Books/Videos

The Humiliated[videoredording]

Presents the creative process of one of Europe's greatest directors, Lars Von Trier, and the emergence of his work "The Idiots." In particular, looks at the man behind the film, his artistic integrity and persistence, but more especially his frankness, insecurity and vulnerability as he risks even humiliation in courageously laying himself open to any possibility. 1998. 80 min.

Media Resources Center Video/C MM303

Lars from 1-10(videorecording)

10 min. DVD 1236

Lars von Trier: Finding Truth in Film [videorecording]

The cinematic movement known as Dogme 95 espouses minimalist, reality-based productions. Although he helped found the movement, Lars von Trier has set aside its original guidelines, employing more elaborate filmmaking techniques and higher budgets -- while still creating subtle and challenging motion pictures. This entertaining and enlightening interview illuminates von Trier's childhood, his tenuous relationship with his parents, his views on religion and agnosticism, and other personal concerns. 2003. 43 min.

Media Resources CenterDVD 5620

Lumholdt, Jan

Lars von Trier : interviews / Jan Lumholdt. Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, c2003. Conversations with filmmakers series.

Main Stack PN1998.3.T747.A5 2003

Purity and provocation : Dogma 95

Edited by Mette Hjort and Scott MacKenzie. London : BFI Pub., 2003.

Main Stack PN1995.9.E96.P87 2003

Roman, Shari

Digital Babylon: Hollywood, Indiewood & Dogme 95 / Shari Roman. Los Angeles, CA : Lone Eagle Pub., 2001.

Main Stack PN1995.9.E96 R58 2001

Schepelern, Peter.

Lars von Triers elementer : en filminstruktors arbejde / Peter Schepelern. Kobenhavn : Munksgaard Rosinante, c1997.

Main Stack PN1998.3.T747.S34 1997

Schepelern, Peter.

Lars von Triers film : tvang og befrielse / Peter Schepelern. 2., reviderede og forogede udgave Kobenhavn : Rosinante, c2000.

Main Stack PN1998.3.T747.S34 2000

Stevenson, Jack

Lars von Trier / Jack Stevenson. London : British Film Institute, 2002. World directors series.

Main Stack PN1998.3.T725.S74 2002

Thomsen, B. M.

"On the transmigration of images: flesh, spirit and haptic vision in Dreyer's Jeanne d'Arc and von Trier's Golden heart trilogy." In: Northern constellations : new readings in Nordic cinema / edited by C. Claire Thomson. Norwich : Norvik Press, 2006.

Main Stack PN1993.5.S2.N67 2006

Tranceformer: a portrait of Lars von Trier [Video] Media Resources Center DVD 1568

Trier, Lars von

Lars von Trier : conversations avec Stig Bjorkman / traduit du suedois par Marie Berthelius. [Paris] : Cahiers du cinema, [2001]

Main Stack PN1998.3.T747.A514 2001

Journal Articles

Badt, Karin

"At War with Myself: A Word with Lars von Trier at Cannes 2005." Bright Lights Film Journal, vol. 49, pp. (no pagination), August 2005

Bainbridge, B.

"Just looking? Traumatic affect, film form and spectatorship in the work of Lars von Trier." Screen v. 45 no. 4 (Winter 2004) p. 391-400

"Part of a special section on trauma in cinema and television. Lars von Trier's manipulation of film form is crucial to his filmic treatment of trauma and the foregrounding of affect in the formation of the spectator positions made available to us. The affect itself becomes traumatic in quality, demanding an embodied emotional reaction from the spectator, who struggles to deal with the impact of the trauma at the level of representation because the tactics adopted by the director set aside the familiar tropes of film language and film form. The play with film form, then, impacts on the spectator's unconscious processes, forcing a shift in their awareness of the ways in which meaning is dually constructed via the text and via the act of spectatorship, and it does so by creating affect. The writer closely examines how this play with form manifests itself in Von Trier's "golden heart" trilogy: Idioterne/The Idiots (1998), Breaking the Waves (1996), and Dancer in the Dark (2000)." [Art Index]

Bainbridge, Caroline

"Making waves: trauma and ethics in the work of lars von Trier." Journal for Cultural Research Volume 8, Number 3 / July 2004 Pages: 353 - 370

