Customer Reviews

Dancer in the Dark

5 star:		(196)
4 star:		(58)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(24)
1 star:		(35)

 

 

First of all, I can't even believe this film was made and distributed to so many theaters. Don't get me wrong-- I think it may be one of the best movies I have ever seen, but it is SO much different than anything else I can hardly believe someone picked it up to produce and distribute.

The movie doesn't know if it is a documentary, drama or musical, but somehow it pulls off being all three. The story is that of a Czech immigrant who works and exists only to pay for a surgery to correct in her son a genetic disease that will eventually render him blind. The acting in the entire film is flawless and it is cast perfectly. The camera angles and visuals were stunning and the soundtrack (by Bjork) is enchanting.

I must disagree with other reviewers on a couple of points. The first being that this is a "predictable story" of a character "too weak-willed to defend herself from the forces of 'darkness' enveloping her miserable life". The will of Selma is incredible. Out of guilt from bringing her son into the world, knowing he will inherit the same blinding disease she has, and pure love Selma dedicates her life to saving money to pay for the surgery. She sacrifices everything save occasional viewings of musicals which provide her the sanity she needs to continue. Even when put to the ultimate test- death- she continues. The second point is that there are no happy scenes. Completely false. The sheer beauty of Selma's mission and the musicals she produces in her head define love and happiness respectively. The end of the movie (I won't spoil it for you) is sad but at the same time happy in that Bjork has found her piece after being wronged in so many ways.

The first 20 minutes are painfuly slow, but everything comes together. Wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but if you are a fan of "art" films or Indies, definately watch it.

Genre: Drama, Musical

Genre Grade: A+

Final Grade: A+

This is possibly the most depressing movie I've ever seen. It rips you apart over and over again, without any hint of a happy ending. It's about as far from cliche Hollywood as can be, something Lars von Trier is known for. Bjork is an incredible, wonderful actress and I'd love to see her in a happier role, but she has sworn she will never be in another movie because of the emotional difficulties caused from her role in this film.

I am warning you, this movie will madden you, sadden you, and depress the hell out of you. I recommend it to audiences who appreciate art films. It is a musical (great way of challenging the sadness of the film), but mostly it is just a drama about losing everything you could possibly lose for the sake of love and compassion.

"Dancer In The Dark" is the stunning film by Lars von Trier that won this year's Cannes Film Festival and stars Icelandic alterna-pop queen Bjork in her film debut. Set in 1964, Bjork plays a woman from Czechoslovakia named Selma who imagines that she is inside of a Hollywood Musical. This musical is not a happy perfect-world musical as so many others are, but packs a stinging bite and a Sondheim-esque dark side. Early on, the conflicts start piling up: Selma's son will go blind if she can't afford to pay for an operation, and her next door neighbor stals all the money she's been trying to save. Then, she is yanked from an small production of "The Sound Of Music" when she is faced with murder charges, and she winds up in prison.

As Selma's life gets worse and worse, she retreats farther and farther into her musical-comedy daydreams. She imagines that a celebrity is her father and she's not poor; she imagines herself dancing with the man she's accused of killing. Although Bjork's acting is superb, she has said that she does not want to act again. She said she wants to be a "person of the ears", not a "person of the images".

The soundtrack to this film is also done by Bjork. Although the soundtrack its self is rather short (clocking in at a scant 33 minutes), it's lack of duration is made up for in abundance by it's beauty, passion, and intensity. The songs are a strange mix of lush orchestral work and heavy industrial beats. Although it sounds like a strange combination, it is a perfect blend for this film.

As a lover of musical theatre, especially motion picture musicals, it is so refreshing to see a new musical being premiered on the screen that isn't trying to live up to it's own tired broadway run. I mean really, other than "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" or "Evita", when was the last really great film musical made? "Annie" back in 1982? "Dancer In The Dark" brings a breath of life to this dying genre. I hope it will not be long bfore we as audiences are able to see many more new musicals hitting the silver screen.

There is so much pain going on in "Dancer in the Dark," it's almost impossible to begin to explain. But one thing that I can say is that it was one of the most original and nostalgic (in its fallback on being a musical) and devastating movies I've ever seen. Believe me, only the truly perceptive and seeking filmgoers will understand and appreciate the film's message.

However, one thing that was a little distracting (yet, also, I think it added to the rawness of film and its subject matter) was the shaky camera work close-ups. At times, you'll want to spring for the bottle of asprin to overcome an oncoming headache via watching the film, but restrain. Just finish the movie. If the headache is still there, then you've experienced "Dancer in the Dark."

