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Dancer in the Dark (2000)

An east European girl goes to America with her young son, expecting it to be like a Hollywood film.

Director:

(as Lars Von Trier)

Writer:

(as Lars Von Trier)
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3,848 ( 278)

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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 33 wins & 46 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Linda Houston
Vladica Kostic ...
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Samuel
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Brenda (as Siobhan Fallon)
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Dr. Porkorny
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Morty
Reathel Bean ...
Judge
Mette Berggreen ...
Receptionist
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Storyline

1964 in small town Washington state. Selma Jezková, a Czechoslovakian immigrant, and her preteen son Gene live in a rented trailer owned by and on the property of married Bill and Linda Houston, he the town sheriff. Beyond Bill and Linda, Selma has a small group of friends who look out for her, including her primary confidante, Kathy, with who she works, and Jeff who wants to be her boyfriend. Jeff regularly waits outside Selma's workplace long before the end of her shift to drive her home, despite she always refusing in not wanting to lead him on. Her primary job is working on the Anderson Tool factory assembly line, but she does whatever she can to earn money. What only Kathy knows among Selma's friends is that she is slowly going blind, her medical condition being genetic. Selma is barely able to see, just enough to do her job. Her primary reason for moving to the US and for working all the time is to earn enough money for an operation for Gene when he turns thirteen, he who ... Written by Huggo

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

You don't need eyes to see. See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Musical

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

Language:

| |

Release Date:

6 October 2000 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Dancer in the Dark  »

Filming Locations:

 »

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Box Office

Budget:

$12,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$103,102 (Denmark), 10 September 2000, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$91,612, 24 September 2000, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,184,036, 22 December 2000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,031,879, 18 July 2001
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Björk was known for erratic behavior during and after filming. She once attacked a news anchor when asked about working with Lars von Trier and supposedly ate part of her costume after filming was complete. Later, in 2017, she admitted to "experiences with a Danish director" where "humiliation and [a] role as a lesser sexually harassed being [were] the norm"; after rejecting him, he "sulked and punished me", but "[he] was fully aware of this game and I am sure of that the film he made after was based on his experiences with me". Von Triër's next movie would be Dogville (2003) which deals with a woman who is physically and psychologically abused by a small community". See more »

Goofs

Surname of Selma's son should be a Jezek, not Jezková. See more »

Quotes

Bill Houston: Thank you for telling me your secret.
Selma: Thanks for telling me yours.
Bill Houston: Mums the word, right?
Selma: Mum?
Bill Houston: We don't tell anybody.
Selma: Oh, yes, I won't tell anyone.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Selma Jezková (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

In the Musicals, Part 1
Written by Björk, Mark Bell, Sjón Sigurdsson & Lars von Trier
Performed by Björk
Arranged by Björk & Vincent Mendoza
Orchestrated & Conducted by Vincent Mendoza
Produced by Björk & Mark Bell
Mixed by Mark Stent (as Mark "Spike" Stent)
Published by Universal Music, Warp/EMI Music & Copyright Control
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Bjork gives performance deserving of Oscar.
26 March 2001 | by See all my reviews

When I was driving to see this movie, I wondered how I was going to react to the film. Lars Von Trier had always been one of my favorite directors, but I was unsure if I was going to enjoy this film. After watching the film, I half to say that this was one of the best films I had ever seen. Lars von Trier used handheld cinematography perfectly and I was especially impressed by how he operated the camera himself. Also the way he used lighting and still cameras in the music sequences expressed the surreal daydreams of Selma.

Selma, played by Bjork, is a strong willed yet kind character who is hit by a series of bad events. Bjork plays this role so convincingly it is almost uncomfortable to watch. She doesnt act more than emote the character.

With Lars Von Trier directing and great acting, this is far and away the best film of the year. Its unfortunate that America didn't give the recognition the film deserved.


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