Claudio Simonetti
- Editing
- Anna Rosa Napoli
- Production design
- Massimo Antonello Geleng
- Costume design
- Susy Mattolini
- Makeup / hair
- Massimo Gattabrusi
- VFX supervisor
- Sergio Stivaletti
- Runtime
- 117 min · 1h 57m
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $4,000,000
- Original language
- IT
- Certification (US)
- R
- IMDB
- Sleepless (2001)
Also by
Dario Argento
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Tele+
IT
Medusa Film
IT
- OP
Opera Film (II)
Key crew
- Production SecretaryCarla Alonzo
- Assistant Director TraineeRiccardo Cannone
- Second Assistant DirectorJohn Fonseca
- Camera OperatorRoberto Brega
- Production ManagerLadislao Zanin
- Steadicam OperatorGiovanni Gebbia
- Production AssistantFrancesco Beltrame
- Line ProducerTommaso Calevi
- Visual Effects SupervisorSergio Stivaletti
- Production AssistantGiorgia Pellegrini
- Second Assistant DirectorLuca Grivet Brancot
- First Assistant DirectorGiulietta Revel
- Extras CastingSara Busto
- Production AssistantGiorgio Turletti
- Second Unit DirectorMarzio Casa
- Script SupervisorFernanda Selvaggi
- DriverEmidio Prioletta
- Video Assist OperatorFrancesco Perri
- AccountantErika Taloni
- Key Hair StylistMassimo Gattabrusi
- Assistant Production DesignSabrina Dassano
- AdministrationMarcello Lanza
- AccountantMaria Rita Gagliano
- Assistant Costume DesignerPatrizia Bernardini
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- drowning
- police
- heart attack
- sadism
- italy
- insomnia
- murder
- decapitation
- serial killer
- whodunit
- corpse
- maniac
- police detective
- psycho killer
- black gloves
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical (limited)2001-08-24R
- Physical2001-12-18R
Also known as
International titles
- InsôniaBR
- NonhosonnoIT
- Sangue de InocentesPT
