Lars from 1-10

For the average film viewer in the States, seeing Lars Von Trier and hearing him pontificate about the so-called "Dogma 95 Movement" is completely confusing and pointless. They have no idea who he is or what this bizarre cult-like avant garde film movement is. I've seen a few Dogma films I liked (particularly CELEBRATION) and some I strongly dislike (MIFUNE is just awful) and bristle at the bizarre obsessive-compulsive rules that Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg created. Part of this is because so many of their rules seem arbitrary and constricting and part of it is because I hate the idea of films having the same structure and style--which is the case if they really stick with the Dogma manifesto. Oddly, this new idea is in many ways an "anti-New Wave"--instead of rejecting the past like the French New Wave directors of the 60s to be creative and free, the Dogma 95 members use some of the same ideas (such as the hand-held camera) but freedom is the last thing they'd want! Now if you LOVE these rules and think that Dogma 95 is the best thing since sliced bread, then are you in for a treat as Von Trier talks and talks about it without ever really explaining it or the reasons for it. The film maker didn't help any, as they didn't try to hash it out and only briefly showed each of the 10 rules--but didn't follow up on it or explain them! To me, it's definitely a lost opportunity, as I would have welcomed a film about the movement--perhaps then I could understand it better and appreciate its reasons for being. Instead, I just found myself wondering why they tried so hard to say nothing! PS--There's some frontal nudity so the little kiddies aren't recommended to watch this. However, considering it's a film about Von Trier and Dogma 95, what kid would watch this anyway?! And, for that matter, what adult?!

This short interview with Director Lars Von Trier basically deals with the subject, and short analysis of the Dogme 95 rules. Von Trier gives some insight into how and why the rules came about and there is also some footage of Lars and his small crew filming the Idiots (most of the footage is curiously from the famous nude scenes). But at such a short running time, there just isn't enough room for the film to be of more interest.



4/10