Review of Dancer in the Dark (2000) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

Written and directed by Lars Von Trier, who at the time had come from the critical shitstorm kicked up by The Idiots (1998), but when it was announced for his next film he was going to do a musical with Björk, audiences and critics didn't know what to expect.

While Von Trier reuses the techniques of shooting the film on hand held video like with his Dogme 95 manifesto, this is a solemn but moving musical, which has some lovely camerawork and it's a brave film.

Set in Washington State in 1964, it focuses on the life of Czech immigrant Selma Jeková (Björk), who has moved to America with her son Gene Jeek (Vladica Kostic) in the hope of a better life. But, Selma has a condition which is making her go blind, and she is struggling to fit in at work at the local factory, where her friend Kathy (Catherine Deneuve), offers her solace.

Selma and Gene live in a trailer on the property of local policeman Bill Houston (David Morse). When things get too much for Selma, she disappears into a dreamlike trance where she imagines everything around her turning into a musical, even though she has an admirer in fellow co-worker Jeff (Peter Stormare).

But, things take a tragic and shocking turn when she finds her savings have been stolen. It's got some brilliant if unconventional music and dance numbers. It's not a film for everyone, and Von Trier's sparse and cold approach to film will turn many off, but he manages to do well, despite having a difficult production where Von Trier and Björk were at each other's throats every day of the shoot, they've managed to create an arty and unusual film.