15 Awesome Films Since 2000 You'll Never Watch Again
4. Dancer In The Dark
Plot:
A ridiculously sad story about a luckless and blind Czech immigrant that's told in the form of a Hollywood musical.
Why It's Awesome:
It's a brilliantly-acted and hauntingly powerful drama which is further enhanced by the musical sequences.
Why You'll Never Watch It Again:
Lars von Trier doesn't do easy, comfortable films. He's perhaps the master of making films you'll only watch once and Dancer in the Dark is a typically confronting work from him.
A lifelong depressive, Trier is known for his intensely depressing and downbeat films and this is one where more or less nothing goes right for its lead, Selma (Bjork, in one of her very few acting roles). Selma's seemingly relentless downfall only gets worse as the film goes along, while the contrast between these realistic, tragic scenes, filmed in a handheld Dogme 95 style, and the musical scenes which are filmed with wide-screen Hollywood cinematography emphasize the tragedy of the central story-line.
The eventual execution of Selma for a death that wasn't even her fault and her complete emotional breakdown at her execution is very nearly impossible to watch. When she does hang (in the middle of a song, no less) it's almost a relief. This one is too depressing to revisit and Lars von Trier wouldn't have it any other way.