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The Idiots (Idioterne)
Lars Von Trier 1998
Lars Von Trier 1998
You'd be an Idiot not to give this film a chance.
Back in 1995 a group of filmmakers based in Copenhagen decided to go about making feature films in a new and challenging way. Not just challenging to the audience, but to the filmmaker, and ultimately themselves. Their goal was to remove the illusion from cinema, to challenge the ever growing trend of special effects and trickery, and give the audience some reality, or as real as they could make it. They drew up a mandate called 'The Vow of Chastity'* a set of rules by which their films would be made. It was a new movement...a collective...they gave it a name...'Dogme 95'.
'The Idiots' is the second film made using the Dogme mandate, (there are close to three hundred of them in all). The first, Thomas Vinterberg's (who was uncredited) 1998 film 'Festen' aka 'The Celebration', dealt with shocking family revelations at a 60th birthday party, and was well received by critics. Though despite the film's often disturbing subject matter, it simply couldn't prepare audiences for what was coming next...
With that said however, anyone who had seen Lars Von Trier's 1996 debut feature 'Breaking the Waves', might well have had an inkling that his follow up wasn't going to be an emotional walk in the park.
'The Idiots' follows a young woman called Karen, we are told nothing of her history, but quickly discover that she is a lost soul, naive, and easily led. In the films opening restaurant scene, Karen falls in with a couple of intelligent and self assured twenty somethings, one of whom pretends to be mentally disabled in order to avoid paying the bill. After sharing a cab ride with the couple, Karen meets the rest of their circle and it's controlling leader, Stoffer. They allow her to accompany them on a series of stunts where they feign mental and physical disability, in order to provoke varying emotional reactions from the public. Karen is at first disgusted by this, and questions the morality of their behavior. She nevertheless stays with them, and gradually comes to accept their philosophy of discovering ones 'inner idiot'. The group gradually begins to implode however, as Stoffer's demands become more and more extreme. In the end it's only Karen who is willing and able to meet his final test, the culmination of which has powerful and harrowing consequences.
This is a film that has undoubtedly provoked divided reactions, indeed on the surface it could be dismissed as immoral and manipulative exploitation. The idea of people pretending to be disabled for self gratification at the expense of others, is in disgustingly bad taste. The fact that you will find yourself belly laughing at such behavior will almost certainly leave you with feelings of guilt, and force you to question your own moral scruples. Yes this film is hilariously funny, one of the funniest I've ever seen, but Von Trier doesn't let you get off that easily. 'The Idiots' is as much about group dynamics, power and idealism as it is about the laughs. The groups behavior has serious repercussions on their friendship, as their trust and self assurance is gradually whittled away by the nature of their actions. We are privy to all of this, as the realization dawns that it is only through great insecurity that these people ever got involved with such behavior in the first place. Ultimately they really are disabled, and Von Trier drives this point home with a deft intelligence and subtlety that is both challenging and beguiling.
Those familiar with Dogme films will know what to expect in terms of production values. The focus here is on the acting, and it really pays off. The entire cast are excellent in this film, particularly Bodil Jorgensen as Karen, and Jens Albinus as the power crazed Stoffer. So If you're afraid the film may be hokey or insincere in any way, don't be, it's a class act from start to finish.
All that really leaves me to do is sum things up by saying that I'm a big fan of this film. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something original and thought provoking. Though I do advise discretion, as the film features some very shocking footage, including a graphic scene containing real sex. Watch it with like minded friends and discuss afterwards, just don't expect to agree with each other.
* - Follow the link below, select manifesto, and click on 'The Vow Of Chastity' link for full details.
http://www.dogme95.dk/menu/menuset.htm
Back in 1995 a group of filmmakers based in Copenhagen decided to go about making feature films in a new and challenging way. Not just challenging to the audience, but to the filmmaker, and ultimately themselves. Their goal was to remove the illusion from cinema, to challenge the ever growing trend of special effects and trickery, and give the audience some reality, or as real as they could make it. They drew up a mandate called 'The Vow of Chastity'* a set of rules by which their films would be made. It was a new movement...a collective...they gave it a name...'Dogme 95'.
'The Idiots' is the second film made using the Dogme mandate, (there are close to three hundred of them in all). The first, Thomas Vinterberg's (who was uncredited) 1998 film 'Festen' aka 'The Celebration', dealt with shocking family revelations at a 60th birthday party, and was well received by critics. Though despite the film's often disturbing subject matter, it simply couldn't prepare audiences for what was coming next...
With that said however, anyone who had seen Lars Von Trier's 1996 debut feature 'Breaking the Waves', might well have had an inkling that his follow up wasn't going to be an emotional walk in the park.
'The Idiots' follows a young woman called Karen, we are told nothing of her history, but quickly discover that she is a lost soul, naive, and easily led. In the films opening restaurant scene, Karen falls in with a couple of intelligent and self assured twenty somethings, one of whom pretends to be mentally disabled in order to avoid paying the bill. After sharing a cab ride with the couple, Karen meets the rest of their circle and it's controlling leader, Stoffer. They allow her to accompany them on a series of stunts where they feign mental and physical disability, in order to provoke varying emotional reactions from the public. Karen is at first disgusted by this, and questions the morality of their behavior. She nevertheless stays with them, and gradually comes to accept their philosophy of discovering ones 'inner idiot'. The group gradually begins to implode however, as Stoffer's demands become more and more extreme. In the end it's only Karen who is willing and able to meet his final test, the culmination of which has powerful and harrowing consequences.
This is a film that has undoubtedly provoked divided reactions, indeed on the surface it could be dismissed as immoral and manipulative exploitation. The idea of people pretending to be disabled for self gratification at the expense of others, is in disgustingly bad taste. The fact that you will find yourself belly laughing at such behavior will almost certainly leave you with feelings of guilt, and force you to question your own moral scruples. Yes this film is hilariously funny, one of the funniest I've ever seen, but Von Trier doesn't let you get off that easily. 'The Idiots' is as much about group dynamics, power and idealism as it is about the laughs. The groups behavior has serious repercussions on their friendship, as their trust and self assurance is gradually whittled away by the nature of their actions. We are privy to all of this, as the realization dawns that it is only through great insecurity that these people ever got involved with such behavior in the first place. Ultimately they really are disabled, and Von Trier drives this point home with a deft intelligence and subtlety that is both challenging and beguiling.
Those familiar with Dogme films will know what to expect in terms of production values. The focus here is on the acting, and it really pays off. The entire cast are excellent in this film, particularly Bodil Jorgensen as Karen, and Jens Albinus as the power crazed Stoffer. So If you're afraid the film may be hokey or insincere in any way, don't be, it's a class act from start to finish.
All that really leaves me to do is sum things up by saying that I'm a big fan of this film. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something original and thought provoking. Though I do advise discretion, as the film features some very shocking footage, including a graphic scene containing real sex. Watch it with like minded friends and discuss afterwards, just don't expect to agree with each other.
* - Follow the link below, select manifesto, and click on 'The Vow Of Chastity' link for full details.
http://www.dogme95.dk/menu/menuset.htm