Idioterne (1998)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Writer:

Lars von Trier (writer)

Release Date:

20 May 1998 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Society is the mother of all Idiots

Plot:

The group of people gather at the house in Copenhagen suburb to break all the limitations and to bring out the "inner idiot" in themselves.

Plot Keywords:

Cult | Community | Public Nudity | Disturbing | Male Frontal Nudity

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Bodil Jørgensen	...	Karen
Jens Albinus	...	Stoffer
Anne Louise Hassing	...	Susanne
Troels Lyby	...	Henrik
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Jeppe
Louise Mieritz	...	Josephine
Henrik Prip	...	Ped
Luis Mesonero	...	Miguel
Knud Romer Jørgensen	...	Axel
Trine Michelsen	...	Nana
Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis	...	Katrine
Paprika Steen	...	High Class Lady
Erik Wedersøe	...	Stoffer's Uncle
Michael Moritzen	...	Man From Municipality
Anders Hove	...	Josephine's Father

Also Known As:

Dogma 2: 'The Idiots' (International: English title) (complete title)
Dogma 95 - Idioterne
Dogme # 2 - Idioterne (Denmark) (series title)
Dogme 2 (Denmark)
Idioterna (Sweden)
Idioti (Italy)
Les idiots (France)
The Idiots (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality and nudity, and for language.

Runtime:

117 min | South Korea:110 min (cut)

Country:

Denmark | Sweden | France | Netherlands | Italy

Language:

Danish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | France:-12 (original rating) | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:(Banned) | Italy:T (cut) | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (cut)

Filming Locations:

Søllerød, Sjælland, Denmark

Company:

Zentropa Entertainments

Trivia:

The second film in Lars von Trier's "Golden Heart" trilogy in which the heroines remain naïve despite their actions. The two other parts are Breaking the Waves (1996) and Dancer in the Dark (2000).

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: This is a film that adheres to the 'Dogme 95' manifesto, so the usual goof rules do not necessarily apply. This includes shots of the crew, microphones and other equipment, as well as continuity errors.

Quotes:

[Susanne puts a "spastic" Ped behind the van's steering wheel]
Guide at Factory: Who... is he driving?
Susanne: Responsibility does them good.
[Ped drives off recklessly]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Det danske dogmeri (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Swan

Von Trier pulls a rabbit out of the hat

This movie is very explicit, and definitely not for the faint hearted - if you have a problem with nudity etc. you should stay away (unless off course you want and eye opener)

The idiots was the second film made under the influential "dogma" rules (E.g. Spielberg (and others) has taken it up) and just as nr. 1 (T. Vinterberg's "Festen") and nr. 3 (S. Kragh Jakobsen's "Mifunes sang") the acting is superb, and almost too realistic. The shaking camera and the documentary feel really hits the viewer right in solar plexus. You want to cry, you want to scream!

In my opinion the theme is self realisation, modern man etc. If one wants to it can even bee seen as a comment to Hitler, manipulation, group thinking, the power of the mass etc.

It's not quite as tightly pulled of as "Festen", i.e. the idiots is maybe five or ten minutes to long. However: I claim that contrary to "festen" this movie is much more an art movie. It wants something more; it wants to constantly make the viewer aware of himself as a social individual with prejudice and more.

I wouldn't want to label this film social criticism, rather individual awareness.

As such it is the opposite of Von Triers "Breaking the waves" which was a very good movie as it made a very good impression of having a lot of depth that it just didn't. (which is a good achievement - I mean this)

(Breaking The waves and Mifunes sang: 8/10 Festen and Idiots: 10/10)