Dancer in the Dark

Why? Because it's a one of a kind movie. The acting is superb (especially Bjork), direction assured and the musical numbers are great. Still, it's the most depressing film I've ever seen. By the end of the film I was crying practically non-stop. It's so bleak I don't think I'll ever see it again, but it should be seen at least once by everybody. It shows misery and suffering full throttle. You'll either love it or loathe it (I'm somewhere in th middle), but you'll never see anything like it again and you won't forget it. Just bring lots of Kleenex.

This is quite possibly the most moving film I've seen, it ensnares you within the first minute, or Bjork does with her interpretation of the sound of music, which is both hilarious and introduces one of the main themes: the magic of musicals. Not one of my favourite genres (but everyone loves The Sound Of Music, right?) but Lars Von Trier makes you re-evaluate your perception with a gentle loving pastiche of the way for no reason people and things in musicals spontaneously erupt into song, made more credible in this film by implicating a reason for it: Bjork's character is going blind so she hears music in the slightest thing and she, in her mind, sees how moves should be choreographed with the music she hears, reminiscent of her own ‘It's Oh So Quiet' music video. And the best thing about this film is the way Bjork charms you with her portrayal of the nicest person in the world, she will do anything for you if she could. She is essentially an innocent and though this is her weakness you can't help but love her all the more: a sparkling performance from a unique singer in real life.

However from this don't assume that this is a light happy film as there is a dark tragic side also, and this side is full of injustice, agony- and I mean agony-, sorrow- like you'd not believe-, and an intense emotional pull as I've ever felt in a cinema before, and it's this half that propels it from being just a great film to becoming one of the greatest. Its greatness is in telling a simple story of a woman trying to stop her own genetic sight disorder afflicting her son, by working every hour to afford the operation, working heavy machinery despite essentially being virtually blind, its greatness is its ability to inflict upon you the gift of feeling every conceivable emotion you posses and you do, you really do experience so much during this film. But I'll not say too much as my enjoyment of this film increased due to, for a change, not second guessing what would happen but to just let it be, I would say to passively watch but there's nothing passive about this film. It really moves you. It makes you feel alive.

This film should be seen alone, in the quiet when you are all by yourself, but more importantly than that it should be seen: this is more than mere movie this is art this is real this is the greatest film I have ever seen: even better than Casablanca, and Shadowlands, and The Piano.

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.

I admit I had to watch this a few times, the music is intriguing and ethereal, but the story seems on a parallel universe of strange, then scary, then a form of horror. But also a story of hope, which is to say, its confusing.

Basically Selma is a Czech immigrant who wants to find a life for herself, she has a secret in that her disease causes her to become at first near-sighted and myopic, she then is nearly blind.

She does not live a pretty life, works in a factory but finds that the machines are rhythmic, and as she also enjoys old musicals from the 40's and 50's this is her form of escape. This is the better part of the story, her spirit and how she endeavors to survive.

I am not a major fan of Bjork but I do like her voice and she is very affecting here, I think I had seen a very odd documentary about her made early in her career.

Am wondering what she is doing lately, as this film is well-acted and she portrays the sad and eventually discarded Selma, in a very convincing yet not trite manner. Good performances also with David Morse, Cara Seymour, Peter Stormare and the always beautiful Catherine Deneuve. 9/10.

A superb piece of 2000 cinema, and a worth Cannes winner. Bjork is absolutely perfect as the vulnerable but sympathetic heroine. I won't spoil the plot, but you don't expect to end up where the film takes you. There didn't seem to be a dry eye in the house. The music is slightly spoilt by Lars Von Trier's lyrics, but Bjork puts some life into the tunes. This has had an appalling critical response in the U.K. It put me off going for 2/3 weeks. I do feel that Bjork can arouse resentment in people. Perhaps the establishment (French, Walker, Norman etc) needs to go, and be replaced by some fresh blood.