Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
I want to see the cut of this one that played at Cannes this summer, but I’ll settle for any cut at all. Soon, please.
Hey Harry,
Don't know if you can use this or not, but here's a review of DOGVILLE.
I recently had the opportunity to see this film in Copenhagen. I only had one day in the city, and watching DOGVILLE was definitely on my list of things to do. I must say I'm glad I did.
I think DOGVILLE will be one of those movies that people will either love or they'll hate. I'll try to explain why, without getting into too many spoilers. First of all, given the film's subject matter and aesthetics, I doubt it will get distribution in the US, despite the lovely Miss Kidman's presence, which, by the way, is really the light of this film.
Lars von Trier takes the Dogme 95 philosophy to it's logical extreme here, eschewing not only high production values and location shooting, but sets as well. Using DV, von Trier tries to distill the very essence of film, which I think he accomplishes admirably. It's raw emotion on display here, and the empty soundstage and chalk outlines that von Trier employs by way of sets provide the perfect forum for it.
The story centers around a woman named Grace who wanders into a small town in the Rocky mountains in hot pursuit by some unsavory characters. The kindly townsfolk agree to hide and house her, disregarding the consequences to their own well-being. Things start off shaky, and not everyone trusts Grace, but her winsome manner endears herself to her new neighbors and everyone is happy.
Then everything goes very rapidly to hell.
This is a harrowing movie, made more so by its stark style. What happens to Grace will make you squirm, and you'll feel totally gutted at some points. The pyschological torture, the humiliation, the madness that pours out in Lord of the Flies fashion are all very hard to take.
Von Trier has been accused of being manipulative by many, and honestly, I found DANCER IN THE DARK quite so, though I still admired its style and plotting. In Dogville he gets it right, however, in a devious way. Watching the story unfold, you tend to feel a certain way about the townspeople who abuse our heroine as they do. Nicole Kidman, shot in soft light and in an almost painterly style, looks absolutely adorable here, and I found myself really empathizing with her. I've never felt more emotionally attached to an actress in any film. She displays not only her abundant natural beauty, but a vulnerability and tenderness that makes what happens to her all the more painful to watch, and really brings out your protective instincts. You just want to throw your arms around her at times.
Whereas DANCER IN THE DARK took the audience's feelings towards its lead and wrung them out for all they were worth, DOGVILLE takes a decidedly different approach. Von Trier gives us exactly what we want in the end, at least what we think we want, and it so horrifies and shocks us that we're left utterly confused and disgusted.
I was so confused, in fact, walking out of the theater, that I couldn't quite decide at first whether or not I liked the film. Admittedly, at over three hours, DOGVILLE drags at times, but once it gets going, I watched transfixed. It has its own internal logic that governs how the characters behave towards one another and how they react to this beautiful, seductive, powerful presence suddenly in their midst. In that sense, I guess it's most similar to the novel, "Let's Go Play at the Adams," by Mendal Johnson, a terse bit of pschylogical/claustrophobic terror that is highly recommended, but definitely not for the faint of heart.
The confusion I mentioned is what I liked most about the film. Love it or hate it, this film will make you think. I thought about it during my walk all the way down to Nyhavn where I thought about it some more over a cool Tuborg. I have a feeling those who considered DANCER manipulative will feel the same way about this film. At worst, they'll also find it exploitive and meaningless. Man, I love films like this, the ones that provoke the widest spectrum of emotional response.
I encourage everyone to seek out this film, wherever they can. I don't think many will get to see it, unfortunately, but I think it deserves a wide audience. Lars von Trier really pushes the envelope here, stripping his story down to the barest of essentials and really making us question our own emotions and potential responses to difficult situations. Some will probably avoid the film for its perceived anti-Americanism, but I think that's all the more reason to actually watch it, to challenge yourself about film and politics.
I don't think this is a film against America, whatever that means, it's not like anyone has monopoly over what "America," and therefore "anti-American" is, but it's certainly a film about America. From the obvious names, racial stereotypes, and bits of Americana strewn about the film, von Trier really taps into the mythos and from it crafts a complicated, smart, daring film that pulls no punches and really throws the audience for a loop.
Having said that, I don't think DOGVILLE is necessarily parable, either. Both Grace and the town are generous, kind, and accepting on the surface, and both hide many secrets and a cold, cruel, dark side. In that sense, it's hard to say whether one or both or neither represents America, or whether it's all just a MacGuffin, and the real meaning lies somewhere else. Just one point in this multi-faceted film that will be debated for years to come.
I think film fans, like the ones who read this site, should see DOGVILLE. At least try to. You owe it to yourself. This is brave, provacative, hardcore filmmkaing at it's purest. How often is it in film where you get exactly what you want and feel disgusted with yourself for it? It's in this juxtaposition that DOGVILLE'S brilliance lies, and the reason I think everyone should try and watch it.
Hope you can use this. Call me Wintermute.
It’s definitely going to get distribution in the US, Wintermute, and Von Trier actually has a fairly sizeable arthouse following. I think the question is which version we’ll be seeing and when. Thanks for the review, though. Good stuff.
"Moriarty" out.
