Melancholia (2011)- Lars von Trier

More than anything, there are more images in evil. Evil is based far more on the visual, whereas good has no images at all.
-Lars von Trier

Danish director Lars von Trier is unusual, to say the least. When you mention his name, you are bound to have a division of opinions.

Why such controversy, you ask? Well, to begin, he associated with a new, avant-garde cinematic movement called Dogme 95. This movement called for making films using traditional rules of story, character, etc. and not using special effects. The movement served to heighten awareness of and interest in Danish filmmakers, which was awesome.

von Trier is also known for his use of unsimulated sex scenes in some of his films, as well as having his production company be the first mainstream film company to produce hardcore pornographic films.  His pornographic films were mainly directed toward a female audience, changing the way the stories were told to appeal to a demographic that traditionally had gone ignored in the genre.

While infamous for the above reasons, von Trier is also well-known for his stunning visuals, visuals that are unmatched and completely distinct to him as a director. Melancholia is no different.

Haven't seen it? Read the summary here!


Initial Reaction: I had vaguely heard about this film before seeing it, but I had not known the premise. Looking back, the plot doesn't really matter for me, although I have heard that von Trier's representation of depression is one of the most realistic ones in a film...ever. And Kirsten Dunst does a fantastic job with it. But I can definitely say that it was one of the strangest experiences I have had watching a film. And I've seen some strange films. What I can say is that it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful films I have ever encountered. 

I was particularly drawn to the stunning visuals that von Trier presents, especially at the beginning of the film. So for this review, I allowed my thought process to just make random associations to see what I would come up with.

The movie begins with montage of images. Only later do we find out that the montage is really a summary of the events to come in the film. What is striking, though, is it was almost as if these scenes were meant to be photographs.

***

Thought 1. The characters are posed and framed as if for a photo, and von Trier's use of slow-motion supports the idea of an almost-still image. Notice I said almost...because they are still moving, if only a little. And the gradual movements in the shots give them an eerie feeling.

Thought 2. Going off the idea of photographs, the interesting use of color reminded me of magazine editorials in particular. Dunst's character, Justine, is wearing a designer wedding dress. Large designer dresses are a staple in fashion magazine editorials. And all the images are crisp and clear, as if they were HD. 

Thought 3. From magazine editorials, I couldn't help but think to avant-garde fashion design, as editorials are often one of the only spaces that allows these types of designs to be seen.

In particular, the shot of  Justine wading through the forest in her wedding dress brought to mind the designs of iconic designer Alexander McQueen.

From Alexander McQueen's "Savage Beauty."

I was fortunate enough to visit his exhibition "Savage Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City a few summers ago. The atmosphere of the exhibition- the lighting, feeling, mood- was all similar to that of von Tier's beginning shots. Both were creepy, unnerving, but ultimately beautifully tragic.

***
Rating: This is not a movie that I would recommend for a night of light entertainment, as it covers some pretty heavy topics...depression and the end of the world. You will not come out of this movie feeling happy or lighthearted, but then again, you're not supposed to. I would recommend this film for anyone who welcomes being blown away by von Trier's stunning visuals. von Trier has purposefully made this film a painful process, but oh so worth it.