I didn’t say that; Lars von Trier did about his own new movie, which had exactly the kind of scandal-courting press premiere on Sunday evening that the wily Danish bad-boy filmmaker must have hoped for. Here’s the set-up: Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg play a nameless couple mourning the death of their young son. (Oh yes indeed, we see it happen.) She’s particularly stricken; he, a psychotherapist (of a kind I wouldn’t advise hiring) tries to help her through the stages of her grief. They go to their cabin in the woods in a spot called, heh heh, "Eden." It’s hell. The woman turns into a sexually voracious, sado-masochistic monster — a she-devil. Blood spurts, bones are broken, genitals are mutilated … hellooo? Are you still with me?
(Here’s von Trier again, in an interview published in literature from the Danish Film Institute thoughtfully handed out as grown critics pushed and shoved like feral schoolboys elbowing to get into the auditorium: "My perversions, which are reflected in this film, aren’t new. Only the how of it is different. And because some of the material comes from my youth, it may be unreasonable, ecstatic. The emotions and the fears had to be pursued to the last drop of blood.")
The movie looks almost tauntingly great, of course, with von Trier’s longtime collaborator (and Slumdog Millionaire Oscar
winner) Anthony Dod Mantle as cinematographer. So it’s one
good-looking, publicity-grabbing provocation, with an overlay of
pseudo-Christian allegory thrown in to deflect a reasonable person’s
accusations of misogyny. As a kicker, the director dedicates the
picture to the memory of the great Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky
– a final flip of the bird to the Cannes audience.
And oh, how our audience took the bait! But then, there’s always at
least one film at this outsized, obstreperous, one-of-a-kind film
festival each year that’s pre-determined to freak out the
press-pass-wearing populace. Consider the crowd (including the
belligerent European gent who nearly knocked me over shoving to get
through the gate) happily, perfunctorily scandalized.
More from the Cannes Film Festival:
Lars von Trier’s Antichrist: Cannes’ scariest moment yet
Roger Ebert, A Prophet, and a trend that ought to end
Taking Woodstock = Peace and Love and Demitri Martin
Bright Star and the Scottish charms of Paul Schneider
At Cannes: Up, Tetro, and lots of balloons
The movie looks almost tauntingly great, of course, with von Trier’s longtime collaborator (and Slumdog Millionaire Oscarwinner) Anthony Dod Mantle as cinematographer. So it’s onegood-looking, publicity-grabbing provocation, with an overlay ofpseudo-Christian allegory thrown in to deflect a reasonable person’saccusations of misogyny. As a kicker, the director dedicates thepicture to the memory of the great Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky– a final flip of the bird to the Cannes audience.
And oh, how our audience took the bait! But then, there’s always atleast one film at this outsized, obstreperous, one-of-a-kind filmfestival each year that’s pre-determined to freak out thepress-pass-wearing populace. Consider the crowd (including thebelligerent European gent who nearly knocked me over shoving to getthrough the gate) happily, perfunctorily scandalized.
More from the Cannes Film Festival:
Lars von Trier’s Antichrist: Cannes’ scariest moment yet
Roger Ebert, A Prophet, and a trend that ought to end
Taking Woodstock = Peace and Love and Demitri Martin
Bright Star and the Scottish charms of Paul Schneider
At Cannes: Up, Tetro, and lots of balloons
Comments (1-22) of 22 Add your comment
I’ve only seen Europa by Lars Von Trier and didn’t like it too much. Although this film sounds…. odd, it sounds interesting. Hopefully it gets picked up and shown in the US.
Seriously EW, let’s work a bit on the spam filtering eh? 4 comments so far. 3 of them are spam.
I’d love for this film to get picked up. We need more smart and arty horror in the US.
Thank You Lisa for telling like it is with Mr Lars Von Trier and his Madonna-esque attemps of grab the audience attentions. He knows how to sell it in Europe but in USA’s critics are always weary of him and his tactics. His movies are all surface, all hype, no filler.