UC users only

"The cinema of Lars von Trier can be characterised in diverse ways, but one of the most striking and memorable aspects of his work in the "Europa trilogy" (Element of Crime 1984; Epidemic 1987; Europa 1991) and the more recent "Goldheart trilogy" (Breaking the Waves 1996; The Idiots 1998; Dancer in the Dark 2000) is the centrality of trauma in both narrative and form and the corresponding emphasis on ethics. Each of these trilogies sets out to scrutinise ambiguities and ambivalences around binaries such as good/evil and guilt/innocence through the exploration of socio-cultural trauma such as war and plague in the earlier trilogy, and through more individually-inflected trauma in the latter one. Interestingly, von Trier flags the inter-relation between the success of the ideals that are central to his narrative forays and the gender of his protagonists (Smith 2000, p. 24). How, then, might it be possible to make sense of the slippages and confusions implicit in von Trier's film-making in order to discern his ethical concerns, and how might these concerns be articulated through cultural assumptions about gender and ethical identities? This essay explores the ethical assumptions and imperatives that mark out von Trier's work, signalling the role of the spectator in the formation of the ethics of his cinematic project. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory and feminist notions of ethics, the paper asks whether von Trier's work is merely to be framed in terms of postmodern provocation or whether his manipulations of cinema and all its accoutrements ought rather to be understood in terms of a radical artistic endeavour designed to foreground the importance and potential of cinema as a site of scrutiny of the inter-relation between ethics, trauma and gender."

Bell, Cool Papa. "Inside the black box.(Thomas Vinterberg talks about his relations with Lars Von Trier)(Interview)." Sight and Sound 15.9 (Sept 2005): 22(1).

Beltzer, Thomas

"Lars von Trier" (Great Directors: A Critical Database) Senses of Cinema

Bjorkman, Stig.

"Lars Von Trier: The Defects of Humanism." Sight and Sound. 14 (2): 25-27. 2004 Feb.

Bjorkman, Stig, et. al.

"Lars von Trier [Interview]." Cahiers du Cinema no. 579 (May 2003) p. 32-8

Bjorkman, Stig

"Trier on Von Trier." (Lars Von Trier)(Interview). New England Review 26.1 (Wntr 2005): p69(24).

UC users only

Lars Von Trier says that he started using word 'von' at film school as it seemed the most provocative thing to do. He feels that people didn't bother how well his films did but the 'von' business upset them.

Foss, K.

"Lars von Trier May Be Denmark's Great Innovator, but He Does Not Reign Supreme in the Kingdom of Dogme." Film Comment v. 39 no. 4 (July/August 2003) p. 12-13

UC users only

Geuens, Jean-Pierre

"Dogma 95: a manifesto for our times." (Critical Essay) . Quarterly Review of Film and Video April 2001 v18 i2 p191(12)

"'Dogma 95 is a list of 10 criteria first proposed by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg for producing motion pictures that more authentically reflect life. By ignoring most contemporary production techniques, Dogma 95 renews filmmaking by requiring more effort and creative engagement." [Expanded Academic Index]

Giralt, Gabriel

"Whatever Happened to Reality?: Dogme 95 and the Reality of Fiction." Kinema Fall 2003.

Hampton, Howard.

"Wetlands: the kingdom of Lars von Trier." (director) Film Comment Nov-Dec 1995 v31 n6 p40(6) (3027 words)

UC users only

Motion picture director Lars von Trier uses an intertextual approach towards his works. The review of his movies, 'The Element of Crime' in 1984, 'Zentropa' in 1991 and 'The Kingdom' in 1994, are discussed.

Jahanbegloo, Ramin.

"Lars von Trier: Pathbreaking Aesthetics in Cinema." Film International: Iranian Film Quarterly. 10 (2): 26-33. 2003 Autumn-2004 Winter.

Kehr, Dave.

"Dogme: Still Strong, But Less Dogmatic." (Arts and Leisure Desk) The New York Times March 21, 2004 pAR15(L) col 01 (37 col in)

Krasilnikov, Roman L.

