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Danish Cinema and Dogma-95. Dogma-95 Idea The Dogma Brethren Production Context Lars von Trier Dogma’s New Wave: The First The “Manifesto” and the “Vow of Chastity” The Celebration (1998) The Idiots (1998) The Second Wave of Dogma: Beyond the Brethren
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Danish Cinema and Dogma-95 • Dogma-95 Idea • The Dogma Brethren • Production Context • Lars von Trier • Dogma’s New Wave: The First • The “Manifesto” and the “Vow of Chastity” • The Celebration (1998) • The Idiots (1998) • The Second Wave of Dogma: Beyond the Brethren • Young Danish Directors taken under von Trier’s wing • Italian for Beginners (2000) • Third Wave: International Dogma Production • Fourth Wave: Films Inspired by Dogma • After Dogma
The Dogma Brethren • Danish Film School • Von Trier’s “Provocations” • Von Trier’s role in Danish Film • Revising cinematic convention • Element of Crime (1984) • The Kingdom (1994) • Lars von Trier as leader provocateur • Zentropa Productions est. 1994 • Film Town, Avedøre est. 1999 • Announcement of Dogma, 1995 • Dogma Brethren • Lars von Trier • Thomas Vinterberg • Søren Kragh-Jacobsen • Kristian Levring • Dogma #1-4 • The Celebration (1998, Festen) • The Idiots (1998, Idioterne) • Mifune (1999, Mifunes sidste sang) • The King is Alive (2000) Lars von Trier (1956- ) Thomas Vinterberg (1968- )
Lars von Trier and Dogma 95 • Lars Von Trier (1956- • Danish Film School record • Personal life • Zentropa Entertainments (est. 1993) • Dogma 95 as a project has its source in von Trier’s methods and style • Themes • Tributes • Expressionism • Emotional provocation • Trilogies • Art film trilogy • Element of Crime (‘84), Epidemic (‘87), Europa (‘91) • Golden Heart trilogy • Breaking the Waves (‘96), Idiots ‘98), Dancer in the Dark (‘00) • USA trilogy • Dogville (‘03), Manderlay (‘05), Wasington (‘07) • Formal focus • Formal means vary to suit narrative material • Revision of genre • Dogma 95 • Experiments leading to Dogma 95 • The Kingdom (1994) • Breaking the Waves (1996) Lars von Trier Trier and Vinterberg
The Kingdom (1994, Riget) • Sources • Belphégor (1960s)on Louvre’s Egyptology wing • Twin Peaks (1990-92) • Soap Opera • Semantics • Hospital setting • Characters as professionals • Syntax • Professional rivalries • Romantic interests • Scientific basis for plots • Formal aspects • Directorial freedom through TV financing • Casting • Handheld 16 mm cameras • Improvisational acting • Reception • Huge Danish Television Hit • Von Trier vaults to new notoriety • Genre revision as a means of access to audience Romantic subplot: Helmer (Ernst Hugo Järgård) and Rigmor (Ghita Nørby) Ghost story: Sigrid Drusse (Kirsten Rolffes)
Breaking the Waves (1996) • Long-term project • $10 budget • DFI financing • EU financing • No Hollywood funding • Sources • Justine, Marquis de Sade • Guld Hjerte (Golden Hearted) • Formal aspects • Dogma-like experimentation • Steady-cam shots • Digital effects • From technique to character • Erotic Melodrama • Bess and Jan’s sexual relationship • Deeply sentimental film • Naturalist acting mitigates sentimentality • International breakthrough for LvT Jan (Stellan Skarsgård) and Bess (Emily Watson) happily married Distraught Bess refuses to let Jan return to his job on an oil rig
Dogma Production Context • Ministry of Culture Commitment • Minister of Culture Jytte Hilden’s promise to Lars von Trier, 1995 • 15 million crowns for four films • Accusations of special treatment • Appropriation directed to DFI and consultant system • Brethren refuse to apply to DFI for Dogma money • Restructuring of Funding strategy for Dogma • Agreement with Danish Broadcasting (DR) • Bjørn Erichsen • “Public service” • Co-production and distribution agreements with Nordic public television companies • Zentropa productions (von Trier’s company) as producer DR’s Bjørn Erichsen
