BREAKING THE WAVES (includes trailer)
May 9th 2010 23:16
Lars Von Trier’s 1996 epic of Shakespearian proportions, Breaking The Waves, is generally considered his greatest achievement. Von Trier wrote the original script, which as a piece of writing alone is absolutely sublime. Breaking The Waves is no doubt an ambitious accomplishment, it’s very compelling, but it falls short of being a masterpiece for a few reasons.
This Danish born writer/director’s eccentricities aren’t for everyone, they are communicated loud and clearly through his always adventurous film making and find their appeal among the discerning Art house crowd. Breaking The Waves received major accolades and won Von Trier the Grand Prize at Cannes. Breaking The Waves would mark a difference in Von Triers films, it would bring his technical precision and cinematic artifice to an end and mark the beginning of his cinematic sadism and constant desire to create emotionally draining tales that provoke his audience and regularly stomp his leading ladies into the ground. It also introduced us to Emily Watson (Angela’s Ashes, Punch Drunk Love, Red Dragon, Gosford Park), who boasts a remarkable, from the heart, performance that would mark her beginnings as an international success.
Breaking The Waves tells the story of Bess (Emily Watson), a psychologically troubled, God fearing woman. The story is set in a small village in Scotland during the seventies, which is lead by a totalitarian church. The heads forbid church bells, damn members of the community , whom they do not approve of, to hell and ban all women from speaking in the house of worship. The story begins where Bess marries Jan, an oil rig worker played by Stellan Skarsgård (Good Will Hunting, Pirates Of The Carribean). Their marriage begins blissfully, but shortly into their marriage, Jan has an accident on the oil rig that leaves him completely paralysed. He has given up on life and instructs Bess to go find other lovers. Bess, however is more unstable than we thought and begins having sex with strange men every where she goes. As her reputation spreads, members of the town are up in arms, either ostracizing Bess or pointing the finger at Jan.
While Breaking The Waves is very effective, it’s also quite an odd film at times, it’s nearly impossible to state what it’s point of view is. It’s contradictions in what it says fluctuate, annoyingly so, that eventually it forces us to abandon taking sides and simply view the film in an entirely objective way. There is the good mixed with the not so great in this. Von Trier seems to be only interested in stirring up a reaction from his audience. He has no shame in being crude about it either, but Breaking The Waves has a lot of strength to it also, it demands to be seen as a serious work of art. It’s definitely a more than solid film, capturing every piece of character and story, so intensely that you feel like you have read a novel rather than seen a single film. Human behaviour is captured with a keen eye of empathic detail, warts and all, the film is long and forces you to live with these characters and take time to invest in them even if it does push you away from embracing some kind of point of view (just one of it’s many contradictions).
The film is partitioned with a chaptered structure. Some of it’s stylistic choices may leave audience members scratching their heads at times, including the use of CGI, but it makes for a wholly original and adventurous film. I wish I could say good things about the cinematography by Robby Muller (Paris Texas, Ghost Dog), but I can’t, his highly distracting hand held camera work is one of the things that grated me the most. The film doesn’t look pretty either, but that’s not necesarilly a bad thing, the whole point of it is to make you less focused on the images and more focused on the people in the story. This film could have been shot stunningly, given it’s content, but it’s purposeful decision to take a more raw approach to it’s story telling is but one more thing that will divide audiences.
The biggest revelation in Breaking The Waves, no doubt, are the actors, one of Von Triers biggest strengths. Stellan Skarsgård has a powerful presence and does so much with his portrayal, especially considering how limited he is in movement, as the bed ridden Jan. This performance is stately and filled with nuances, which hides how under written his character actually is. Emily Watson captures the soul of Bess like no other actress. Her eyes reveal more about Bess than any amount of back story could. Watson is luminous as this angelic woman who loves and cares with every inch of her being and wants nothing more than to please God and her husband. Also featured in the film is a moving performance by the late Katrin Cartlidge (Naked, From Hell) reminding us how sadly under rated she was. Cartlidge is once again a powerhouse, giving us everything she’s got as Dodo McNeil.
