Dogville (2003)

Director:

Lars von Trier

Writer:

Lars von Trier (written by)

Release Date:

21 May 2003 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A quiet little town not far from here.

Plot:

A woman on the run from the mob is reluctantly accepted in a small Colorado town. In exchange, she agrees to work for them. As a search visits town, she finds out that their support has a price. Yet her dangerous secret is never far away...

Plot Keywords:

Community | Gangster | Rocky Mountains | Mob | 1930s

Awards:

13 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Nicole Kidman	...	Grace Margaret Mulligan
Harriet Andersson	...	Gloria
Lauren Bacall	...	Ma Ginger
Jean-Marc Barr	...	The Man with the Big Hat
Paul Bettany	...	Tom Edison
Blair Brown	...	Mrs. Henson
James Caan	...	The Big Man
Patricia Clarkson	...	Vera
Jeremy Davies	...	Bill Henson
Ben Gazzara	...	Jack McKay
Philip Baker Hall	...	Tom Edison Sr.
Thom Hoffman	...	Gangster
Siobhan Fallon	...	Martha (as Siobhan Fallon Hogan)
John Hurt	...	Narrator (voice)
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Ben
John Randolph Jones	...	Gangster
Udo Kier	...	The Man in the Coat
Cleo King	...	Olivia
Miles Purinton	...	Jason
Bill Raymond	...	Mr. Henson
Chloë Sevigny	...	Liz Henson
Shauna Shim	...	June
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Chuck
Evelina Brinkemo	...	Athena
Anna Brobeck	...	Olympia
Tilde Lindgren	...	Pandora
Evelina Lundqvist	...	Diana
Helga Olofsson	...	Dahlia
Ulf Andersson	...	Additional Cast
Jan Coster	...	Additional Cast
Mattias Fredriksson	...	Additional Cast
Andreas Galle	...	Additional Cast
Barry Grant	...	Additional Cast
Laszlo Hago	...	Additional Cast (as Lásló Hágó)
Niklas Henriksson	...	Additional Cast
Mikael Johansson	...	Additional Cast
Hans Karlsson	...	Additional Cast
Lee R. King	...	Additional Cast
Oskar Kirkbakk	...	Additional Cast
Ingvar Örner	...	Additional Cast
Erich Silva	...	Additional Cast
Kent Vikmo	...	Additional Cast
Eric Voge	...	Additional Cast
Ove Wolf	...	Additional Cast

Directed by
Lars von Trier		(as Lars Von Trier)

Writing credits
Lars von Trier		(written by) (as Lars Von Trier)

Produced by
Gillian Berrie	....	co-producer
Lene Børglum	....	co-executive producer
Bettina Brokemper	....	co-producer
Tomas Eskilsson	....	co-producer: in association with
Jonas Frederiksen	....	line producer
Peter Garde	....	co-executive producer
Anja Grafers	....	co-producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	executive producer
Lars Jönsson	....	co-executive producer
Turid Øversveen	....	co-producer: in association with
Liisa Penttilä	....	co-producer: in association with
Marianne Slot	....	co-executive producer
Els Vandevorst	....	co-producer
Vibeke Windeløv	....	producer

Cinematography by
Anthony Dod Mantle

Film Editing by
Molly Marlene Stensgaard		(as Molly Malene Stensgaard)

Casting by
Job Gosschalk
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Peter Grant

Set Decoration by
Simone Grau

Costume Design by
Manon Rasmussen

Makeup Department
Pascale Bouquière	....	key hair stylist (as Pascale Bouguiere)
Pascale Bouquière	....	key makeup artist (as Pascale Bouguiere)
Annelie Byström	....	hair stylist
Anja Dahl	....	makeup artist
Lena Ericsson	....	hair stylist
Marleen Holthuis	....	makeup artist
Dennis Knudsen	....	key hair stylist
Dennis Knudsen	....	key makeup artist
Robert McCann	....	makeup artist: Nicole Kidman
Tina Nordberg	....	hair stylist
Denise Thorsmyr	....	hair stylist
Mari Vaalasranta	....	makeup artist
Kerry Warn	....	hair stylist: Nicole Kidman

