MetaChat - Dogville Confessions

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29 August 2005

Dogville Confessions The American release of the Dogville DVD didn't contain any of the extras included on the Danish release, for nearly all of the 3+ hours of material is fascinating stuff, especially the hour-long documentary Dogville Confessions, directed by Sami Saif (.pdf file in second link). Not your typical marketing fluff piece, this is an extremely up-close-and-personal look at the often tense conditions on the set of Dogville. Saif set up a wooden video confession booth on the set, and the stars were encouraged to record their own thoughts and feelings about working with Lars Von Trier.
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post by: matteo at: 14:15 | 4 comments

Though none of them truly let loose, many of the confessions do reveal how difficult it is to work with the mad Danish genius. Most of the tension on the set seems to be between von Trier and Lauren Bacall, who clearly isn't used to working in this fashion. (Not to mention that he feels he "can't take a shit without her permission.")

Lars clearly doesn't like actors all that much, and having to entertain (as he puts it), nearly twenty of them at one time is just too much for him. He hates the socialization and camaraderie that goes on, and nearly has a breakdown when trying to film the 4th of July picnic scene. On a day when Lars dismissed all but two of the actors, he is quoted as saying, "I think I just heard a lot of actors leaving. It was a wonderful sound."

Von Trier MeFi threads here and here

posted by matteo 29 August | 14:17

Thanks for this matteo! I saw Dogville about six months ago and it's stuck with me much more than I had anticipated.

posted by Frisbee Girl 29 August | 14:21

I think he's deliberately an asshole as part of his public persona. Doesn't mean I don't like his movies, because I do. Although occasionally I suspect there's something shameful about liking them.

posted by kmellis 31 August | 01:00

On the Nature of Dogs, the Right of Grace, Forgiveness and Hospitality:
Derrida, Kant, and
Lars Von Trier's Dogville

posted by matteo 03 September | 15:50

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