The last 10 minutes of this movie is probably the most riveting, suspenseful and adrenaline-pumping movie sequence I've ever seen. Bjork's voice, facial expressions and inner emotion bleed through her body in a way that is both unsettling and undeniably powerful.

I must say that I'm no Bjork music fan, but the songs in the film did touch me. They were so radical, so inventive, so simple and bizarre, if you will, that it's almost impossible to not simply appreciate them for being so outlandish. But nonetheless, the movie is really about suffering.

You can draw many symbolisms to Selma's (Bjork) lonely, simple and heartbreaking character, one being almost christological. (that may be a stretch, but it's valid if you look closely at the film, what Selma's purpose was and how she was "wrongly" accused in a sense and then attempted to be put to death) Either way though, it still is a pretty amazing movie. I can't believe I wrote this much. Movies that make me want to write this much about them are truly unique. "Dancer in the Dark" is one of the precious few. Devastatingly powerful and unflinchingly raw. See it. (all of it)

Lars von Trier's masterpiece is nothing less than brilliant, as it begins with a provocative ink blot, and a rising overture produced by the movie's star Bjork, that maps out the vicissitudes of the next two hours. Von Trier's hand-held digital camera rumbles through Selma's(Bjork) drab world - as she is suffering from a degenerative eye disease - and treats the audience to close-ups and zoom shots of the disgruntled or jovial Bjork, a la Bergman. Von Trier's unstable camera is the trade mark of his Dogma 95 movement, which stresses austerity and denies film contrivances. However, what escalates this film beyond other von Trier masterpieces (Breaking The Waves), is its use of over 100 steadi-cams in the filming of Selma's musical fantasies, which are extraordinary. This inextricable blend of camera styles is what makes the film so aesthetically beautiful. The contrived fantastical music skits are impeccably choreographed and balanced perfectly with Selma's abject reality; they are also used to further drive the story or reveal character's emotions. Von Trier seems to be poking fun at the Hollywood musicals, while simultaneously celebrating and paying homage to them. Selma is a character that any dreamer can relate to, and by the finale "Darkness" seems to be the only plausible choice for her, since her musical fantasies were viewed in "Dark" movie theaters where she is most happy. A movie unmatched by any, and unlike anything ever put to celluloid. As seminal as Intolerance, Kane, and 2001? I think so!

I stumbled upon this film by accident back in September when I was calling Moviefone. I had no idea what movie I wanted to see; I just wanted to get out for the night. One of the listed titles was "Dancer in the Dark." The title sounded interesting, so I asked for a plot synopsis. The synopsis sounded interesting, so my roommate and I took the subway from Brooklyn to Manhattan to see the film. I went expecting to be moderately entertained and interested. I came out of this movie in complete silence-- I was that amazed by it. I almost cried at the end, and I never cry at movies. The character Bjork plays is down to earth, smart, and believable. She was a strong woman in the face of adversity. I'm sure that if this were a mainstream film, Selma would not be played by Bjork, but by some bimbo sexpot, just so they could get a huge audience for this film... Anyway, the music was amazing. This is not your typical musical, and the music even explores the deep realms of the human mind, and sometimes provides some levity and hopefulness in the face of the odds which are obviously against the character Selma. I get chills down my spine when I hear the song "107 Steps." Questions that are raised by the film: How far would you go for someone you love? How just is the American judicial system? I saw "Dancer in the Dark" for the second time last night, and I had the same reaction as before, if not more intense. My best friend came all the way to NYC from Philly just to see it with me, as it cannot be found anywhere else. She said it was worth the 2 hour trip, and I cannot agree more. Don't wait for it to come on video-- even if you have to travel a couple hours. It's like seeing a Broadway show in that it's an intense experience that cannot be duplicated on the TV in your living room. My question: Why can't more movies be like this? The minds that came up with it were incredible.

Lars von Trier's new film begins with a Rorshach-like ink-blot test image that evolves into many things and nothing -- at the same time. It is a unique cinematic moment, one that lingers for several unsettling minutes.

The remainder of the film is as powerful, hypnotic and ironic as the image which precedes the two-plus hours of drama and musical.

"Dancer In The Dark" follows Selma (Bjork -- in her feature film acting debut), a musical dancer whose eye-blindness is worsening by the day. Her slow descent into visual darkness is accompanied by a slide into the enveloping moral darkness of the all-sighted people around her.