"Semiotics Of Water and Water Area in the Films By Lars Von Trier." (English) Respectus Philologicus, 2007, Vol. 12 Issue 17, p1-10, 10p;

UC users only

Langkjær, Birger.

"What was Dogme 95?" Film International 2006, Vol. 4 Issue 19, p34-42, 9p,

Lutticken, Sven

"The monuments of Dogville: Sven Lutticken on Lars von Trier. (Film) Artforum International March 2004 v42 i7 p61(2) (1330 words)

Orr, John.

"Out of Dreyer's shadow? The quandary of Dogme95." New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film, 2002, Vol. 1 Issue 2, p69, 9p

UC users only

"Putting on the Dogme: This rigorous form of filmmaking is all the rage. First stop: Copenhagen. Next stop: Hollywood?" (The Arts/Cinema)Time Oct 11, 1999 v154 i15 p84 (855 words)

Simons, Jan.

"Von Trier's Cinematic Games." Journal of Film and Video. Spring 2008. Vol. 60, Iss. 1; p. 3 (11 pages)

UC users only

Stewart, Elizabeth

"Hypnosis, Identification, and Crime in Lars von Trier's European Trilogy." Film Journal, vol. 1, no. 12, pp. [no pagination], Spring 2005.

Weber, Myles.

"Cowboys and Idiots." New England Review. 2004. Vol. 25, Iss. 3; p. 190 (7 pages)

UC users only

Woodward, Richard B.

"Hauteur theory: even liberal critics have chastised director Lars von Trier, who vilifes an America he has yet to visit. But what if his real target is Europe?" The American Prospect June 2004 v15 i6 p41(3)

UC users only

Articles and Books on Individual films

Breaking the Waves

Ansen, David.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews)Newsweek Dec 9, 1996 v128 n24 p82(1) (489 words)

Arthur, Paul.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) Film Comment Nov-Dec 1996 v32 n6 p67(1) (727 words)

Bainbridge, Caroline.

"Making waves: trauma and ethics in the work of lars von Trier." Journal for Cultural Research, Jul2004, Vol. 8 Issue 3, p353-370, 18p

UC users only

Björkman, Stig; Francke, Lizzie

"Naked miracles./ Breaking the waves." Sight & Sound Vol VI nr 10 (Oct 1996); p 10-14,36-37

"Lars von Trier discusses his new film 'Breaking the Waves,' which is a naturalistic film about miracles, based on an original idea from the book 'Golden Heart'. The movie has a religious backdrop, with strong elements of romance, eroticism, and possession. Trier clarifies that the raw documentary style adds to the film's appeal. The director elaborates on the technology used, the editing style, Emily Watson's casting and performance, and lack of irony in the film. Trier views the evaluation of a film with reference to the film makers distinctive style as a positive development." [Expanded Academic Index]

Bowman, James.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) The American Spectator Jan 1997 v30 n1 p64(2)

Corliss, Richard.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) Time Dec 2, 1996 v148 n25 p81(1) (790 words)

UC users only

Faber, A.

"Redeeming Sexual Violence? A Feminist Reading of Breaking the Waves." Literature and Theology March 2003 v17 i1 p59(17)

UC users only

Francke, zzie.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews)Sight and Sound Oct 1996 v6 n10 p36(2)

Gordon, S.

"Breaking the Waves and the negativity of Melanie Klein: rethinking 'the female spectator'." Screen (London, England) v. 45 no. 3 (Aut 2004) p. 206-25

Greene, Mark.

"An Archetypal Analysis of the Numinosum in Breaking the Waves." Mythosphere, Oct99, Vol. 1 Issue 4, p545, 7p

UC users only

Gudmundsdottir, Arnfriour

"Female Christ-figures in Films: A Feminist Critical Analysis of Breaking the Waves and Dead Man Walking." Studia Theologica Volume 56, Number 1 / June 01, 2002

UC users only

Heath, Stephen

"God, Faith and Film: Breaking the Waves." Literature and Theology 1998 12(1):93-107

UC users only

Awarded the Grand Prix du Jury at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Breaking the Waves, by the Danish director Lars von Trier, is proposed by him as ‘a simple love story’, ‘a film about goodness’ and ‘a film about miracles’: ‘a strong mixture of religion, eroticism and possession’. This essay examines how, in the film, the question of the relation between film and religion is raised and handled.

