DIRECTOR: Lars von Trier
STARRING: Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse
This has been on my “to see” list for a while. I highly admire Björk and am mildly familiar with von Trier’s unique work (i.e. Dogville), so I had the mind to expect something unexpected, considering the two creative forces at work here. When I finally did sit down to watch it I experienced something troubling, beautiful, and moving — and if it is true that von Trier’s domineering directing approach is responsible for Björk refusing to ever act again, well, then he should be ashamed of himself.
Dancer in the Dark follows a Czechoslovakian woman named Selma (Björk) who has come to live in America with her young son, Gene. An avid fan of American musicals, Selma lives an internal life of song and dance, often drifting into daydreams involving musical numbers whenever she gets bored at her tedious job at a factory. Her sweet, but sometimes naïve, nature has gained her the friendships of those around her, including her coworker Kathy (Deneuve) and local policeman Bill (Morse), who has allowed her to live in a trailer on his property. However, Selma’s optimistic exterior hides a secret: she’s quickly going blind due to a genetic disease, and is desperately saving every penny she earns to pay for an operation which can spare her son from the same fate.
This was a difficult film to watch. Aesthetically it is not what any mainstream film viewer would be used to, as it’s mostly shot on a low-grade handheld camera with very little editing. I believe that is a technique that should only be reserved for certain films, and this happens to be one of them. In addition to the tough events occurring onscreen, the audience gets to experience it like they are sitting in the room with Selma — there isn’t much to keep us at a distance and so we can’t help but feel what she does.
What truly makes the film, however, is Björk. I’ve always appreciated her as a creative force, even if her music is sometimes inaccessible, and as Selma she truly proved herself in every way. Naturally her musical performances were wonderful, but it’s her moments of quiet, understated drama that truly pull you in. Her innate goodness and childlike sense of wonder was beautiful, as she refused to let the disappointing realities of life get to her. This was her movie.
In my opinion, Dancer in the Dark is a film about hope. It is sometimes bleak, sometimes devastatingly tragic, but even at the darkest moment of her life Selma still sings out her hope for something good. Although Mr. von Trier may have been going for the angle that America is an evil place for the innocent, I still choose to see it in a positive light, thanks to Björk’s magical performance.
FINAL GRADE: B+
