EUROPA (includes trailer)
June 16th 2010 14:57
Writer/director Lars Von Trier’s 1991 film Europa (also known as ‘Zentropa’) has all the ingredients for a thoroughly engrossing viewing experience. It treads the grounds of politically provocative terrain, from the moment it begins all it’s indicators point towards an artist boldly venturing into exciting territory, one that's told with a dynamic visual wit. It’s the unique style that’s employed which makes Europa stand up and be noticed, even if it eventually loses air at a certain point. From Europa’s first frame, it’s clear that this overly stylised film will be a creature of it’s own design, as it marches to it’s own drum beat, and as usual, always typical of Von Trier’s film’s - it's most definitely an acquired taste for the more adventurous viewer.
The year is 1945, World War II has just ended. A German born American, Leopold Kessler played by Jean-Marc Barr (Dogville, Breaking The Waves), arrives in Germany, getting a job with his authoritarian uncle. He has been hired to work as a railroad conductor for the Zentropa Rail Line. Not long into his working with Zentropa, Kessler meets a rich woman named Katharina, the daughter of the railroad owner. The two form a close bonded romance and what rears it’s head up, however, is the immediate state which Germany has been left in. The war may be over but America is keeping a strict eye on the newly defeated European country. The effects of Nazi-ism is still rife in the air as Germany experiences the after-shocks that the Nazis left behind. Kessler soon discovers that his sweetheart belongs to a family of staunch Nazi sympathisers. Kessler is coerced into carrying out acts of terrorism against the American forces attempting to govern his homeland.
Europa is best remembered for it’s powerful imagery and technical wizardry. This being the third film at the time from Lars Von Trier (Antichrist, Breaking The Waves, The Idiots), he proves to be a wunderkind here as his visual flourishes echo Orson Welles' A Touch Of Evil. The story telling of Europa is unique and wonderful mix between Casablanca and Open City. It’s black and white photography have flashes of colour appearing randomly, giving the impression of a memory or a faded away moment, unlike his later films, which for better or worse completely depart from this kind of precision, Europa is meticulously shot and lit and it has all the makings of a technically virtuosic piece of work. The trickling in of color over the black and white photography leads up to one of the most graphically grueling scenes of self mutilation I can ever remember seeing.
EUROPA’s experimental use of rear projection screens gives the film a distinctive feel unlike anything you’ve ever seen, which seems like a modern and more advanced version of what Alfred Hitchcock did in some of his films. Also, Von Trier does a pretty nifty and tense musical score for the film too. Europa could be considered brilliant by it’s look and technical feats alone, but the film sets it self up for much bigger things.
Europa tries to be unique and daring, but this is where it starts to seriously falter. It enters into the points of view of the Nazi sympathisers and a nation unable to recognize it’s mistakes, refusing to be held accountable. Since all of the main character’s in the film are formerly members of the Nazi party, there is an element of empathy in play towards them. The film doesn’t take sides, but you do find your self connecting with characters who have view points which are radically opposed to your own, which can be sometimes uncomfortable as far as a viewing experience goes.
I have watched film’s like this before, which take you into alienating and challenging points of view and found that it can be a strangely rewarding experience, but they’ve been better films both structurally and narratively. An underground film maker named Robert Kramer made a film in 1970 called Ice, which validly enters into the point of view of a terrorist group, it was a fierce and unforgettable experience, I didn’t find this to be the case with Europa, I instead found myself engaged only by it’s style and visual daring but nothing much more. A large chunk of it’s content is merely exposition and the film seriously lags at a certain point, so much so that at a certain point watching this film began to feel a bit like doing homework as I forced myself to see where it would go narratively.
It ultimately feels that the film, for all it’s intentions, doesn’t have that much to say on what could have been a brilliant exploration on the effect of German citizens living in Post-war Germany. There's something inherently ugly about the whole thing and it leaves a very unpleasant after taste. Europa would have best worked as a thriller actually, but it’s tries to be more than that. In my opinion, if you were to cut out half an hour from some of it’s languorous and sometimes unnecessary moments you would be talking about a much better film that could be carried through perfectly by it's strengths.
The main character of Leopold Kessler is portrayed as the most gentlest of men, his reasons for being in Germany during their worst point in history is one of pure idealism, which actually leads us to our first main problem in this film - Kessler is a very thinly drawn character and he becomes stale quite quickly. The script in general is flawed and unfortunately doesn’t offer much in the way of insight into this period in German history. The set up during the first act is wonderful but cries out to go places far more exciting than where it finally heads.
The cast includes an actor named Ernst-Hugo Järegård's, who plays Kessler’s uncle and he’s great here. He plays the kind of relative that could give you night mares, you can’t help but cringing from the very moment he opens his mouth. The cast includes plenty of Rainer Fassbinder regulars such as Barbara Sukowa (The Sicilian, Lola), Udo Kier (Suspiria, Mother Of Tears), and Eddie Constantine (Alphaville, The Long Good Friday).
Even though Europa has larger problems, my biggest peeve at it, is the fact that the great Max Von Sydow (Shutter Island, The Virgin Spring, The Exorcist) has been relegated to a marginal role of a narrator. Really, I mean, if you get the chance to do something with this legendary actor, why on earth would you put him in such a thankless role, completely marginalizing him through out the film. It’s a complete insult and even though I thought all the actors did a good job, he could have done an even better one if given one of those parts.
In the end, it seems that a fresh first half lets itself down for a duller second half (even if it does contain some very strong scenes), the moments that try to gain momentum and tension have already had the air let out of them long before, which is a pity. It’s not to say that Europa isn’t worth watching, it definitely is, if not just for it’s terrific visual flair and display of talent. It's just a pity that the writing of Europa doesn’t meet the directing head on, it could have been an amazing result, it begs to have all of it’s intrigue mined further but instead drifts to sea. What Von Trier should have focused on more were the character’s and been more disciplined with his editing. There could have been a lot more to work with here, it seems that after a while the film stops moving.
If you want a great film and a far more subtle and resonant one about the echoes of Nazi-ism in post-war Germany then check out Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Ali: Fear Eats The Soul, It's a much better film than this one.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I really get lost in this films mood and execution to the point where I rank it at Lars best.
That being said I can see why you didn't like it as much, but for me the themes explored are so intriguing and the unique cinematic perspective works.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
I basically lost interest at a certain point, of course, it's not that often that we disagree on films but this will have to go into the small pot of films you liked and I didnt, along with 'Thirteen', 'Last House On The Left', 'Punishment Park', 'The Game', 'Happiness' and 'Nurse Betty' (and probably a few others I cant think of)
My fav Von Trier film is perhaps Antichrist.
See 'Ali Fear Eats The Soul' ! A much better exploration of some of Europa's themes
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
You were kind to Von Trier considering the aversion I know you have to his work.
Despite my affection for this film i do acknowledge that Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is a more satisfying exploration of the central themes, I just prefer the atmosphere in Europa.
Still haven't seen Antichrist to comment...