Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Director:

Lars von Trier

Writer:

Lars von Trier (written by)

Release Date:

6 October 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical

Tagline:

You don't need eyes to see.

Plot:

An east European girl goes to America with her young son, expecting it to be like a Hollywood film.

Plot Keywords:

Secret | Blind | Money | Disturbing | Stage Play

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 22 wins & 33 nominations

Cast

Björk	...	Selma Jezkova
Catherine Deneuve	...	Kathy
David Morse	...	Bill Houston
Peter Stormare	...	Jeff
Joel Grey	...	Oldrich Novy
Cara Seymour	...	Linda Houston
Vladica Kostic	...	Gene Jezkova
Jean-Marc Barr	...	Norman
Vincent Paterson	...	Samuel
Siobhan Fallon	...	Brenda
Zeljko Ivanek	...	District Attorney
Udo Kier	...	Dr. Porkorny
Jens Albinus	...	Morty
Reathel Bean	...	Judge
Mette Berggreen	...	Receptionist

Also Known As:

Dancer in the Dark (Denmark) (France)
Myrkradansarinn (Iceland)
Taps (Denmark) (working title)
Танцующая в темноте (Russia) [ru]
Bailar en la oscuridad (Spain) [es]
Bailarina en la oscuridad (Argentina) [es]
Dançando no Escuro (Brazil) [pt]
Danser dans le noir (Canada: French title) [fr]
Dasând cu noaptea (Romania) [ro]
Horevontas sto skotadi (Greece) [el]
Karanlikta dans (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Tanczac w ciemnosciach (Poland) [pl]

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence.

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

Denmark | Germany | Netherlands | Italy | USA | UK | France | Sweden | Finland | Iceland | Norway

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

New Zealand:R13 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Italy:T | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Arlington, Washington, USA

Company:

Zentropa Entertainments

Trivia:

Lars von Trier originally cast himself as the angry man who chastises Selma and Cathy in the movie theater. However, due to the contentious on-set relationship between himself and Björk, he feared that he might end up losing control and overacting, so the part went to Michael Flessas instead.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Even though the character of Selma is from Czechoslovakia, her accent is not Czech.

Quotes:

Selma: I listen to my heart.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

SO LONG, FAREWELL

A Movie To Break Your Heart

It feels awkward to attempt to put Dancer in the Dark into words. Von Trier's film is one of those movies that truly change the way we think about cinema and its possibilities, and for such a film, words do no justice. Dancer in the Dark centers around Selma (Björk), a factory worker, who loves her 10-year-old son above everything else in the world. Selma is a happy, innocent creature who enjoys musicals for "nothing bad ever happens in them". These elements (mother's love for her son, joyfulness of musicals versus the hardships of every day life) create a whole unlike anything ever seen on silver screen. Selma is rapidly losing her eye sight, but not her vision: she's the 'dancer in the dark' who is prepared to sacrifice herself to keep the light in her child's eyes. Very early on it becomes obvious that this story can't have a happy ending. However, once you've accepted it, you can put your mind at ease and see the film as it unfolds from Selma's point of view. And what a view it is! Björk gives a performance of a life time - this little woman with a huge voice is all emotion all the time without ever appearing overtly dramatic or cheaply sentimental. There's no weak link in the rest of the cast either, Peter Stormare as Jeff, Catherine Deneuve as Kathy and Siobhan Fallon as the prison guard to name but a few. The biggest star is still the director himself; von Trier demonstrates his talent in a superb fashion by both telling a simple story that will most likely break you heart and examining the ever-persistent ills of the life of the lower class of the American society. What about the film's musical character then? This is where von Trier triumphs the most by understanding the very essence of the whole genre - hope; hope that will live in our soul for ever if we'll only follow our heart.