Jeffrey, Pence

"Cinema of the Sublime: Theorizing the Ineffable." Poetics Today Spring 2004 v25 i1 p29(38)

Kauffmann, Stanley.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) The New Republic Dec 9, 1996 v215 n24 p26(2) (587 words)

UC users only

Keefer, Kyle and Tod Linafelt

"The End of Desire: Theologies of Eros in the Song of Songs and Breaking the Waves." Journal of Religion and Film Vol. 5, No. 1 April 2001

Klawans, Stuart.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) The Nation Dec 2, 1996 v263 n18 p35(2) (1217 words)

UC users only

Lopez-Aranda, Julietta

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) Films in Review Jan-Feb 1997 v48 n1-2 p69(1)

Makarushka, Irena S. M.

"Transgressing Goodness in Breaking the Waves." Journal of Religion and Film Vol. 2, No. 1 April 1998

Maslin, Janet.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) The New York Times Oct 4, 1996 v145 pB1(N) pC1(L) col 3 (22 col in)

Mercadante, Linda

"Bess the Christ Figure?: Theological Interpretations of Breaking the Waves." Journal of Religion and Film Vol. 5, No. 1 April 2001

Nelson, Victoria

"The new expressionism: Why the bells ring in Breaking the Waves." Salmagundi. Fall 1997. p. 228 (10 pages)

UC users only

Rafferty, Terrence.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) The New Yorker Nov 18, 1996 v72 n35 p123(3)

Restuccia, Frances L.

"Impossible love in Breaking the Waves: Mystifying hysteria." Literature and Psychology. 2001. Vol. 47, Iss. 1/2; p. 34 (20 pages)

UC users only

Simon, John.

"Breaking the Waves." (movie reviews) National Review Dec 23, 1996 v48 n24 p58(1) (416 words)

Sjödin, Christer

"The Significance of Belief for Psychoanalysis." International Forum of Psychoanalysis Volume 12, Number 1 / April 2003

The author discusses Lars von Triers film "Breaking the Waves" using Bion's concept catastrophe and faith as well as Winnicotts concept "use of the object."

van De Walle, Mark.

"Heaven's weight." (film director Lars von Trier) Artforum International Nov 1996 v35 n3 p82(6) (2076 words)

"Top Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier has a reputation of being rebellious because of his works that border on genre movies and which deal with issues that do not conform with usual concerns. Among these are 'The Element of Crime,' Epidemic' and 'Zentropa,' which tackle such topics as a child murderer, disease and the lack of cure for it and post-Nazi German guilt. His new film 'Breaking the Waves' follows the same mold." [Expanded Academic Index]

Dancer in the Dark

Ago, Allesandro

"Once Upon a Time in Amerika: "Dancer in the Dark" and Contemporary European Cinema." Spectator - The University of Southern California Journal of Film and Television 23:2 [Fall 2003] p. 32-43

UC users only

Arroyo, Jose.

"How Do You Solve a Problem Like Von Trier?" Sight and Sound. 10 (9): 14-16. 2000 Sept.

A review of Lars von Trier's "Dancer in the dark" which looks at the ways in which von Trier's subverts the genre of the musical for his "Dancer in the dark".

Austin-Smith, Brenda.

"Mum's The Word": The Trial Of Genre In Dancer In The Dark." Post Script, Fall2006, Vol. 26 Issue 1, p32-42, 10p

UC users only

Bjrkman, Stig

"Juggling in the dark." Sight & Sound Vol IX nr 12 (Dec 1999); p 8-10

Director Lars von Trier explains what he wanted to achieve in his latest film "Dancer in the dark"

Cooper, Dennis

"Flailing Vision." (movie review) Artforum International Oct 2000 v39 i2 p29 (1290 words)

Cooper, Rand Richards.

"Darker & darker." Commonweal. Nov 3, 2000. Vol. 127, Iss. 19; pg. 20, 2 pgs

UC users only

Durbin, Karen.

