# Does "Dancer in the Dark" get better? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2007, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098 "2007-06-15T05:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/21 "2007-06-15T17:10:16Z")
Watch it once if you want to know what people are talking about. Then never, ever, watch it again. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/22 "2007-06-15T17:11:51Z")
I liked it a lot, and I remember being bored and confused at the beginning the first time I saw it. But I got into it and “enjoyed” it. I mean, it’s the saddest movie ever, and I bawled my eyes out, but I kinda like that so, there you go. I also adore Bjork, so that made it enjoyable to me. I thought the musical parts were fantastic. If you like Bjork, and sad movies (and it is almost pointlessly sad; it’s not really making a statement about anything), I think you’ll like it. But, I will say, I saw it in the theaters, and bought it on DVD when it came out. But I’ve only watched it once, and I didn’t finish it (I was depressed, and I thought a good sad movie might be what I needed, but as I neared the end I changed my mind). So, maybe I don’t like it as much as I think I do. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/23 "2007-06-15T17:14:41Z")
I don’t know anything about Bjork–to my knowledge I’ve never heard any of her music. I decided to watch the movie on fast forward, with a couple of spots where I let it play at regular speed. I think I got the general gist of it between that and reading some plot summaries. I think I’m glad I didn’t take 2:25 to watch the whole thing regular speed. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/24 "2007-06-15T17:19:23Z")
Read the thread **Eureka** linked to. Then, keep watching only if you like manipulative, over-the-top misery. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/25 "2007-06-16T00:29:30Z")
[QUOTE=Cat Fight] one movie about a scapegoat of a woman is tragic. Lars von Trier has several (Dogville, Breaking the Waves), and all together they seem a bit sadistic. [/QUOTE] Trier. He added von (not Van) while being his pretentious self. Having said that, I do admire him as a filmmaker and I don’t think women are protrayed as scapegoats. He’s stated many times that this trilogy is about the sacrifices women make for others (e.g. husband or child) and that they are over the top, not to help him make his point, but to really rub in how bizarre some of those sacrifices are. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/26 "2007-06-16T02:28:55Z")
It’s currently in my lifetime topten movies: a masterpiece. Bjork gives on of the, say, 4 or 5 best performances ever captured on film. Ever. That said, it’s purpose is largely to make the audience squirm: it’s not supposed to be a pleasant experience. So if that doesn’t sound like something that would appeal to you, you should skip it. It’s definitely not for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/27 "2007-06-16T02:34:27Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] [the film is made by the rules of Dogme 95.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogme_95) That may be a good thing or a bad thing. I’m not sure. [/QUOTE] It’s not, actually. Von Trier only made one film according to the “rules” of Dogme 95, _Idioterne_. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/28 "2007-06-16T05:49:13Z")
I agree with **lissener**. I think this is a brilliant film & Bjork gives one of the best performances I’ve seen. I loved all the musical numbers and thought they were very artfully done. Of course, it is probably one of the most depressing movies I’ve ever seen, but that doesn’t take away from how much I loved it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098/29 "2007-06-16T10:00:11Z")
The wife and I loved the movie. I liked Peter Stormare, too. as Jeff. (He was the silent killer in _Fargo_, the one who loaded Steve Buscemi in the wood chipper.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dancer-in-the-dark-get-better/408098.md?page=1)