Lars von Trier
Groups and Texts ("Path 2")

ornamental line


"It's all so fascinating. It's the closest we have had
or the closest we have to true, you could say,
evil, isn't it? Genuine evil . . ."
Lars von Trier / Tranceformer (1997)

 
Touchstones
Lars von Trier film
Film Pairing
content warnings
Grp 1
  • detective work
  • wish-fulfillment
  • the contours of desire
  • the mind's power

The Element of Crime (1984) / Criterion Collection (14-day free trial)

Andrea Tarkovsky's Solaris (1972) / Kanopy

warning: graphic sexual content & language
Grp 2
  • marriage
  • infidelity
  • despair
  • vengeance

Medea (1988) / script / Archive.org

Ingmar Bergmann's The Passion of Anna (1969) [YouTube, $2.99]

warning: infanticide
Grp 3
  • dystopia
  • war
  • romance
  • betrayal

Europa (1991) / Kanopy

Ingmar Bergman's Shame (1968) Kanopy

warning: suicide
Grp 4
  • sisters
  • loud silences
  • identity crisis
  • sex as escape
 Melancholia (2011) / Kanopy

Ingmar Bergmann's
The Silence (1963) / Kanopy

warning: deep depression
Grp 5
  • the problem of pain
  • parenting
  • innocence
  • justice

Dancer in the Dark (2000) / YouTube [free]

Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring (1960) / Kanopy

warning: rape
Grp 6
  • self-referential ("meta")
  • the artistic process
  • distance and sympathy
  • self-knowledge

The Five Obstructions (2003) / Kanopy

Ingmar Bergman's Persona (1966) / Kanopy

warning: explicit sexual language
Grp 7
  • what is good?
  • religious permutations
  • death
  • hypocrisy
 Dogville (2003) / Amazon [$3.99]

Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (1957) / Kanopy

warning: rape
Grp 8
  • church community
  • faith
  • hope vs. despair
  • sacrifice
 Breaking the Waves (1996) / Kanopy

Ingmar Bergman's Winter Light (1963)

 warning: graphic sexual content, disturbing violence
Grp 9
  • expressionism; horror
  • death & loss
  • family
  • hope vs. despair
 Antichrist (2009) / YouTube [$2.99]

Carl Theodor Dreyer's Vampyr (1932) / Dailymotion

warning: graphic sexual content, very graphic & disturbing violence
Grp 10
  • fear
  • art vs. science
  • wish-fulfillment
 Melancholia (2011) / Kanopy

Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker (1979) / Kanopy

warning: deep depression
Grp 11
  • identity
  • morality
  • sexuality
 Nymphomaniac (2013), Vols. 1 & 2 / Amazon [$3.99 each]

Carl Theodor Dreyer's Day of Wrath (1943) / Kanopy

warning: very graphic sexual content
Grp 12 [added by stdnt rqst]
  • trust & betrayal
  • the cost of art
  • mental illness
  • the meaning of life
 The House That Jack Built (2018)

Ingmar Bergmann's
Through a Glass Darkly (1961)

warning: graphic sexual content, very graphic & disturbing violence

 

 
Touchstones
sec 01
sec 02
Grp 1
  • detective work
  • wish-fulfillment
  • the contours of desire
  • the mind's power
  • Lindsay Torres
  • Kayla Stuart
  • Vanessa Gomez
  
Grp 2
  • marriage
  • infidelity
  • despair
  • vengeance
  • Anya Weinstein
  • Olivia Otten
  • Kellen Barsley
  • Chris Moelgaard
  • Daviana Hayman
  • Michelle Griffith
Grp 3
  • dystopia
  • war
  • romance
  • betrayal
  • Ethan Sandstrom
  • Adam Albanese
  • Abhi Manam
  • Bryce Kennedy
  • Jaeden Barlett
  • Rachel Dyer
Grp 4
  • sisters
  • loud silences
  • identity crisis
  • sex as escape
  • Daniel Diaz
  • Bella Nevarez
  • Tynan Castro
  • Lydia Barnes
  • Megan Austin
  • Daryl Ng
Grp 5
  • the problem of pain
  • parenting
  • innocence
  • justice
  • Ashton Mitchell
  • Luke Conti
  • Taylor Magon
  • Katie Ng
  • David Bowen
  • Roma Raje
Grp 6
  • self-referential ("meta")
  • the artistic process
  • distance and sympathy
  • self-knowledge
  • Anders Griffin
  • Sydney Bregman
  • Rydan Secor
  • Jeremiah White
  • Shayan Ruhany
  • Zack Soucek
  • Katie Ng
Grp 7
  • what is good?
  • religious permutations
  • death
  • hypocrisy
  
  • George Chabre
  • Caitlin Robertson
  • Carson Ernst
Grp 8
  • church community
  • faith
  • hope vs. despair
  • sacrifice
  • Adib Kachkouche
  • Geoffrey Smith
  • Ethan Stallings
  • Evan Toji
  • Spencer Morris
  • Nathan Chiang
Grp 9
  • expressionism; horror
  • death & loss
  • family
  • hope vs. despair
  • Andrew Gater
  • D'Angelo Reyes
  • Deven Kimoto
  
Grp 10
  • fear
  • art vs. science
  • wish-fulfillment
  • Nick Reeves
  • Lauren Leach
  • Claire Dossey
  • Cal Mitchell
  • Olek Piechaczek
  • Sienna Scibird
Grp 11
  • identity
  • morality
  • sexuality
  • Sydney Osterbauer
  • Avery Reiter
  • _____
  
Grp 12
  • trust & betrayal
  • the cost of art
  • mental illness
  • the meaning of life
  
  • Sid Kartha
  • Fereshteh Bunk
  • _____


In the foreground is an expanse of water. In the background, a machine sitting on the shore and a woman seated leaning against a tree facing awya into the distance. Gentle green and light brown and black tones
Dryade by a Forest Lake (2008)
Poul Anker Bech


Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu