Review: Melancholia (Von Trier, 2011)
December 1st 2011 02:03
Melancholia (2011, Von Trier)
Written November 12, 2011
Melancholia begins like a theatrical performance a prologue, so to speak. Picturesque landscapes assault the viewer, gorgeous, swelling music classic musical (Wagner’s prelude to the opera Tristan und Isolde) fills the soundtrack whilst he film’s cast is seen in various poses and slow motion. Much of these sequences can be found in the film’s trailer, which also is set to a backdrop this classical piece. Inter-cut are shots of earth and another planet, Melancholia, as it inches closer and closer. The title card comes up in grand, large print upon a white background. Lars Von Trier Melancholia’ it reads. Von Trier is a fascinating auteur director and here he has created an entire feeling within his film.
Although it takes place on earth his film is almost a static view of the world, highly limited to selective spaces. The film contains essentially one large set piece. We don’t see people at jobs, going to work, to school. There’s no television to display the world’s reaction to Melancholia. Instead, the event is tightly contained to a small group of people. This gives the film a specific feel and fully emerges us in the characters specifically rather than the grand scale approach.
Melancholia; its route being the word ‘melancholy’. Thus it’s fitting where we begin our tale. In Part One, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is a young bride on her wedding day. At first glance seems happy and carefree as she and her new husband get stuck in the mud with their limo and comically attempt to help their inept driver. Beneath the surface, this is not the case. It is slowly revealed that Justine suffers from crippling depression that she cannot let go of, or vice versa. Members of her family seem to take this out on her and her new husband, although acknowledging her unwell behavior doesn’t appear up for the challenge. Justine feels as though tick roots are holding her down and she can’t break free; a gorgeous image seen at the film’s commencement. Throughout the evening she attempts to be ‘happy’ but she can only fake it so much. When we next see Justine she’s in her sister Claire’s story (Part 2) and is barely functioning.
Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), comparatively, is full of anxiety as she hears of Melancholia’s imminent descent. Her husband John (Keifer Sutherland) is a scientist and assures her there is nothing to worry about. In a key scene she researches melancholia and one of the entries which comes up is from wrongdiagnoses.com, linking the disease to the planet.
Justine‘s ability to function is slowly fading away due to the melancholia inside her, yet when faced with the prospect of the planet and its possible collision with earth, she replies ‘if you think I’m afraid of a planet you’re stupid.’
Justine becomes more apathetic the closer Melancholia gets. Earlier in the film, she was scared of what was happening inside of her but now, when faced with an external threat she is at piece. Von Trier brilliantly mixes the death and destruction with a cynical world view using Justine as the vessel for that view and her own inability to care whether she lives or dies. She is also representative of the director’s own struggle with depression. Claire is more the everyman, the opposite of Justine, longing for life, happiness, perfection.
Melancholia is a crowning achievement in style, structure and theme. It presents a bleak yet gorgeous dystopian view of life. Von Trier’s shots and the film’s cinematography are breathtaking. When a film can construct a world in which the audience does not wish to leave, no matter how dire the events are occurring within, then it’s done something truly special; it’s elevated he film to an event, an experience, one that grips you and fails to let you go. This is Melancholia.
| 19 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
