PopHorror Let's Get Scared
No matter how you may feel towards filmmaker Lars von Trier personally, it’s hard to negate the fact that he has the ability to make some incredibly unique pieces of art. But his craft comes at a price, a price many are not willing to pay. His previous films have included scenes which burn themselves into your memory, possibly the most notable being the tragic death of a child juxtaposed with the torturous intimacy shared between parents in Antichrist.
His newest film, The House That Jack Built, which stars Matt Dillon, is no exception to this, with von Trier blending dark humor and some rather unsettling shit in an almost effortless way. It was definitely too much for the MPAA, who quickly and senselessly lashed out at the movie’s distributor, IFC Films, for allowing an unrated cut to be played so close to the rated R version which will (still hopefully) be available next month. Despite the controversy that seems to follow Lars von Trier on so many levels, The House That Jack Built sold out movie houses across the U.S. on Wednesday night for its one night only affair, and PopHorror was there.
The air was electric as movie patrons filed into Phoenix’s small arthouse cinema, The Film Bar. Employees were wearing Matt Dillon masks and turned away those who were hoping to score a ticket somehow, while the rest of us purchased beer to soften the blow of what is known simply as a von Trier film. These theatregoers knew full well that over a hundred people walked out of The House That Jack Built screening at the famed Cannes Film Festival, and we were about to experience the same cut of the film as they did. We had no idea what to expect.
Before the film began, there were quick introductions by both Matt Dillon and von Trier. We are told by Dillon to scream if we wanted to scream and laugh if we wanted to laugh, something that didn’t make sense to me in that moment. As I was puzzling over those very simple and direct instructions, the filmmaker then commended us on being brave enough to watch his film, quickly signing off with saying, “Never another Trump,” which received a wild applause. I took a deep breath and a pull from my beer as the screen went black and we begin to hear Jack, the serial killer (Matt Dillon), lay it all out.
Jack explains that, over the course of 12 years, there had been five specific incidents that we, the audience, would witness in this 152 minute spectacle. He possesses a skewed sense of artistic values and a complete lack of compassion, which is immediately noted within the first incident. A woman (Uma Thurman) is stranded on the side of a snowy road and flags Jack down in hopes of assistance. He feigns no interest in helping her, but her awkward and domineering persistence pays off in her favor… or so it seems. The interaction between the two kicks off his demented pursuit of personal fulfillment as well as our fantastical viewing experience.
With each incident in The House That Jack Built, Jack’s bloodlust and narcissism progress. There is animal abuse, mutilation and one fucked up picnic, all laced with delusions of grandeur on Jack’s behalf. It is a sight to behold. The incidents were intensely woven with threads of unconventional humor, gore and uncompromising situations to help fuel the shock of the film. The movie went from genuinely funny to downright dark within moments. Scenes would shift. Gorgeous cinematography was combined with off camera exchanges between Jack and Verge (Bruno Ganz), whose identity is left to the imagination until the final moments. Dillon is believable as a detached psychopath only passionate about his “work.” I’ll just say that I’m nearly certain the bulk of walkouts at Cannes occurred during the third incident, the one I’m sure the MPAA had a fucking heart attack over.
To be honest, I believe that Lars von Trier is an emotional terrorist. He taunts viewers into having strong yet valid responses to his films. Although I think I laughed more than gasped during The House That Jack Built, and I’m not sure what that says about me, but it made me recall what Dillon said in the introduction. No one walked out of the screening here in Phoenix… the film actually received an enthusiastic standing ovation. Are we all sick fucks? Or just desensitized or disillusioned? Were the hordes of people running away from the movie at Cannes just uber sensitive? Maybe it’s a little bit of all of this, but I also believe that by now, people should know that you’re in for one hell of a ride with a picture from Lars. His films are something to be marveled at, in both a positive and a negative light, which is exactly how The House That Jack Built fades out.
The film released on December 14th on VOD and in select theaters, so if you think you’re brave enough to watch, be sure to hunt this one down.
