Ten Brilliant Things about Lars von Trier

After the Cannes controversy over his comments about Hitler (more about that later), Lars von Trier has announced he will make no more public appearances. Personally, I'm gutted because I think the man's hilarious (aside from being a brilliant director) and thoroughly enjoy reading his interviews or coming across new quotes he's made or scandals he's caused (a bit like Prince Phillip on a bigger, more offensive scale I guess). So, to commiserate, I've made a list of ten things I think are brilliant or amusing about the Great Dane (not necessarily in top-ten order).

(Disclaimer: I feel Melancholia should really be in this list, but unfortunately I've moved away from the film heaven of London and my beloved Cineworld Shaftesbury Avenue and being able to see lovely, non-mainstream films. I've yet to see Melancholia, a film I've been anticipating for months,something I'm very sad about and hope to rectify as soon as possible. If you've seen Melancholia and think it deserves to be on the list, add it in your mind.)

1. Idioterne (The Idiots)
I first watched this film as an A-Level student and have been forcing it upon people since. This film disturbed me more than any film I've ever watched, but it's also a very important piece of cinema and social comment. A group of young people living together in Denmark go out into the world pretending to be mentally disabled to make a comment on how society behaves towards such people. At first, my classmates and I were laughing uncontrollably but became more horrified and ashamed of our laughter as the film wore on. It's also part of an important film experiment, which brings me onto....

2. Dogme '95
von Trier set up this experimental movement with Thomas Vinterberg in 1995 where they had to stick to a 'Vow of Chastity' when making their films, which included terms such as they were only allowed to film with handheld cameras and on location with natural lighting. This website gives a pretty concise look at the 'vow' and the experiment: Films worth watching that came out of Dogme '95 (in my opinion) are Idioterne, Festen and The King is Alive.

3. 'That' Cannes press conference
(video courtesy of Telegraph TV)
Although I'm not condoning what he said and IN NO WAY agree with the comments he made, I think this was pretty hilarious and perfectly sums up why I love Lars von Trier.

4. He turned down Spielberg

After watching Europa, von Trier's triology of films with titles beginning with 'E', Stephen Spielberg offered him the chance to direct an American film. But, true to form, von Trier said no.

5. His self confidence

Following on from the above (as no-one who was even slightly doubtful of their filmmaking ability/ in their right mind would turn down an offer from Spielberg), von Trier has a level of self-confidence that is second to none. Following the screening of Antichrist at Cannes, von Trier proclaimed "I am the best film director in the world." More disturbingly, he also describes himself as "but a simple masturbator of the silver screen".

6. Antichrist

Another of von Trier's Cannes entries, Antichrist explores the idea of woman being the devil. Featuring a black and white, slo-mo, close up sex scene as the opener, the viewer is thrown right in and gets to see way more of Willem Dafoe than anyone needs to see. I've watched this film with friends and it didn't go down too well...but this film is as mad and horrible as any von Trier classic. Other 'highlights' include a talking fox, a tree of sex and the most explicit, painful ending that will have every viewer, male or female, covering their laps in horror.

7. He's sex- obsessed

Probably starting with Dogme '95 and the rule that all sex must be real, von Trier has become notorious for his use of unsimulated sex. In fact, he is credited with influencing several other filmmakers to use the same technique. Catherine Breillat's Romance and Michael Winterbottoms; 9 Songs are just two examples . Zentropa, von Trier's production company is also the only mainstream film producer to release porn films.

8. Dogville

A film made using only a black floor with rooms and houses chalked onto the floor as a set, in homage to the theatre, Dogville is a challenge for viewers who are used to massive production values and, true to form, there are several disturbing sequences. But von Trier is blessed with a good cast and, although Dogville feels very different from his different films, it's still brilliant and worth watching.

9. He was made a knight and gave it back

He was made a knight in 1997, but gave back the knighthood in 2007 saying the Danish royal family are just "simple people of bad quality".

10. His mum was as mad as he is

Von Trier's mum is reported to have conceived him illegitimately with a classical musician (who was also her employer!) so that he would have creative genes. At least we know where he gets it from....

Lars von Trier photo by PanARMENIAN Photo