10 Horror Movies Shot From The Killer’s Perspective

6. The House That Jack Built

Maniac Elijah Wood
IFC Films

Lars von Trier's ultra-controversial The House That Jack Built follows serial killer Jack (Matt Dillon) as he carries out a series of murders, each of them depicted in graphically violent detail by the Danish filmmaker.

Throughout the film's gruelling 155-minute runtime, we're there with Jack all the way as he brutally takes lives - primarily of women, but also of a few children - in a nauseatingly matter-of-fact manner.

To make the experience even more uncomfortable for the audience, Jack considers his killings to be artistic expressions, with von Trier clearly keen to interrogate our own desire to sit through this miserable parade of ultra-violence.

And yet, even those unmoved by the unflinching formal daring of von Trier's filmmaking may appreciate Matt Dillon's magnetic performance in the lead role - a turn so brilliant, in fact, it might make you view the actor with suspicious unease from the moment you're done watching it.

It's utterly draining to spend two-and-a-half hours of your life with this man as he does almost unspeakably horrible things, and yet, you can't in any way accuse von Trier of trivialising the travails of a serial killer's "work" for our entertainment.

 
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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.