Lars von Trier Beyond Depression: Contexts and Collaborations

In the late 2000s, Lars von Trier entered an even more inflammatory phase, subjecting audiences to "extreme" cinema. Linda Badley's book examines these four films and the contexts that produced them, highlighting a transmedial turn and engaging with notions of the Anthropocene, "dark ecology," and the postcinematic.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

From the outset, Lars von Trier established himself as a provocateur, but in the late 2000s, he entered a more controversial phase. Amidst the controversies surrounding Cannes, his films such as Antichrist (2009), Melancholia (2011), Nymphomaniac (2013-14), and The House That Jack Built (2018) showcased the cinematic brilliance that had previously been banned under the Dogme 95 Manifesto. These films, while subjecting audiences to "extreme" cinema, also took an aggressively personal and retrospective turn, reflecting von Trier's experience of clinical depression in 2006 and 2007.

In contrast to prevailing assumptions, Linda Badley approaches these four films with a reparative lens, providing an in-depth examination of their contexts and production processes. Drawing on numerous interviews with the director and his collaborators, as well as exclusive access to archival materials, Badley offers a thorough and comprehensive account of von Trier's preproduction and creative journey. She highlights a transmedial turn, tracing von Trier's artistic influences from Wagner, Proust, the Marquis de Sade, to Scandinavian erotic cinema and serial killer genre tropes. Badley also considers his portrayals of mental illness, therapy, gender and sexuality, nature and extinction, shedding light on the thematic concerns that unite these films as a distinct cycle.

Through nuanced readings of these films, the book emphasizes the significance of von Trier's work for current critical and philosophical debates. It demonstrates how these films engage with notions of the Anthropocene, "dark ecology," and the postcinematic, contributing to a broader understanding of contemporary cinema.

In conclusion, Lars von Trier's films from the late 2000s represent a provocative and introspective phase in his career. By examining these films through a reparative lens, Linda Badley offers a comprehensive account of their production processes, artistic influences, and thematic concerns. Through nuanced readings, the book highlights the significance of von Trier's work for current critical and philosophical debates, demonstrating how his films engage with pressing issues of our time.

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 229 x 153 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231191531