: Dancer in the Dark
Author: Lars von Trier
Director: Lars von Trier
Fascinating movie, though a touch manipulative. It’s a “musical” about an immigrant worker in 1964 who’s going blind and is later set up for a murder rap. The woman is working to save money for an eye operation for her small son (so he won’t inherit the same eye disease she has). Her pitiful life is made palatable via her love for musicals, and throughout the film she has “musical dream sequences” where she imagines her life is a happy musical. Singer Bjork plays the title role and she’s excellent. The film’s disturbing and sad; unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be much of a reason for it: I felt manipulated by the writer/director. I wanted some kind of resolution, an explanation, but instead all I got was purposelessness (which can be okay, if done right — but in this case he’s set the audience up to love this character and then he kills her). Definitely worth seeing, but be prepared to be disturbed.
Topic: [/movie] |
