Dancer in the Dark

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Dir: Lars Von Trier

Dancer in the Dark is a film that I had no knowledge of when I sat down to watch it; And I am quite glad for that fact because I doubt it would have had the same impact upon me. The best possible way I could describe this film is “fascinatingly depressing.”

This Film is all about Selma (Played by Icelandic singer/ song writer Bjork). Selma is a factory worker with more than a few quirks and a big secret. She is losing her sight, which as one might imagine is not ideal for a factory worker (what with all the dangerous, loud, bone crushing, machines around and such). However Selma needs the job to save money for her only son to have an operation so that he doesn’t have to endure the family blindness.  This means that Selma has to learn to pretend to see because if they found out she was blind they would not allow her to work there.

 Selma absolutely adores Musicals of the stage and screen, particularly the tap dancing numbers. Because of this a huge amount of the film is dedicated to her day dream sequences which feature new songs by Bjork and some impressively elaborate choreography. These songs are particularly impressive because the melody is created by whatever is around Selma in the “real world” (so the song in the factory is filled with whirring machines and steam sounds.)  It’s almost like watching two movies with the musical bits kick in suddenly the picture quality is heightened and the colors of the world are vibrant, a stark contrast to the gritty looking views or reality.

While this certainly isn’t the feel good film of the year it serves as something different and interesting for anyone who wants to find something unconventional.