One other particular actor who came to my attention, who has not been discussed as much in other reviews of Breaking The Waves is Adrian Rawlins. He plays Bess and Jan's doctor. Film goers may recognize him in his role as Harry Potter’s father, James Potter. Rawlins is my favourite actor in Breaking The Waves, he also acted in the cult hit Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself. Rawlins reminds me of a young Harvey Keitel in Breaking The Waves and is absolutely sensational.
Breaking The Waves is strictly for the Art house viewer, it’s not particularly enjoyable to watch, it tries to be difficult and challenge you, like most of Von Trier’s later work, but there’s still no denying it’s power. It’s a major achievement, even for a heavy weight like Lars Von Trier. I liked the film, even if it was two and a half hours long. I don’t think it should have been shorter, if your going to watch it that’s how it should be seen or not at all, otherwise. Ultimately Breaking The Waves, is a subjective film that will do different thing for different people, it has a lot to say about religion, particularly, which it isn’t a fan of. Love it or hate it – Breaking The Waves could never be ignored. It’s a soaring, demanding, love story and time has proven that it’s a classic as well.
Here's the trailer for 'Breaking The Waves'.
Breaking The Waves - written/directed by Lars Von Trier
This Danish born writer/director’s eccentricities aren’t for everyone, they are communicated loud and clearly through his always adventurous film making and find their appeal among the discerning Art house crowd. Breaking The Waves received major accolades and won Von Trier the Grand Prize at Cannes. Breaking The Waves would mark a difference in Von Triers films, it would bring his technical precision and cinematic artifice to an end and mark the beginning of his cinematic sadism and constant desire to create emotionally draining tales that provoke his audience and regularly stomp his leading ladies into the ground. It also introduced us to Emily Watson (Angela’s Ashes, Punch Drunk Love, Red Dragon, Gosford Park), who boasts a remarkable, from the heart, performance that would mark her beginnings as an international success.
Emily Watson's debut performance
Breaking The Waves tells the story of Bess (Emily Watson), a psychologically troubled, God fearing woman. The story is set in a small village in Scotland during the seventies, which is lead by a totalitarian church. The heads forbid church bells, damn members of the community , whom they do not approve of, to hell and ban all women from speaking in the house of worship. The story begins where Bess marries Jan, an oil rig worker played by Stellan Skarsgård (Good Will Hunting, Pirates Of The Carribean). Their marriage begins blissfully, but shortly into their marriage, Jan has an accident on the oil rig that leaves him completely paralysed. He has given up on life and instructs Bess to go find other lovers. Bess, however is more unstable than we thought and begins having sex with strange men every where she goes. As her reputation spreads, members of the town are up in arms, either ostracizing Bess or pointing the finger at Jan.
While Breaking The Waves is very effective, it’s also quite an odd film at times, it’s nearly impossible to state what it’s point of view is. It’s contradictions in what it says fluctuate, annoyingly so, that eventually it forces us to abandon taking sides and simply view the film in an entirely objective way. There is the good mixed with the not so great in this. Von Trier seems to be only interested in stirring up a reaction from his audience. He has no shame in being crude about it either, but Breaking The Waves has a lot of strength to it also, it demands to be seen as a serious work of art. It’s definitely a more than solid film, capturing every piece of character and story, so intensely that you feel like you have read a novel rather than seen a single film. Human behaviour is captured with a keen eye of empathic detail, warts and all, the film is long and forces you to live with these characters and take time to invest in them even if it does push you away from embracing some kind of point of view (just one of it’s many contradictions).
