So who has seen "Dogville" ?

[sundog]

I watched it last night. I was a bit hesitant because it is 3 hours long & von Trier's "Dancer in the Dark" deeply disturbed me.

But wow, "Dogville" absolutely blew my mind. I watched it over the course of the evening & took a few breaks. Considering the minimalist production, I wasn't bored for a second... quite the opposite. I felt myself getting pulled further & further in with each chapter.

I feel like someone has given me a philosophical brownie to chew on for the next month. The film works on many levels. I need to see it again to really to start putting it together.

I felt like a primary theme was the cycle of oppression & violence in relation to social status.

The whole thing blew me away... hands down the best movie I've seen this year.

I think it was very relevant to our social structure.

If you saw it, what are your thoughts?

[vi5]

1. I did, and I loved it....although probably with a different take...

I've been waiting for someone else on here to see it. I posted about it right after seeing it and nobody responded.

I loved it. Although I took a more generally cynical, less specifically condemnative look at it. Just that people are inherently evil and selfish and will always act in that way even if it means taking advantage of other people to the point of degradation.

I thought the ending was positively brutal. When she said what she said at the end about the kids I think I had to gasp for breath, even though it shocked me more that I didn't blame her.

It was such an emotionally sadistic movie that I don't know what it says about me that I liked it (in addition to most of Von Trier's movies).

And for the record I really dislike Nicolle Kidman but she was great in this.

[sundog]

2. the thing I liked about Kidman in this...

is that she wasn't NICOLE KIDMAN in it...

In our society there seems to be an overwhelming need for everyone to have someone "beneath" them. "Dogville" demonstrated the brutality of that power through both ends of the social spectrum.

In the beginning, she is at the "lowest" end of the social spectrum & at the end she is at the "highest" end of it.

I think in both worlds, the brutality has arisen because of oppression... it's a continued cycle.

[vi5]

4. Yeah, I can see that...

But I'll take it a step further and believe that all humans will in some way opress or take advantage of some other person or group of people if given the opportunity and the means to do so.

[Dookus]

3. Watched it last week

and loved it. The ending surprised me, though. After Dancer in the Dark, I believed von Trier was just SO sadistic that Grace would choose to remain in servitude. I was very pleasantly surprised when she didn't.

I just don't understand people who say they hate Nicole Kidman. I honestly think she's one of the best actresses around. "To Die For", "The Others", "Eyes Wide Shut", "The Hours" and now "Dogville" are ALL excellent performances. Plus, she certainly has that certain movie-star quality that's severely lacking these days.

[vi5]

5. I was one of those haters, but she has won me over...

Seriously, she definitely has. I still think she's got this super icy screen presence which I'm not overly nuts about. But I give her all the credit in the world for her choice in roles and her willingness to take chances.

[Dookus]

7. I agree

for a star of her caliber to make the movies she does is very impressive. Julia Roberts, for instance, probably makes one movie a year, and it's always a big hollywood production. Kidman works a LOT and picks all sorts of offbeat movies.

Personally, I've alwasy loved the "Ice Princess" stars (Garbo, Dietrich, etc.) so Kidman is right up my alley.

[sundog]

6. Do you think there was a victim(s) in the story?

And what did you make of the end credits w/all the pics of people living in poverty?

That was the real twist for me -- you want to think that Grace somehow equalized everything (yes there is a certain satisfaction in it), but he again shows the face of poverty during the end credits.

I really want to watch it again because I've been thinking about it all day.

[Dookus]

8. I don't know

I was surprised at the closing credits, too. I certainly didn't expect Bowie's "Young Americans" along with Depression-era photos.

As to victims, it's hard to say with von Trier. Was Bjork a "victim" in Dancer in the Dark? In a lot of ways, yes, but von Trier seems to have no sympathy for victims. The townspeople in Dogville certainly were unsympathetic characters, all of 'em.

[sundog]

9. I think he is showing a culture of brutality --

It seems that there is no place in our society to escape it. You can only imagine what crap she was trying to escape that would make her put up with all the shit in Dogville. Even when her father arrives at the end, she has extreme reservations about going back with him. That is just another ball & chain for her.

I personally didn't think there were any victims. Everyone was brutal in one way or another.

Maybe it's a matter of being the oppressed (which seems to coincide with her compassion) or the oppressor. Maybe there is no middle ground in our society. Ack! Probably rent it again tomorrow :P

[ghostsofgiants]

10. ...

Dogville is definitely a top notch film. One of my favourites I think.

Von Trier is an incredibly talented filmmaker.

[medeak]

11. this is wierd

just received email from friend that I HAVE to watch it. Not reading posts as don't want ending to be spoiled. Am told it will help me understand the idiots in this town I live with?