Writer/Director: Lars von Trier
Year: 2000
Cinematographer: Robby Müller
Bjork stars in the most tragic, strange musical ever.
I admire the stories, the characters of von Trier, but I still hate his camera work.
I feel like Trier hates his audience some times, that he wants to punish us. He is a self-righteous filmmaker, and he focuses much on the evil committed against and suffered by women, even, as he seems to consistently accuse, at their own hands. He has certainly been accused of portraying only foolish women who mistakenly cause themselves unnecessary harm.
I don't know if he really has such a view of women, I tend to think he just thinks this to be a tragedy, one that all people suffer, but especially these particular female characters. They are victims of men always, but the most horrific things that happen to them come directly from their own decisions.
I speak of these films in trend because I have only so far seen: Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville, and Antichrist. There is some interesting cinematic research to be done in looking further into these characters and films.
Anyway, speaking directly to Dancer in the Dark, I like the way the music comes only as a function of Bjork's character's love for musicals, and as she is fantasizing about musical interludes in her life, we see those. For those who find Bjork's music a bit grating on the nerves, expect the same here, for she did compose the music. I can, however, suffer the music because of the way it is used vitally for the story here, and I also like how von Trier works in the music in the second half, the film is not a musical, it is about a woman who fantasizes about being in a musical.
The acting, again, is great, but the constantly moving camera drives me nuts. I know that von Trier seems to always want to deconstruct cinema in a way, to break the comfort of the audience, reminding us always "It's only a movie", but I've had enough of the stupid moving camera and zooms. I guess at times it seems to achieve a certain type of realism, as the camera is able to just be a document of great acting, however I would love to enjoy that acting, and the powerful stories he tells, with stable images at least.
Bjork stars in the most tragic, strange musical ever.
I admire the stories, the characters of von Trier, but I still hate his camera work.
I feel like Trier hates his audience some times, that he wants to punish us. He is a self-righteous filmmaker, and he focuses much on the evil committed against and suffered by women, even, as he seems to consistently accuse, at their own hands. He has certainly been accused of portraying only foolish women who mistakenly cause themselves unnecessary harm.
I don't know if he really has such a view of women, I tend to think he just thinks this to be a tragedy, one that all people suffer, but especially these particular female characters. They are victims of men always, but the most horrific things that happen to them come directly from their own decisions.
I speak of these films in trend because I have only so far seen: Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville, and Antichrist. There is some interesting cinematic research to be done in looking further into these characters and films.
Anyway, speaking directly to Dancer in the Dark, I like the way the music comes only as a function of Bjork's character's love for musicals, and as she is fantasizing about musical interludes in her life, we see those. For those who find Bjork's music a bit grating on the nerves, expect the same here, for she did compose the music. I can, however, suffer the music because of the way it is used vitally for the story here, and I also like how von Trier works in the music in the second half, the film is not a musical, it is about a woman who fantasizes about being in a musical.
The acting, again, is great, but the constantly moving camera drives me nuts. I know that von Trier seems to always want to deconstruct cinema in a way, to break the comfort of the audience, reminding us always "It's only a movie", but I've had enough of the stupid moving camera and zooms. I guess at times it seems to achieve a certain type of realism, as the camera is able to just be a document of great acting, however I would love to enjoy that acting, and the powerful stories he tells, with stable images at least.
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