The film is partitioned with a chaptered structure. Some of it’s stylistic choices may leave audience members scratching their heads at times, including the use of CGI, but it makes for a wholly original and adventurous film. I wish I could say good things about the cinematography by Robby Muller (Paris Texas, Ghost Dog), but I can’t, his highly distracting hand held camera work is one of the things that grated me the most. The film doesn’t look pretty either, but that’s not necesarilly a bad thing, the whole point of it is to make you less focused on the images and more focused on the people in the story. This film could have been shot stunningly, given it’s content, but it’s purposeful decision to take a more raw approach to it’s story telling is but one more thing that will divide audiences.
The biggest revelation in Breaking The Waves, no doubt, are the actors, one of Von Triers biggest strengths. Stellan Skarsgård has a powerful presence and does so much with his portrayal, especially considering how limited he is in movement, as the bed ridden Jan. This performance is stately and filled with nuances, which hides how under written his character actually is. Emily Watson captures the soul of Bess like no other actress. Her eyes reveal more about Bess than any amount of back story could. Watson is luminous as this angelic woman who loves and cares with every inch of her being and wants nothing more than to please God and her husband. Also featured in the film is a moving performance by the late Katrin Cartlidge (Naked, From Hell) reminding us how sadly under rated she was. Cartlidge is once again a powerhouse, giving us everything she’s got as Dodo McNeil.
One other particular actor who came to my attention, who has not been discussed as much in other reviews of Breaking The Waves is Adrian Rawlins. He plays Bess and Jan's doctor. Film goers may recognize him in his role as Harry Potter’s father, James Potter. Rawlins is my favourite actor in Breaking The Waves, he also acted in the cult hit Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself. Rawlins reminds me of a young Harvey Keitel in Breaking The Waves and is absolutely sensational.
Breaking The Waves is strictly for the Art house viewer, it’s not particularly enjoyable to watch, it tries to be difficult and challenge you, like most of Von Trier’s later work, but there’s still no denying it’s power. It’s a major achievement, even for a heavy weight like Lars Von Trier. I liked the film, even if it was two and a half hours long. I don’t think it should have been shorter, if your going to watch it that’s how it should be seen or not at all, otherwise. Ultimately Breaking The Waves, is a subjective film that will do different thing for different people, it has a lot to say about religion, particularly, which it isn’t a fan of. Love it or hate it – Breaking The Waves could never be ignored. It’s a soaring, demanding, love story and time has proven that it’s a classic as well.
Here's the trailer for 'Breaking The Waves'.
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Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
I'm also a fan of the Dogme aesthetic, it's never actually been done quite like John Cassavetes used it, whom I assume his early films were the inspiration behind it, but the Danes really love it.
Thanks for the comment - more Denmark film coming your way this week.
Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang
The First Wonderful Peter Yang's Variety Blog
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Stay healthy and loose weight
Cheers
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Breaking the Waves is certainly an acquired taste, one that I found emotionally challenging in the right ways.
i still think Europa may be my favourite of Lars' films but Breaking the Waves is arguably his finest....still haven't seen AntiChrist yet, which I anticipate will rank highly with me.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I love everything about it.
It wrecked me emotionally when I first saw it in a packed 800-seat cinema at the Wellington Film Festival back in '96.
All the problems you have with it, aren't problems for me, but nicely written review nevertheless.
I reviewed it HERE, if you're interested.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
It's a Denmark festival over here at screen adventure for the next ten days!
Bryn - I appreciate your appreciation - like I said - it's a very subjective film and have no intention except to embrace your opinion and feellings on it. I shall read your review shortly.
Peter Yang - ----And a good day to you sir!
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
His stuff isn't for everyone, I'm also quite wary of him after seeing 'the idiots'
Good luck
On another note, how awesome is that trailer playing Child In Time by Deep Purple !
Comment by Catherine Stebbins
Thoughts from a Cinephile
Thoughts from a TV Watcher
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Good to hear that your gonna check this out, it definitely is a film that will make an impact on you. As for Antichrist, I'm clearly in the minority with that one, I assume you saw my review for it, it's a film that would turn most people off.
Thanks for reading