Dancer in the Dark (2000) | Region-Free (Blu-Ray) | Starring Bjork | Directed by Lars Von Trier

Title: Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Genre: Drama, Musical, Crime

Plot Synopsis:
Set in 1964 Washington state, Selma Ježková, a Czech immigrant, works tirelessly in a factory while grappling with a degenerative eye condition leading to blindness. Her primary goal is to save enough money for an operation to prevent her young son, Gene, from inheriting the same fate. Selma finds solace in her love for musicals, often escaping into vivid song and dance fantasies that contrast sharply with her harsh reality. As her vision deteriorates, a series of tragic events unfolds, testing her resilience and the limits of her sacrifice.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Lars von Trier
• Writer: Lars von Trier
• Cast:
  • Björk as Selma Ježková
  • Catherine Deneuve as Kathy
  • David Morse as Bill Houston
  • Peter Stormare as Jeff
  • Joel Grey as Oldrich Novy

YouTube Trailer:
Dancer in the Dark | Trailer

IMDb Link:
Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Jacob – ★★★★☆
   “I used to dream that I was in a musical, ’cause in a musical nothing dreadful ever happens.” -Selma Jezkova. Yeah, I even sobbed just typing up that quote. I’m not quite sure why I keep watching Lars Von Trier’s films. Like sure, they evoke such strong visceral reactions out of me, but I hate every second of the experiences. There’s a ton of other films that could easily do the same, but it still feels like I have a secret guard on.”
2. perkb1 – ★★★★☆
   “Despite the rating, there are many aspects of this feature that I appreciated: the script, originality, Bjork’s acting, Joel Grey’s bit part, and cinematography. From a character perspective, I loved the musical director. I loved the ending of the movie actually. I thought the rhythmic portion of the initial factory song was cool.”
3. reibureibu – ★★★★★
   “Selma’s absurd conviction to be a good person even when it’s clear she will be punished separates the film from the rest of the inspiration-porn sludge by remaining committed to the farce no matter how cruel (or stupid, often both) it becomes.”

Meta Description:
“Dancer in the Dark” (2000) is a musical psychological drama directed by Lars von Trier, featuring Björk as Selma Ježková, a Czech immigrant facing blindness who finds solace in her love for musicals amidst life’s hardships.