Selma can see the world beyond her and around her, but cannot see the world right before her -- in both an optical and symbolic sense. She is trapped, confined by the contradictions of those who seek her solace and comfort. She is manipulated and framed by someone she confides in. When the moment arrives Selma is so loyal to a fault to this particular person that she risks her future in order to stay true to herself.

What keeps Selma going is her desire to see life in refreshing, vibrant colors -- in other words, via the rose-colored lenses of the idealistic world that she believes exists. The musical aspect of "Dancer In The Dark" comes on slowly but is rich and alive -- in sharper focus and clarity than the heretofore Dogma95 von Trier trademarks: the drab color, natural light and high-speed edits and camera movement which compose much of this film. Selma could be living in the musical world and dreaming in the drab, reality world she is caught in. Or it could be the other way round.

The musical world represents a naivete, a fantasy, an innocence and purity through which Selma lives out her fantasies and desires. She dances in the mind, in the heart and most of all, in the dark.

Aspects of this drama/musical are disturbing, not just because of Selma's circumstances, but because she has a pure heart and trustworthy soul, a soul whose foundation is battered but not defeated. Her son, who also has problems seeing things clearly, proves to be the treasured being whom Selma works so hard for. Selma shields her son from the harshness and indignities of the real world and what she does for him is done in the hope that he can see the same world she sees through even clearer "eyes" than her own.

The film's visual style is arresting and like all Dogma95 films -- disjointed, full of random imagery. The editing style is effective, adding atmosphere and an authentic feel to the characters. There are two memorable sequences in "Dancer In The Dark," one which follows the film's critical event. The balletic camera work and characters' choreography in this particular sequence has as much to do with the strength of Selma's vision and her fairytale notions about the world's machinations as the images themselves do.

Lars von Trier's film parallels several moments in the 1999 film "The Green Mile" and it is interesting to note that actor David Morse plays as prominent a role in "Dancer" as he did in "Mile", though certainly for different reasons. Catherine Deneuve gives von Trier's film great weight and dignity in her role as Kathy, a character who believes she has Selma's best interests at heart. Joel Grey has an impacting cameo in a pivotal scene, while Peter Stormare is endearing as Jeff, a "Sling Blade"-type guardian angel who wants to make Selma happier than she insists she is.

Stellan Skarsgaard makes a cameo appearance as a doctor. Most of all though, it is Bjork, who shines with an acting depth that deservedly won her Best Actress honors at the Cannes Film Festival last May. Bjork should be seriously considered for an Oscar nomination in 2001. The Icelandic pop sensation is central to scenes resembling the visual creativity she brings to her own music videos. Bjork also wrote the songs and musical score for "Dancer In The Dark," a film that intrigues, moves, disturbs and impacts in many other emotional and psychological ways.

When I heard that Bjork had come out with a new movie, I was very skeptical about seeing it. I had never seen Bjork in a film, and was afraid that maybe I would be disappointed in the movie. So when I went with my two best friends which are also big Bjork fans like me, I had set myself into thinking this movie is going to suck. After the movie was over, and the credits were rolling, I had already been in tears 10 minutes before. I've never cried so hard in a movie before. You know how at the end of the movie, everybody gets up and leaves, not this time. Everybody just sat there, stunned, awed, and crying. The movie was awesome as well as tragic. And Bjork was stunning in her role as Selma. Lars Von Trier is a genius, as well as Bjork. How they leaded into the musical parts of the movie were done beautifully. I listened to the soundtrack after the movie, and it's funny how much more that cd made sense. I love Bjork, and her music, and I recommend this movie to everybody. You will have a whole new level of respect for her, not only as a singer, but as an actor.

As possibly one of the biggest Bjork fans you're ever likely to come across, it suddenly dawned on me a few months ago that I'd been a fan for about 18 months and still not seen "Dancer In The Dark." This year I have started to collect the entire collection of Bjork DVD's, and although it will take me a long time to purchase them all, I'm determined to achieve this. Of course, Dancer In The Dark has to be a part of this collection too, and when I saw it on sale for £5 I knew I had to have it! I bought the film without really knowing much about it, and watched it one Saturday evening when I was tucked up in bed with the mumps!