"The view from inside the dream: a truly intimate film makes the viewer a collaborator with the director, trying to grasp the secrets that are being offered." The New York Times June 18, 2000 pAR13(N) pAR13(L) col 2 (35 col in)

"From the voice of dogma comes the sound of music." (Interview) The New York Times Sept 10, 2000 pAR53(N) pAR53(L) col 1 (20 col in)

Graham, Rhys

"Dancer in the Dark." Senses of Cinema

Gwin, Peter.

"Dancer in the Dark." (movie review) Europe Dec 2000 p46 (934 words)

UC users only

Johnson, Brian

"Singin' in the brain: Bjork hits an ethereal note as a day-dreaming martyr." (Review)_(movie review) Maclean's Oct 16, 2000 p74 (827 words)

UC users only

Lane, Anthony

"Dancer in the Dark." (movie review) The New Yorker Sept 25, 2000 v76 i28 p100(2)

Powers, Ann.

"Making a tragedy with a happy ending: in 'Dancer in the Dark,' a grim tale leavened by inner music, the singer Bjork so immersed herself that friends were worried." The New York Times Sept 17, 2000 s0 pAR11(N) pAR11(L) col 1 (35 col in)

Romney, Jonathan

"Falling flat." (Review)_(movie review) New Statesman (1996) Sept 18, 2000 v129 i4504 p44 (978 words)

UC users only

Scott, A.O.

"Universe without happy endings." (movie review) The New York Times Sept 22, 2000 pB1(N) pE1(L) col 2 (35 col in)

Shargel, Raphael.

"From Bad to Better." (movie review) The New Leader Nov 2000 v83 i5 p55 (2215 words)

UC users only

Smith, Gavin

"Dance in the Dark." (Lars von Trier, filmmaker)(Interview) Film Comment Sept 2000 v36 i5 p22 (3620 words)

UC users only

Smith, Gavin

"Imitation of life." Film Comment Vol XXXVI nr 5 (Sept-Oct 2000); p 22-26

Interview with Lars von Trier, in which he explains his inspiration and the tasks he set himself for the film "Dancer in the dark".

Dogville

Abella, A.; Zilkha, N.

"Dogville: A parable on perversion." The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 2004;85:1519–26

UC users only

Alleva, Richard

"The melancholy Dane: Lars von Trier's Dogville'." (Screen)(Movie Review) Commonweal April 9, 2004 v131 i7 p19(2) (1361 words)

UC users only

Atkinson, Adam

"On the Nature of Dogs, the Right of Grace, Forgiveness and Hospitality: Derrida, Kant, and Lars von Trier's Dogville." Senses of Cinema: An Online Film Journal Devoted to the Serious and Eclectic Discussion of Cinema, vol. 36, pp. (no pagination), Summer 2005.

Bjorkman, S., rev, et. al.

"Dans les coulisses de Dogville." Cahiers du Cinema no. 579 (May 2003) p. 38-40

Bjorkman, Stig

"Thieves like us." (Movie Review) Sight and Sound July 2003 v13 i7 p13(4)

Brandt, Per Aage.

"The Political Philosophy of a Dogville: On Dogville by Lars von Trier." p.o.v: A Danish Journal of Film Studies. 16: 51-55. 2003 Dec.

Chiesa, Lorenzo.

"What is the Gift of Grace? On Dogville." Film-Philosophy, 2007, Vol. 11 Issue 3, p1-22, 22p

UC users only

Chu, Jeff

"Great Dane: Mad genius? Superhero? Provocateur? All of the above. Lars von Trier is a high-impact director, heading to Cannes with Dogville, his latest film." (Movies) Time International May 19, 2003 v161 i20 p58+ (1985 words)

Clark, Justin

"Dogville Or How Not to Discover America." Bright Lights, August 2004 | Issue 45

Corliss, Richard

"Empty Set, Plot to Match: Dogville is a fascinating experiment, but it fails to produce any breakthrough in entertainment." (Arts/Movies)(Movie Review) Richard Corliss. Time April 12, 2004 v163 i15 p72

UC users only

D'Angelo, Mike

"Theater of cruelty: sadistic director Lars von Trier has delivered the best film of the year. Already." (Movies)Esquire April 2004 v141 i4 p36(2) (1419 words)

UC users only

Denby, David

"The Quick and the Dead (Dogville")"(Movie Review) The New Yorker March 29, 2004 v80 i6 p103 (1647 words)

UC users only

Eagan, Daniel

"Dogville." (Movie Review) Film Journal International March 2004 v107 i3 p40(1) (711 words)

UC users only

Fibiger, Bo

"A Dog not Yet Buried - Or Dogville as a Political Manifesto." p.o.v: A Danish Journal of Film Studies. 16: 51-55. 2003 Dec.