The “Manifesto” and the “Vow” • What is a manifesto? • “A public declaration, usually of political, religious, philosophical or literary principles and beliefs” • Typical of modernist, avant-garde art movements • Aims of the manifesto? • Seriousness • Irony • Provocative mode of self-aware public definition • Aesthetic • Public relations dimensions • The Vow of Chastity • Limiting filmmaker’s options as a source of novelty • Stripping film of organizing structures • Hollywood narrative illusion • Auteur cinema intention • Realist recovery of cinema? • Emotional access Certified Dogma, The Celebration (1998)
Danish Dogma Films:Dogma #1,The Celebration (1998) • Thomas Vinterberg Director • Mogens Rukov, collaborating screenwriter • Tight unity of place and action • “Acting out” in a traditional, if shocking, drama • Resonance with Scandinavian theater tradition • Film’s mysterious sources Christian ejected from his father’s birthday in The Celebration
Idioterne (The Idiots, 1998) • Dogma #2 • A group of dissenters • French new wave style • Opportunity to create ‘authenticity’ • Transgression • Form • Content • Trieresque fixations • Redeeming woman • Disability as insight • Melodramatic struggle • Von Trier’s expressionism? The group at Søllerud Karen ‘spassing’
Second Wave: Beyond the Brethren • Dogme # 12: Italian for Beginners (Italiensk For Begyndere Lone Scherfig, 2000) • Dogme # 18: Truly Human (Et Rigtigt Menneske, Åke Sandgren, 2001) • Swedish filmmaker trained in Denmark • Challenging middle-class conventions • Dogme # 21: Kira’s Reason (En Kærlighedshistorie, Ole Christian Madsen, 2001) • Rising name in Danish cinema • Gritty look at mental illness • Dogme #28: Open Hearts (Elsker Dig For Evigt Susanne Bier, 2002) • Susanne Bier • 9/11 connection • Melodrama • Popular appeal Kira’s Reason (2002) Open Hearts (2002)
Danish Dogma Films:Italian for Beginners (2000) • Director Lone Scherfig • Director of Morten Korch TV melodramas for Zentropa • First non-brethren film • Dogma emphasis • Collaboration with actors • Digital video intimacy • Emotionally raw film • Dogma variations • Clearly plotted • Steady camera • Lack of close-ups • Romantic Comedy • Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) • Biggest Dogma success • “Second Generation” Dogma in Church Romantic Confusions
The Third Wave: International Dogma Film • Non-Danish films to receive Dogma certification, prior to June, 2002 • Dogme # 6: Julien Donkey-Boy (Harmony Korine, USA, 1999) • Dogme # 7: Interview (Daniel H. Byun, Korea) • Dogme #31: El Desenlace (Juan Pinzas, Spain) • Dogma’s “Brand Logic” • A New Danish Wave? • A Cheap Way to Make Questionable Films? Harmony Korinr and Werner Herzog on the set of Julien Donkey-Boy (1999)
Wave Four: Dogma Inspiration • Distribution of Dogma Cinema in the US • Blockbuster and boutique • Universal Studios • USA Films and October films • Boutique aesthetics and profits • sex, lies, and videotape (1989) • Life is Beautiful (1997) • My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) • US distribution and Dogma • Dogma-Inspired Films • Traffic (2000, Stephen Soderbergh) • Monsoon Wedding (Mira Nair, 2001) • Full Frontal (2002, Stephen Soderbergh) • “All sets are practical locations” • “You will drive yourself to the set” • “You will create and maintain your hair and make-up” Lush drug life in Traffic, 2000 Gritty drug life in Traffic, 2000
Trier’s Rejection of Dogma: The America Trilogy • America Trilogy • Dogville (2003) • Manderlay (2005) • Wasington (2007) • Sources • Brecht’s “Pirate Jenny” • Narratives of Hollywood-style vengeance and justice • 1970s BBC Nicholas Nickelby production • Von Trier’s problem • Aesthetic vision • Melodramatic passion • Political consequences Nicole Kidman as Grace Stage set outlined in chalk
Conclusion • Dogma as a Danish phenomenon • Challenge to funding conventions • Lars von Trier’s provocation • Dogma as a globalized cinema convention • ‘Open source code’ • Under the radar digital cinema • “Gritty, indie cinema” • What’s the future of Dogma?