One of the heaviest movies I've ever seen, Dancer in the Dark is definitely one. Watching it once will make the heart hurt like a split, and many people will never want to watch it a second time after reading it once.
It is said that the inspiration for the film came from director Lars's favorite fairy tale: a little girl goes to the forest, she has bread in her hand, toys in her pocket, but along the way she happily gives everything to the people around her, and in the end she has nothing left, destitute. But she said, "I'm going to have everything going well, everything will be intact." ”
Lars used this self-sacrificing character as a model to create the strong and optimistic Selma of Dancer in the Dark.
Selma, who has her own musical dreams
The film "Dancer in the Dark" tells the story of A Czech refugee and single mother, Selma, who immigrated to the United States alone with her son, renting a truck in the garage of the small town police officer Bill and his wife Linda.
The reason why Selma came to the United States to live a very frugal life was to raise a sum of money to be able to get treatment during the best treatment period for her son at the age of 13. Because her son suffers from eye diseases like her, a family-inherited eye disease that can only be avoided if it is treated in time at the appropriate age.
Neighbor Bill was friendly, saw that they were living on a shoestring, often helped them, and bought a bicycle that Selma's son had dreamed of on his birthday. This touched Selma so much that she told him the secret of saving money for her son's illness during the exchange. The kind Selma suffered a senseless disaster as a result.
In the end, Bill steals Selma's money, and Selma kills Bill in the process of getting the money. Selma had the opportunity to retract her confession, but because it cost her money to treat her child's eye disease by asking a lawyer to complain, she chose to be silent.
The appearance of the Icelandic singer Björk with a strong personality is too authentic and too real, she is not beautiful, she is weak, even humble, and awkward. But her way of acting like a non-acting unconsciously affects the audience's emotions and moves the poor female character in the play.
"Bjork" means birch tree. And the role of Selma is tailor-made for her.
Björk
The best part of the film is when Selma makes a mistake at work due to rapid loss of vision. Despite her co-worker Cathy's intercession for her, she was fired from the factory. Selma, who had come out of the factory, walked alone on the tracks, and Jeff, who had always liked her, knew she was blind and chased after her, but she danced happily.
The dialogue Q&A singing of "I've Seen It All" is so beautiful and tense!
I've seen it all, I have seen the trees,
I've seen the willow leaves dancing in the breeze
I've seen a man killed by his best friend,
And lives that were over before they were spent.
I've seen what I was - I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!
You haven't seen elephants, kings or Peru!
I'm happy to say I had better to do
What about China? Have you seen the Great Wall?
All walls are great, if the roof doesn't fall!
And the man you will marry?
The home you will share?
To be honest, I really don't care...
You've never been to Niagara Falls?
I have seen water, its water, that's all...
The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State?
My pulse was as high on my very first date!
Your grandson's hand as he plays with your hair?
I've seen it all, I've seen the dark
I've seen the brightness in one little spark.
I've seen what I chose and I've seen what I need,
And that is enough, to want more would be greed.
I've seen what I was and I know what I'll be
You've seen it all and all you have seen
You can always review on your own little screen
The light and the dark, the big and the small
Just keep in mind - you need no more at all
You've seen what you were and know what you'll be
You've seen it all - there is no more to see!
Life may seem ordinary but has extraordinary power. You can't imagine such a petite, unassuming woman with such great power!
Selman in the film is weak, but she is as free as a bird in the world of music, but her environment does not fulfill her extraordinary influence.
Although there are good girlfriends Kathy and a chauffeur who likes her, Shef, one is friendship and the other is love. But these two tender feelings could not break her from the vortex of fate.
It is not easy for everyone to exist in the world, and there is no room for resentment. Selman, as a divorced and injured woman, must have seen the fragility and helplessness behind these relationships.
She was on her own. For a responsibility to the child, she dares to sacrifice herself to complete the child's health.
Childhood Björk
Perhaps, everyone has a sleeping power in their hearts, which does not need to be obtained but needs to be discovered.
Anything a person has can be deprived, and only the freedom of the heart is eternal.