search

Melancholia

Melancholia

"Melancholia" is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on depression that is as likely to exasperate as many people as it moves.

So it goes. Lars von Trier's latest film, and his most accessible in ages, is definitely not for everyone, in a way reminiscent of Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life," for which it could serve as a sort of companion piece. Yet although "Tree" takes in the whole of life, from the literal beginning to the end, "Melancholia" is about the end of the world.

Not as in death. As in the honest-to-goodness, planets-colliding end of the world. Perhaps it's the manifestation of a metaphor for depression. Perhaps it's meant as the actual snuffing out of life on Earth (it certainly seems to be). The film works either way.

Or maybe "films" is more accurate; "Melancholia" plays out in two acts. The first is a black comedy about the marriage of Justine (a brilliant Kirsten Dunst), a severely depressed bride, to her optimistic groom, Michael (Alexander Skarsgård). The wedding is held at the castlelike home of Justine's sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and her husband, John (Kiefer Sutherland), and it cost a fortune, as John frequently reminds everyone.

The problems start out small and grow larger, ranging from tardiness to a wildly inappropriate toast on marriage from Justine's mother (Charlotte Rampling) to Justine skipping out on the festivities for a large chunk of time to take a bath. It just gets worse from there -- a lot worse. Though maddening, Justine's behavior is accepted for a time (which is somewhat maddening in itself), but there are also funny bits, many of them provided by Justine's father (John Hurt), a boozy old flirt who pretends to steal the place settings.

But Justine's antics become increasingly intolerable; this act ends with devastation.

The second act picks up the day after the wedding at Claire and John's home. Justine is now so depressed she's practically catatonic. John, meanwhile, is obsessed with Melancholia, a planet hidden behind the sun that is hurtling toward Earth. Online reports predict certain disaster, but John assures an increasingly worried Claire that it will in fact miss Earth -- it will come close enough for armchair astronomers such as himself to get excited, nothing more. But is there hesitation in his voice; perhaps he's trying to convince himself. Certainly whatever he's selling, Claire isn't buying. She becomes more and more distraught, terrified at what will become of their son, Leo (Cameron Spurr).

A strange thing happens with Justine: As the potential for disaster approaches, she becomes stronger, as if she relishes the end of days. "The Earth is evil," she says. "No one will grieve for it."

Von Trier is explicit in what this all means -- nothing new for him, but far more effective here than in such films as "Antichrist," which, with its explicit depiction of genital mutilation and more in a study of the devastating effect of tragedy on a marriage, existed to outrage, not to move.

"Melancholia" the film is beautiful. Melancholia the planet is beautiful; the light reflected off it makes the night beautiful, as well. Pay attention to the sound of the film -- not just the use of "Tristan und Isolde," but the growing drone as Melancholia draws closer. The climax of the film is a form of sensory overload, piling on until the audience, and the planet, can take no more.

That's no spoiler; von Trier begins with the end, in a stunning sequence of shots. What's important here isn't something so mundane as a spoiler alert. Instead, this is a film about feeling, experiencing emotions good and bad (and not as much bad as a description of the plot makes it sound). "Melancholia" is an intense, exhausting experience. That may not sound appealing, and for some, it won't be. But nor should it be off-putting. Proceed with caution, perhaps. But proceed nevertheless.

— Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

Melancholia

Wed & Thu January 25 & 26, 2012, 7:00 & 9:30, Muenzinger Auditorium

Denmark, 2011, 136 min, 35mm, in English, 2.35:1, Color, Rated R • official site

recommend

Tickets

10 films for $60 with punch card
$9 general admission. $7 w/UCB student ID, $7 for senior citizens
$1 discount to anyone with a bike helmet
Free on your birthday! CU Cinema Studies students get in free.

Parking

Pay lot 360 (now only $1/hour!), across from the buffalo statue and next to the Duane Physics tower, is closest to Muenzinger. Free parking can be found after 5pm at the meters along Colorado Ave east of Folsom stadium and along University Ave west of Macky.

RTD Bus

Park elsewhere and catch the HOP to campus

International Film Series

(Originally called The University Film Commission)
Established 1941 by James Sandoe.

First Person Cinema

(Originally called The Experimental Cinema Group)
Established 1955 by Carla Selby, Gladney Oakley, Bruce Conner and Stan Brakhage.

C.U. Film Program

(AKA The Rocky Mountain Film Center)
First offered degrees in filmmaking and critical studies in 1989 under the guidance of Virgil Grillo.

Celebrating Stan

Created by Suranjan Ganguly in 2003.

C.U. Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts

Established 2017 by Chair Ernesto Acevedo-Muñoz.

Thank you, sponsors!
Boulder International Film Festival
Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts

Looking for a gift for a friend?
Buy a Frequent Patron Punch Card for $60 at any IFS show. With the punch card you can see ten films (a value of $90).

We Want Your Feedback

Cox & Kjølseth
: Filmmaker Alex Cox & Pablo Kjølseth discuss film topics from their own unique perspectives.

Z-briefs
: Pablo and Ana share Zoom-based briefs on what's currently playing at IFS

Search IFS schedules

Index of visiting artists

Mon Apr 1, 2024

Hot Shots! Part Deux

At Muenzinger Auditorium

Sat Apr 20, 2024

Super Mario Bros.

At Muenzinger Auditorium

more on 35mm...