Assess the Degree to Which You Believe ‘the Idiots'reflects Artistically and Structurally the Intentions of the Dogme95 Project.

Assess the Degree to Which You Believe ‘the Idiots'reflects Artistically and Structurally the Intentions of the Dogme95 Project.

‘The Idiots' is Lars von Trier's only movie that strictly obeys the Dogme95 manifesto. It is artistically and structurally justified in calling itself an archetypal Dogme95 film. The director avoids any generic thematic pursuits and shuns all forms of technical enhancements used in Hollywood cinema. Instead, ‘The Idiots' presents us with a visually minimalistic, thematically unclassified story about a group of people who live together in a large house, under the leadership of a fellow called ‘Stoffer'. They venture out together, into society and behave like mentally retarded people. "Then, rather like ‘seventies people', engaged in some socio-political communal project, they come home and discuss what they've done" (Kelly, Richard. ‘The Name of this Book is Dogme95'. p.13) ‘The Idiots' reflects the rules of the Manifesto whereby all ‘cosmetics and illusions' are condemned as mere trickery of the audience. Dogme95 was established to help put the meaning of individual creativity back into context. The directors who signed this treaty were arguing for "pure egalitarian utopianism" (Kelly, Richard. ‘The Name of this Book is Dogme95'. p.8). They thought that the democratization of the film media was a dangerous and harmful force, allowing almost anyone to call themselves a filmmaker. To show their disdain for this modern travesty, they invented the Dogme95 rules, which restricted and limited any director who signed the manifesto to such an extent that these movies became technically uniformed while paradoxically allowing each director to express and explore themes of a controversial and taboo nature, in an individual way. Lars von Trier expresses this paradox of uniformity and creativity in the tagline of his film, which calls it ‘A film by idiots, about idiots, for idiots'.

‘The Idiots' does not fit into any genre bracket. Just when it's about to fall into a thematic category it changes its course dramatically. At times ‘The Idiots' presents a dramatic critique of society. Just as we are about to become at ease in this mould, there is a funny scene that shows the satirical, humorous aspect of the film. This device forces us to question what we are being asked to think about. It is in this curious detail that the heart of the Dogme95 project lies. The films born from this movement, do not only want to test the limits of the audience, they also strive to confuse and challenge the viewers. Directors, like Von Trier, detest the spoon feeding, commodity wielding filmmakers of Hollywood and wish to show their disgust and rejection of Hollywood's condescending illusionist cinema, in favour of a more stripped down, brutal, uncomfortable medium used to confront and engage the audience. Not only this, but traditional elements are incorporated into the story in an innovative and experimental way. For example, the side story of Jeppe and Josephines' blossoming relationship explores the theme of love, but strangely we witness it while they are ‘spassing'. This is both unnerving and moving. I think the uneasiness felt by the audience during Jeppe and Josephines' private moment of intimacy, highlights our own preconceptions. Von Trier highlights our narrow-mindedness by presenting us with this scene; I think people are offended, not because these people are acting disabled, but because they are expressing adult needs and desires while acting like disabled people. It is in this key differentiation that the Dogme95 project emphasizes the danger of social stigma and taboo. Its aim is to try to eradicate these taboos by forcing an audience to face them head on. They do this by constantly evading any genre stereotyping imposed by a viewing majority accustomed to simplistic, superficial Hollywood movies. Von Trier is very successful in expressing this Dogme idea in ‘The Idiots'.

"Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden." Rule number seven of the Dogme95 movement states that Dogme films must speak for their own times; they must represent the present, the here and now. Period dramas and outer space settings are immediately outlawed. This is a very interesting rule. It may seem restrictive, but it also allows Dogme films to be completely unique, whilst claiming to represent the present society, not previously embodied in film. They are exploring the ever changing world we are living in right now, this minute. There are no rules or traditions in representing the present. The geographical setting of ‘The Idiots' is simple and characterizes Von Trier's own experience of the present way of life in Denmark. He is brutally honest and unfaltering in his disdain for the modern world and cinema's idealistic embodiment of this world. He explores the idea of disability and modern society's view