Upamanyu Biswas
In the horror movie, ‘Cuckoo,‘ a young girl named Gretchen finds herself enveloped in the dark secrets of a resort town hidden in the Bavarian Alps of Germany. After moving in with her estranged father and his new family, Gretchen witnesses a number of inexplicable and terrifying events in the town’s scenic locale. One key location in this regard is the Dianthus Hospital, designated as Dianthus Krankenhaus in German, where several important scenes unfold in the film. As the only medical establishment in the otherwise remote and isolated town, it plays a major role in providing aid to its inhabitants and also in the conclusion of the narrative. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Dianthus Krankenhaus is a Fictional Hospital With Narrative Importance
Dianthus Krankenhaus in ‘Cuckoo’ is a fictional hospital conceived by director Tilman Singer, who also penned the screenplay. The hospital first makes an appearance when an unknown hooded woman chases a terrified Gretchen through the dark streets of the resort town. Subsequently, to escape her grasp, the young girl flees into the hospital’s interiors right before the terrifying creature can get its hands on her. It is also the place where the final showdown of the movie takes place. With the fate of Alma, Gretchen, Henry, and Herr König hanging in the balance, the hospital becomes ground zero for a major battle between the different groups.
At different times throughout the narrative, it is depicted that Herr König, the enigmatic owner of the Alpschatten Resort, runs the various operations in and around the small town. As such, the hospital employs doctors who carry out the bidding of König, while being embroiled in a much deeper and darker conspiracy altogether. Earlier in the narrative, Gretchen and Ed survive a car crash that leaves them injured in the hospital facility. The protagonist familiarizes herself with the halls of the place, which helps her navigate through its corridors in the final scene. Ultimately, it is a modest operation tasked with providing emergency care for the town’s meager population and visiting tourists. It is also pivotal to the protagonist as it saves her life.
As ‘Cuckoo’ was primarily lensed in the Germanic states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Hessen, filming for the scenes featuring Dianthus Krankenhaus were likely shot in a preexisting establishment that was remodeled for the purpose of the movie. Although it contributes significantly as a backdrop in various scenes, the hospital is ultimately a made-up place confined to the realms of fiction.
Read More: Where was Cuckoo Filmed?