Garrett, Daniel.

"This Land is Your Land: Dogville, Reason and Redemption, Rage and Retribution." OffScreen, 30 June 2004,

Hoberman, J.

"Our town." (Interview) Sight and Sound, Feb 2004 v14 i2 p24(4)

UCB users only

A review is made of Lars von Trier's film 'Dogville', which caused an outrage because of its anti-American approach. Lars von Triers talks about his film, Dogville, which is a tale of martyrdom, revenge and hypocrisy and it hardly seems un-American to him.

Holden, Stephen.

"Virtue Is Its Own Punishment." (Arts & Ideas/Cultural Desk)(movie 'Dogville')(Movie Review)The New York Times Oct 4, 2003 pB7 col 04 (24 col in)

Jacobson, H.

"Lars von Trier, the Lord of Cinema's New Church, Proclaims America . . . the Land of the Damned." Film Comment v. 39 no. 6 (November/December 2003) p. 20-1

UC users only

Johnson, Brian D.

"It shakes a village; a stranger brings trouble to town in three fish-out-of-water fables." (Film)(Movie Review) Maclean's April 5, 2004 p46(1)

Kermode, Mark

"A dog's life: Mark Kermode watches yet another leading lady sacrificed to the cruelty of Lars von Trier." (Film)(Dogville)New Statesman (1996) Feb 16, 2004 v133 i4675 p46(1) (791 words)

Laine, Tarja.

"Lars von Trier, Dogville and the hodological space of cinema." Studies in European Cinema, 2006, Vol. 3 Issue 2, p129-141, 13p

UC users only

Moncef, Salah el

"Communal Ethic, Testimonial Justice, and the Antinomies of Law: Reflections on Lars von Trier's Dogville." Cuadernos de Literatura Inglesa y Norteamericana, vol. 7, no. 1-2, pp. 57-71, May 2004

Monte Mór, Walkyria.

"Reading Dogville in Brazil: Image, Language and Critical Literacy." Language & Intercultural Communication, 2006, Vol. 6 Issue 2, p124-135, 12p

Nobus, Dany.

"The Politics of Gift-Giving and the Provocation of Lars von Trier's Dogville." Film-Philosophy, 2007, Vol. 11 Issue 3, p23-37, 15p

Özmenek, S; Blake, W.

"Dogville: Trier’s America a la Brecht." Journal of American Studies of Turkey 18 (2003) : 85-92

Putterman, T. L.

"Dogville, or Lars von Trier's New Old Testament." Bright Lights Film Journal, vol. 45, pp. (no pagination), August 2004

Rice, Shelley

"Dogville": the American effect: in his latest film, set in a small isolated community during the Depression, Danish director Lars von Trier presents a bleak morality tale that takes a dim view of the U.S.--and of humankind." (Film)(Movie Review) Art in America April 2004 v92 i4 p49(2) (1798 words)

UC users only

"Dogville is a bleak morality tale that presents a negative perception of the United States and of mankind. Danish director Lars von Trier's latest film is a disturbing portrait of simple people suffering under the dual burdens of power and poverty. Set in small town in the Rocky Mountains during the Depression, the film stars Nicole Kidman as Grace, a young and beautiful fugitive who arrives at the remote town on the run from a team of gangsters. The town agrees to hide her in exchange for her labor, but the local people begin to demand a better deal in exchange for their risk in sheltering a fugitive when the police increase their search efforts." [Art Index]

Rockwell, John

"'Dogville' Shows a Danish Director's German Side." (Movies, Performing Arts/Weekend Desk) The New York Times Oct 10, 2003 pE4 col 03 (26 col in)

Römers, Holger

"'Colorado Death Trip': The Surrealist Recontextualisation of Farm Security Administration Photos in Dogville." Senses of Cinema, October 2004

Sklar, Robert.

