That Lars von Trier, what a character. He seems to be a big bunch of character flaws and neuroses, barely held together with tape and will power. How does he even function, much less be successful?
I'm not a huge fan of his films, but I respect his heart and courage and integrity.
I did like The Kingdom though. A Danish TV series uniquely gaining an international audience (and a Stephen King re-make), it was weird and funny and creepy. And weird.
"The Kingdom" is translated from "Riget", which is fond slang for "Rigshospitalet" (The King's Hospital), Denmark's largest hospital. Big mofo. My sister and my ex-girlfriend have both worked there.
... Thinking about it, I think what turns me off Trier's work, even to a little degree The Kingdom, is that none of it contains any really likeable characters. They are nasty people living in a nasty universe. I guess this comes from Trier's view of the world. And that's all right, and honest. But if your view doesn't match it, it's a turn-off.
TTL exclaims:
Trier is a genius. Possibly the greatest living genius of film. Is there any other director whose films have that depth of an impact? Whose films literally make you question your own sanity?
Or is there any other director who can replace the set with chalk drawings on the floor and still achieve a stronger illusion of reality than a dozen of academy award winning Hollywood directors combined?
"Nicole Kidman reportedly spent two days in bed recovering from watching Breaking the Waves, and then informed von Trier that she simply had to work with him."
Well, I guess I have to see that one. Wouldn't want to miss being bedridden for two days. :-)
(No, seriously, I'll give it a chance. Dogville didn't do it for me, though I had nothing against the stylism.)
Trier is a genius. Possibly the greatest living genius of film. Is there any other director whose films have that depth of an impact? Whose films literally make you question your own sanity?
ReplyDeleteOr is there any other director who can replace the set with chalk drawings on the floor and still achieve a stronger illusion of reality than a dozen of academy award winning Hollywood directors combined?
"Nicole Kidman reportedly spent two days in bed recovering from watching Breaking the Waves, and then informed von Trier that she simply had to work with him."
(See update)
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ReplyDeletevon Trier presents characters pushed to the brink -- and stories that haunt me for weeks, years afterward.
ReplyDeleteI am very familiar with the difficulty of enjoying films built upon characters you don't like. I've had that precise criticism of a number of films.
But I do find myself liking the characters of von Trier's films -- some of them, anyway. In spite of their massive flaws.
Dancer in the Dark and The Celebration come to mind.
I don't know if it's possible to analyze why I like these less-than-attractive characters.
Sorry, I meant to sign with my name...that last comment was me.
ReplyDeleteThe Celebration was good. It was not a Trier film, though.
ReplyDeleteOops, my mistake. It may be that Dancer in the Dark and The Idiots are the only films of his that I've seen.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I more or less agree with your assessment about likeability with The Idiots, but I thought Dancer in the Dark presented an enormously likeable (though enormously flawed) character.
For me, the movies of Wes Anderson have this issue. I loved Rushmore, which had many characters for whom I felt a certain fondness. But in his other films, especially the Royal Tennenbaums, I generally find his characters self-absorbed to a fault, and feel no sympathy for the difficulties they face.
ReplyDeleteKidman got to work with him but walked out of the theater when she saw the result.
ReplyDeletettl said...
ReplyDelete""Nicole Kidman reportedly spent two days in bed recovering from watching Breaking the Waves, and then informed von Trier that she simply had to work with him.""
So...you caught my curiosity w/this statement, ttl, because I really like NK, so, of course, I had to watch the movie to see what would cause her that much *angst* that she would be bedridden for 2 days after having watched it. After having seen the movie myself, now, I wonder if she isn't more *hyper-sensitive* than myself, because I didn't find it anymore *traumatic* than any other *love drama*. It would be interesting to find her *take* on what caused this reaction from her.
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Anon said...
"Kidman got to work with him but walked out of the theater when she saw the result."
That doesn't surprise me. She is ultra-critical of herself! I don't know, truthfully, if she is happy with any of the characters that she has played! I'm glad that she continues to push herself to play new, varying and challenging characters, though. I know she said that she didn't care for her performance in 'Australia' but I thought she was really good; a HOOT, in places, even! :-) And...she took on quite an *artsy* project (even unveiling her singing ability :-) in 'Moulin Rouge'.
I thought her best part was in To Die For. One of those performances which really transcend the part, as Travolta did in Pulp Fiction.
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