Lecture 7: Danish Cinema and Dogma-95

 

I.                    Danish Cinema and Dogma-95

a.       Dogma-95 Idea

                                                               i.      “Manifesto”

                                                             ii.      “Vow of Chastity”

b.      Cultural Historical Context

                                                               i.      Precursors

                                                             ii.      Lars von Trier and Danish Cinema

c.       Danish Dogma Films

                                                               i.      The Celebration (1998)

                                                             ii.      Italian for Beginners (2002)

d.      Dogma Film Outside Denmark

e.       Considering The Idiots (1998)

 

II.                 Dogma “Manifesto”

a.       What is a manifesto?

                                                               i.      “A public declaration, usually of political, religious, philosophical or literary principles and beliefs”

                                                             ii.      Typical of modernist, avant-garde art movements

b.      Aims of the manifesto

                                                               i.      Rediscovering an authentic cinema

                                                             ii.      Attack cult of auteur director

                                                            iii.      Rid cinema of illusion

                                                           iv.      Explode narrative predictability

                                                             v.      Shock viewers back to consciousness

 

III.               Dogma “Vow of Chastity”: Rules 1-10

a.       “Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).”

b.      “The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot).”

c.       “The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place).”

d.      “The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).”

e.        “Optical work and filters are forbidden.”

f.        “The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)”

g.       “Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.)”

h.       “Genre movies are not acceptable.”

i.         “The film format must be Academy 35 mm.”

j.        “The director must not be credited.”

 

IV.              Cultural-Historical Context: Precursors

a.       Visual Art and Convention

                                                               i.      Renaissance concern with classical aesthetics

                                                             ii.      Romantic concern with “artistic imagination,” which attacks convention

                                                            iii.      Art and Progress: Modernism

b.      Cinema and Convention

                                                               i.      Establishment of “studio film” grammar

                                                             ii.      Exemplary revisionists

1.      Dziga Vertov “Cinema of Truth”

2.      Italian Neo-Realism

3.      French New Wave Cinema

4.      Dogma Purposefully Recalls its Precursors

 

V.                 Cultural-Historical Context Von Trier and Danish Cinema

a.       Danish Film School

b.      “Provocations”

c.       Golden Heart Films

                                                               i.      Breaking the Waves (’96)

                                                             ii.      Idiots (’98)

                                                            iii.      Dancer in the Dark (‘00)

 

VI.              Danish Dogma-films

a.       Dogme # 1: Festen (Thomas Vinterberg, 1998)

b.      Dogme # 2: Idioterne (Lars von Trier, 1998)

c.       Dogme # 3: Mifunes Sidste Sang (Søren Kragh-Jacobsen, 1999)

d.      Dogme # 4: The King Is Alive (Kristian Levring, 2000)

e.       Dogme # 12: Italiensk For Begyndere (Lone Scherfig, 2000)

f.        Dogme # 18: Et Rigtigt Menneske (Åke Sandgren, 2001)

g.       Dogme # 21: En Kærlighedshistorie (Ole Christian Madsen, 2001)

h.       Dogme #28: Elsker Dig For Evigt (Susanne Bier, 2002)

 

VII.            Danish Dogma Films: Dogma #1,The Celebration (1998)

a.       Thomas Vinterberg Director

b.      Mogens Rukov, collaborating screenwriter

c.       Tight unity of place and action

d.      “Acting out” in a traditional, if shocking, drama

e.       Resonance with Scandinavian theater

f.        Film’s mysterious sources

g.       “First Generation”

 

VIII.         Danish Dogma Films: Italian for Beginners (2000)

a.       Director Lone Scherfig

b.      Director of Morten Korch TV melodramas for Zentropa

c.       Collaboration with actors

d.      Digital Video Intimacy

e.       Romantic Comedy

f.        Biggest Dogma success

g.       “Second Generation”

 

IX.              Dogma Film Outside Denmark

a.       Non-Danish films to receive Dogma certification, prior to June, 2002

                                                               i.      Dogme # 6: Julien Donkey-Boy (Harmony Korine, USA, 1999)

                                                             ii.      Dogme # 7: Interview (Daniel H. Byun, Korea)

                                                            iii.      Dogme #31: El Desenlace (Juan Pinzas, Spain) 

b.      Dogma-Inspired Films

                                                               i.      Traffic (2000, Stephen Soderbergh)

                                                             ii.      Monsoon Wedding (Mira Nair, 2001)

                                                            iii.      Full Frontal (2002, Stephen Soderbergh)

 

X.                 Considering The Idiots

a.       Writer, director, cinematographer Lars von Trier

b.      Controversial reception

c.       French new wave

                                                               i.      The misfit young, group

                                                             ii.      Music

d.      Control Thematic

                                                               i.      Lars von Trier

                                                             ii.      Social convention

                                                            iii.      Cinematic convention

e.       Intellect or Emotion?

f.        Provocation or Exploitation?

 

XI.              Conclusion

a.       Emergence of Dogma 95

                                                               i.      Success and Influence

                                                             ii.      Recognition of Films

b.      Spread of Digital Video

c.       Danish Cinema Renaissance

                                                               i.      Renaissance and Convention

                                                             ii.      A “Danish Wave?” or Momentary Exploit?