"Dogville." (Movie Review) Cineaste Summer 2004 v29 i3 p47(3) (1720 words)

UC users only

"A review of Dogville, a film by Lars von Trier. This film is set in a depression-era small town in the middle of nowhere in America. Into the general malaise from which the town's inhabitants seem to be suffering arrives a well-dressed, elegant, and attractive young woman who is on the run from someone or something. This woman is to prove her worthiness for acceptance by serving the people of Dogville, a position of goodness and weakness that provokes the town's inhabitants into trying out various attributes of power." [Art Index]

Staat, Wim.

"Dogville Characterized by The Grapes of Wrath: European Identity Construction through American Genre Conventions." Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media - Volume 48, Number 1, Spring 2007, pp. 79-96

UC users only

Thomas, Dana

"Directing In the Dark." Newsweek International June 16, 2003 p56 (672 words)

UC users only

The Elements of Crime

Bainbridge, Caroline

"Making waves: trauma and ethics in the work of lars von Trier." Journal for Cultural Research Volume 8, Number 3 / July 2004 Pages: 353 - 370

UC users only

"The cinema of Lars von Trier can be characterised in diverse ways, but one of the most striking and memorable aspects of his work in the "Europa trilogy" (Element of Crime 1984; Epidemic 1987; Europa 1991) and the more recent "Goldheart trilogy" (Breaking the Waves 1996; The Idiots 1998; Dancer in the Dark 2000) is the centrality of trauma in both narrative and form and the corresponding emphasis on ethics. Each of these trilogies sets out to scrutinise ambiguities and ambivalences around binaries such as good/evil and guilt/innocence through the exploration of socio-cultural trauma such as war and plague in the earlier trilogy, and through more individually-inflected trauma in the latter one. Interestingly, von Trier flags the inter-relation between the success of the ideals that are central to his narrative forays and the gender of his protagonists (Smith 2000, p. 24). How, then, might it be possible to make sense of the slippages and confusions implicit in von Trier's film-making in order to discern his ethical concerns, and how might these concerns be articulated through cultural assumptions about gender and ethical identities? This essay explores the ethical assumptions and imperatives that mark out von Trier's work, signalling the role of the spectator in the formation of the ethics of his cinematic project. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory and feminist notions of ethics, the paper asks whether von Trier's work is merely to be framed in terms of postmodern provocation or whether his manipulations of cinema and all its accoutrements ought rather to be understood in terms of a radical artistic endeavour designed to foreground the importance and potential of cinema as a site of scrutiny of the inter-relation between ethics, trauma and gender."

The Five Obstructions

Combs, R.

"The Five Obstructions." Film Comment v. 40 no. 3 (May/June 2004) p. 74

UC users only

Corliss, Richard

"Five Difficult Pieces: Lars von Trier puts a fellow director to a torture test. And--surprise--a terrific film ensues." Time, June 7, 2004 v163 i23 p126

UC users only

"The Five Obstructions." (Movie Review) Rolling Stone June 10, 2004 i950 p98(1)

Frodon, J. M.

"Five Obstructions." Cahiers du Cinema no. 588 (March 2004) p. 54-5

Kehr, Dave

"Lars von Trier Turns a Movie Into a Quintuple Dare." (Arts and Leisure Desk) The New York Times May 23, 2004 pAR27(L) col 01 (26 col in)

Kelly, Richard .

