antichrist misunderstood

The most misundertood and trashed movie of recent years is Lars Von Trier's ANTICHRIST. The symbolism in the movie is fraught with the icons of old horror movies, and is actually quite easily picked up on. The film is by turns boring, frustrating, extremely well acted, directed and photographed, tricked up yet, suprisingly low-key for most of its' length. I can't wait until Tim Lucas of Video Watchdog gets to review this one, because his is the ONLY voice I'd be interested to hear on this film.

I only found out about this film through my bands' sound man. He caught some of it with his date for the night (God! Whatta movie to pick for a date flick!). I can't imagine what SHE  must have thought but the facts are such about this movie that after he told me about some of the images in it as extreme and as pornographic as some of it is, the memories of many other horror films and psychological thrillers will rush back to you while watching it, if you dare.

Personally, I have been interested in seeing some of Von Triers' work anyway. Let me say up front that I don't think that this would be the place for MOST viewers to start. Even having never seen anything else from him I can safely say that. However, if you are fans of either Wilem DaFoe or Miss Gainsbourg (and they are REALLY the only two people in the cast for our purposes) that would be a qualifier. The performances are just outstanding.

Most of the stuff I've glanced at on line reviewing this film has been very negative, even if they appreciate the performances or the artistry with which this film is put together. The CLOSEST film I can think of in mood to this really Zulawski's POSSESSION. It's not a film (as this also is) you'd want to view more than once. But it is a film which deserves to be seen and even within the confines of genre, specific mood, performances, direction and photography should be seen by everyone that is into cult films, sci-fi/horror/psychological thrillers or even just character studies. The metaphysical/religious angle is also paramount and serial killer films which have now become a by rote genre all their own are also part of the influences but not the content of the film. At least not to me. The misogynistic angle that some reviewers have commented on is present in it but is not what I got out of the whole film. To me the blame centers squarely on BOTH characters and their subsequent behavior is dominated by their guilt and fears towards each other regarding their sons' death and their complicity in it. TOGETHER. After all they are having a session of hot sex while he gets out of bed and is killed in an accident. Just how much of an accident it is we are left to guess. Because the question becomes: are these two parents ultimately responsible for IGNORING their child while they are having sex. Are they so much a slave to their carnality even THOUGH they're in married and in love (or is it?) with each other that they are blithely getting their rocks off while their son is creeping out of bed to have the accident that causes his death.


I may be crazy too, but I get a severe sense of MUTUAL guilt and fear about both the husband and wife in this film over that incident. While the husband is a psychoanalist is trying to help his wife through guilt over blaming herself for her son's death, the husband is busy trying to help her even AS HE ADMITS that HE TOO is responsible for it. There is NO way watching DaFoe's performance with his lizard-like face and extremely wide mouth and skin that looks snake-like in many close-ups that not only his stated complicity in but his ACTUAL guilt over his sons' death can be ignored even by someone as DETACHED as his wife says he is in one dialogue exchange.


I am very interested in hearing more on a blog about this film from any and all. I KNOW that Tim Lucas will be reviewing it because it's just the kind of movie he should be reviewing. Challenging, thought-provoking and very apt to be either derided or ignored as trash by most people. If he can dedicate a book to Jesus Franco's garbage (he would take me sorely to task for that and so be it) then I know he is just who should review it.