This film totally absorbed me and drew me into its world of raw and pure human emotion in its simplest format. It took quite a while to really reel me in, but I'd say after the first 45 minutes, something clicked and I was sold. The film is directed by Lars Von Trier and received a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000. During the filming, Bjork walked off the set for three days because she was so upset with Lars Von Trier. She was so angry she bit off a piece of his shirt before walking off! This movie is also classed as a musical because of the music sequences in it, but it's probably the most unconventional musical ever made. This is totally an anti-Hollywood movie, which is probably the reason why it was so overlooked.

Bjork stars as Selma Jeskova, a simpleminded Czech immigrant, who moves to America with her young son Gene. She has an immense love for musicals and is rehearsing her role as Maria in "The Sound Of Music" when the film opens. She works many hours a day in a factory and lives in a small house next to one of the town's local policemen. She pays rent to the policeman and his wife, and forms a strong friendship with them. Selma harbours a dark secret, however: she is going blind, and unless she can save enough money to pay for an operation, Gene will inherit her blindness. This is the reason she works so many hours in the factory, to save up enough money to pay for the operation. Any money she earns that isn't spent on rent or food goes into her little box of cash to pay for the operation. Her work mate Kathy (Catherine Deneuve) becomes a close friend to Selma, and takes her to the cinema to see her favourite musicals. As Selma's eyesight deteriorates, she confides in her police man neighbor Bill Houston (David Morse). He also reveals to her that he is having big money troubles since his wife Linda (Cara Seymour) has frittered all their money away on expensive things.

Later on, he asks Selma if he can borrow her money to pay off his debts, and that she will get it back at the end of the month. The money means everything to her, and she politely rejects his request. This is where the film starts to descend into madness, and Selma's life begins to spiral out of control. What makes this film so heartbreaking to watch is the fact that Selma is a genuinely nice person. She is a pure spirit and means no harm to anyone, and the fact that she does commit a horrific crime - no matter how cruel circumstances - is so tragic and disappointing. Bill is revealed to be a truly evil character over the course of the first hour, and his wife nothing more than a sheep who will believe anything she is told. Selma is prayed on because of her weaknesses, such as her compassion for others, and her deteriorating eyesight. Throughout the entire movie she maintains her innocence at all times, and accepts things as they are. In many ways, she's too kind for her own good.

We may occasionally forget that this is in fact, by definition, a musical. The central storyline is so strong that you forget all about the music at times. When Selma is feeling low, confused, scared or depressed, she daydreams and her fantasies become reality on the screen. The majority of the film is filmed by Von Trier with cameras that capture the human qualities of the characters, frequently zooming in on intimate situations, which creates the effect that we are peeping through a hole at the action going on. The colour is also rather dull, but the reason for this is so that once the musical segments kick in, we can see the remarkable difference between how Selma perceives her real life to her musical life. Songs performed include "Cvalda," "I've Seen It All," "Scatterheart" and "107 Steps." All the original songs in the movie were written and produced by Bjork, and can be found on the soundtrack to the film "Selmasongs."

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

I was very pleased with this movie after watching it, but it really does shake you to the core. In the final ten minutes, I could feel my heart beating through my chest and my eyes moisten. This doesn't ease even on repeat viewings, even when you know exactly the grim outcome. If anything, you feel it more because you know what's coming in those final minutes. This is the kind of film that captures its audiences in those certain moments, and would hold an entire audience of hundreds silent and stunned. This is the most open and honest portrayal of raw human emotion I think I have ever witnessed in a film. "Schindler's List" only tops it I think, and that is only because the focus is on millions, and not just a single victim like in this film. Overall I would recommend this film to people who want a cinematic challenge, and not just your typical Hollywood film where everything turns out fine in the end.

I can't honestly say that I loved this film...I don't even know if I liked it...but I do know that it deserves the 5 star rating for making me cry harder than I have ever cried before, and lingering in my mind days afterward...Bjork is exceptional, she plays Selma like no one else can, and I'm sure NO ONE could have done a better job than her, she is magnificent and truly makes you feel for her character...the film does overstay its welcome by a good half hour, but it is so emotional and so powerful that I didn't really care,I felt myself sympathizing for Selma and hoping everything would work out for her...this is not an easy film to watch and it definitely IS NOT for all tastes, I wouldnt be surprised if so many people hate this movie...its slow and it is recorded by a hand held camera, not to mention the fact that its a musical...but the characters are so richly drawn, the musical numbers so well choreographed, and the performances an absolute powerhouse, that this film really is a masterpiece, never have I loved a character so much as I loved Selma...what she goes through for her son is an inspiration, but one cannot help but turn away from all that happens to her...this is a painful film, but an absolute rewarding one...