"The Five Obstructions." (Movie Review) Sight and Sound Dec 2003 v13 i12 p34(1)

Quandt, James

"Leth is more: James Quandt on the five obstructions." Artforum International March 2004 v42 i7 p64(1) (533 words)

UC users only

Winter, Jessica

"Of Human Bondage: Dogme Godfather Braves an Obstruction Course." The Village Voice 48:38 [17 September 2003-23 September 2003] p. 78

UC users only

The Idiots

"Idiots/Idioterne." (Review)Sight and Sound May 1999 v9 i5 p34(3)

Chiesa, Lorenzo

"Tragic Transgression and Symbolic Re-Inscription." Angelaki: Journal of the Theoretical Humanities; Aug2006, Vol. 11 Issue 2, p49-62, 14p

UC users only

"The author illustrates Jacques Lacan's notion of traversal of fundamental fantasy by depicting two opposed readings of Lars von Trier's film "The Idiots." The article outlines the interpretations from the final Lacan using the incomplete reading. The author opines that Lacan's constant revising and his own ambiguities have resulted in the mistaken reading of his literature." [Ebsco]

Jerslev, Anne

"Dogme 95: Lars von Trier's 'The Idiots' and the 'Idiot Project'." In: Realism and 'reality' in film and media / edited by Anne Jerslev. Copenhagen : Museum Tusculanum Press, University of Copenhagen, 2002.

Main Stack PN1995.9.R3.R43 2002

Portions of this chapter via Google books

Klawans, Stuart

"Village Idiots, Then & Now." ( (movie review) The Nation May 29, 2000 v270 i21 p35 (1617 words)

UC users only

Roberts, John.

"The Idiots." (movie review) New Left Review Nov-Dec 1999 i238 p141(9)

Scott, A.O.

"Colloquies on the finer points of drooling." (movie review) The New York Times April 28, 2000 pB21(N) pE14(L) col 1 (35 col in)

Sterritt, David.

"The Idiots." (movie review) Film Comment March 2000 v36 i2 p75

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Walters, Tim.

"Reconsidering The Idiots: Dogme95, Lars von Trier, and the cinema of subversion?" (Critical Essay) Velvet Light Trap Spring 2004 i53 p40(15)

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The Kingdom (Riget)

Carter, Bill

"A Hospital That's a Real Horror Show." (Arts and Leisure Desk) The New York Times Feb 29, 2004 pAR21(L) col 01 (31 col in)

Creeber, G.

"Surveying The Kingdom: explorations of medicine, memory and modernity in Lars von Triers The Kingdom (1994)." European Journal of Cultural Studies Nov 1, 2002 v5 i4 p387(20)

Holden, Stephen.

"The Kingdom." (movie reviews) The New York Times Jan 6, 1995 v144 pC6(L) col 1 (14 col in)

Lieb, Rebecca

"A brainy Danish director tries something funny." (Lars von Trier directs 'The Kingdom') The New York Times Oct 29, 1995 v145 s2 pH28(N) pH28(L) col 5 (28 col in)

Matthews, Peter.

"The Kingdom." (movie reviews) Sight and Sound August 1998 v8 n8 p46(2)

Macnab, Geoffrey

"The Kingdom (Riget)." (movie reviews) Sight and Sound Jan 1996 v6 n1 p43(2)

Tangherlini Timothy R.

"Ghost in the machine: Supernatural threat and the state in Lars von Trier's Riget." Scandinavian Studies. Spring 2001. Vol. 73, Iss. 1; p. 1 (24 pages)

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Manderlay

Doughty, Ruth.

"Manderlay (2005): Lars von Trier's narrative of passing." New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film, 2007, Vol. 5 Issue 2, p153-161, 9p

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Zentropa

Corliss, Richard.

"Zentropa" (review) Time June 8, 1992 v139 n23 p90B(3) (546 words)

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Galt, Rosalind.

"Back Projection: Visualizing Past and Present Europe in Zentrop." Cinema Journal, Fall2005, Vol. 45 Issue 1, p3-21, 19p

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Holden, Stephen.

"Zentropa" (review) The New York Times May 22, 1992 v141 pB5(N) pSC14(L) col 1 (14 col in)

Kennedy, Harlan.

"Go Deeper -- Europa directed by Lars Von Trier." Film Comment. N Jul 1991. Vol. 27, Iss. 4; p. 68 (3 pages)

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Ostrowska, Dorota.

"Zentropa and Von Trier: A marriage made in heaven." Studies in European Cinema, 2005, Vol. 2 Issue 3, p185-198, 14p

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Zwick, Steve.

"Lights, Camera, Family: The business model behind Zentropa, Denmark's quirky but successful filmmaker, is communalism." Time International, May 15, 2000 v155 i19 p40+

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