Cameron Anthony Park

Bjork’s film debut is more impressive than most actors’ careers.

The website to Dancer In The Dark is still up and it does the best job to brace you for how this film will effect you. You will love it or you will hate it. There is little to no room in between.

That’s only one of the reasons THIS FILM IS SO GREAT. It’s an unapologetically selfish exercise in filmmaking and storytelling. It’s insanely uncompromising. It’s undeniably genius.

Completely shot with 100 mini DV consumer grade camcorders (from 1999 no less!) with special cinemascope-like lenses attached, Lars Von Trier made what may be his most personal masterpiece as well as an early blueprint for how to produce a gorgeous film shot entirely on consumer grade video.

At some point I’d like to digress further about the infamous “Golden Heart Trilogy” Von Trier created with this film, The Idiots and Breaking The Waves. But this is about this one film for now.

Selma and Cathy begin their day at work.

Bjork pulls off a performance here that makes the show and breaks your heart. She pulls off a performance in this one film that’s better than anything any one of these “serious thespians” have pandered to in a desperate cry for awards and recognition. Yes, Dancer is a melodramatic musical but the suspension of disbelief is never broken.

I’m not a big fan of Bjork’s music. In fact, I feel it generally goes over my head. But I do know films and great acting when I see and feel it and she is incredible in this film. The music of this film is equally unforgettable.

The music of Dancer in the Dark is haunting and beautiful. You must experience it.

I’ve read from several sources that Von Trier and Bjork could not get along. He notoriously demands too much from his actors (usually females) well beyond the breaking point and he doesn’t seem to care. It probably was too much for Bjork to have to deal with. After her experience with Von Trier, Bjork vowed to never act again because of the less than good experience she had with Von Trier (I think she was recently in another film). But the results are great and undeniable. I hope she sees it in a similar way now years removed.

Shatters your heart.

A little side note about Lars Von Trier: he’s been called many awful things. Uncompromising. Self-masturbatory. Torturous. Perfectionist. These are all the exact same reasons why his films are so unique and great. I probably would be very intimidated to have a conversation with him, and I don’t get intimidated very easily. His films are genius, straight up. End of story.

How much leeway should be allowed for genius? No one forces anyone to work with him. They actually search him out. His follow up: USA - Land of Opportunity trilogy is two thirds complete and it’s every bit as genius thus far.

That’s it. There’s no other point in the last two paragraphs. I just wanted to wax this guy’s car for a hot minute.

Wholly deserved all the accolades it received at the 2000 Cannes. Get it.