Well, Lars Von Trier did it agian, shocked the entire filmindustries.
I’m not surprised, I’m simply happy, ’cause he’s brilliant.
I’m from Denmark my self, and i know many thinks he’s a bit out there, but at least he’s trying something with the movieart that only few others dare.. And even fewer is from the US!
Love him, love him, and simply just love him..!
Well, Lars Von Trier did it agian, shocked the entire filmindustries.
I’m not surprised, I’m simply happy, ’cause he’s brilliant.
I’m from Denmark my self, and i know many thinks he’s a bit out there, but at least he’s trying something with the movieart that only few others dare.. And even fewer is from the US!
Love him, love him, and simply just love him..!
If you want film art, you get 90 per cent of it from Europe and that’s thanks to brillant directors such as Trier. I can’t wait to see this film, he’s one of the most creative directors out there.
Dafoe’s in it so it might get picked up in the US (if their’s any rating which will allow it). I hope it does, they could do with some Europaen inspiration…
Just stay in the USA and join the the 75% of your countrymen who do not have a passport. The world will be better off.
This movie sounds stupid. I have no interest in seeing it at all.
I kind of have a rule to see everything Willem Dafoe’s in, so I’ll definitely be seeing this. He rules in horror, too…remember “Shadow of the Vampire”? Yeah, it ruled.
“hellooo? Are you still with me? ”
No, I left a long time ago!
i would like this movie to be released in the US, IN SPECIAL THEATERS!
I think its rated R.
people saying this movie is HORROR are definitely in first grade and didn’t mature or something
looks pretty sweet and different and of course spacial.
I’m dying to see this film. I hope it gets picked up in the US and released A.S.A.P. It’s probably my most anticipated of the year. DOGVILLE was brilliant.
“As a kicker, the director dedicates the picture to the memory of the great Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky — a final flip of the bird to the Cannes audience”.
The images in the film could me seen as a “tribute” to Tarkovsky. Why is the dedication a flip of the bird?
he escaped from his sadness by making this MASTERPIECE,
Now talking about this film Its a really dark film for “Normal” audience if you like pixar and Jackie Chan comedy’s YOU ARE NOT GONNA BE ALLOWED in theaters…
I totally agree with Ryan. This stupid continent wouldn’t know good, artistic horror if it stabbed it in the gut.
In fact, there is no such thing as a good, North American horror movie anymore.
Note to Hollywood: please, please, please do not remake “Let The Right One In.”
Please.
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This stupid country called USA wouldn’t know good, artistic horror if it stabbed it in the gut.
Ignorant, stupid, naive people.
I’m European and i tend to see Hollywood movies (with some exceptions) to be entertaining movies, like going to superball and Trier’s movies (and many others good directors) like a piece of art that can be pleasing or disgusting depending on the viewers point.
Well, sports bore me to death and i find art surprising and ground-breaking. I found this movie far from a “no filler”, and yes it is emotion drainer, vicious and violent but aren´t also pain, guilt , depression , grief and madness? I see this as an exaggerated (for art proposes) portrait of a suffering humanity.
And oh, Lars doesn´t need to “sell” the movie through marketing schemes. He as a audience that likes do be provoked and shocked, he reminds hes audience that they are alive and that is only human to feel strange things.
It’s catarsis.
How was the Tarkovsky mention, flipping the bird? Have you seen Stalker? This film was clearly an ode to that film and others by Tarkovsky. And to say it was misogynist makes me wonder if you saw the same film. At worst it hates everyone, but other than that it could be termed a pro-woman film. The final scene is in one sense a searing condemnation of male patriarchy.
This is the greatest film of the year, and one of the best films of all-time. I think you got too distracted by the violence and the sex and managed to completely miss most of the film, which is kind of baffling.
Do you even love film anymore? The reaction to this film by so called film critics to this point, has been embarrassing.