Production Management
Lene Nielsen	....	production manager
Pia Nielsen	....	post-production manager
Charlotte Pedersen	....	production manager: test
Tina Winholt	....	production manager: pre-production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anders Barlebo	....	second assistant director
Caroline Sascha Cogez	....	second to first assistant director (as Caroline S. Cogez)
Anders Refn	....	first assistant director
Chris Sanger	....	third assistant director
Iben Snebang	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Mikael Back	....	carpenter
Didier Bautz	....	plasterer (as Dider Bautz)
Christine Bechameil	....	painter
Jean Roch Bechameil	....	plasterer
Louise Drake	....	set props
Martina Eriksdotter	....	props assistant
Tony Grob	....	property master
Rickard Grönvall	....	painter (as Rikard Grönvall)
Hans Gunnarson	....	construction coordinator (as Hans Gunnarsson)
Nicola Hewitt	....	property master
Karl Júlíusson	....	creative consultant: production design (as Karl Juliusson)
Sofie Kinngard	....	painter
Jesper Lorents	....	property master
Jeff Normann	....	carpenter
Leif Stoltze	....	carpenter
Peter Vålming	....	carpenter
Sophus K. Windeløv	....	props assistant
Frank Zandhoff	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Kristian Eidnes Andersen	....	supervising sound editor (as Kristian E. Andersen)
Pétur Einarsson	....	sound editor
Anne Jensen	....	sound editor: trailer
Mads Ljungdahl	....	assistant to sound designer
Julien Naudin	....	foley artist
Eddie Simonsen	....	sound editor: trailer
Ad Stoop	....	second sound engineer
Per Streit	....	sound designer
Joost van Heerden	....	sound assistant (as Joost Van Heerden)
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)
Mark Kenna	....	dolby film sound consultant (uncredited)
Ad Stoop	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Per Streit	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Hummer Høimark	....	special effects coordinator (as Hummer Højmark)
Peter Jensen	....	special effects warrant
Lena Karoliussen	....	special effects production assistant
Christian Kitter	....	special effects technician
Ilja Jonbak Nielsen	....	special effects technician (as Ilja Bak Nielsen)

Visual Effects by
Ian Bach	....	compositor (as Ian Bach Larsen)
Niels Valentin Dal	....	matte painter
Sune Elskær	....	storyboard artist
Jonah Gray	....	visual effects apprentice
Peter Hjorth	....	visual effects supervisor
Dan Konzior	....	digital color grader
Rasmus Lange	....	additional compositor
Tine Nikali	....	3D animator
Mikkel Rønne	....	compositor

Stunts
Jimmy Uller	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Henrik Andersson	....	camera assistant: Multicam
Henrik Andersson	....	video supervisor
Christian Bonde	....	electrician
Jakob Bonfils	....	technical supervisor: camera
Asa Frankenberg	....	lighting designer (as Åsa Frankenberg)
Ocki Hansson	....	grip
Rolf Konow	....	still photographer
Mikael Kort Kristensen	....	grip assistant (as Mikael K. Kristensen)
Jens Lind	....	gaffer
Fredrik Magnusson	....	electrician
Sebastian Naar	....	clapper loader (as Sebastien Naar)
Thomas Neivelt	....	electrician
Pontus Nordahl	....	camera assistant: Multicam
Pontus Nordahl	....	video supervisor
Erik Persson	....	clapper loader
Ulrik Gad Poulsen	....	assistant lighting designer
Claus Rosenløv Jensen	....	focus puller
Martin Svane	....	electrician
Lars von Trier	....	camera operator (as Lars Von Trier)

Casting Department
Joyce Nettles	....	casting: UK
Hanna Nilsson	....	casting: Sweden
Maureen Whalen	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Åsa Broms	....	seamstress: pre-production
Bente Christiansen	....	tailor
Kristin Johansson	....	seamstress: pre-production
Bente Kirk	....	tailor
Rikke Korfix	....	costume assistant
Malou Listoft	....	tailor
Bente Nielsen	....	tailor (as Bente Nilsen)
Magdalena Nilsson	....	seamstress: pre-production
Marjatta Nissinen	....	costume assistant
Stine Terp	....	tailor

Editorial Department
Karina Buttler	....	assistant editor: AVID
Thomas Caspersen	....	digital preparation
Didier Cayla	....	laboratory contact
Lars Dela	....	technical backup
Veronique Durand	....	laboratory contact
Christoffer Heie	....	on-line editor
Bodil Kjærhauge	....	first assistant editor
Dan Konzior	....	digital grader
Thomas Krag	....	editor: end credits
Sandrine Lesénéchal	....	assistant post-production: Paris
Nicolaj Monberg	....	trailer editor
Fabien Pascal	....	film color grader
Cecilie Rui	....	first assistant post manager
Jacob Thuesen	....	trailer editor

Music Department
Simon Changer	....	score assistant engineer
The English Concert	....	performer: music score
Joachim Holbek	....	music arranger
Greg Rogers	....	music consultant: The Film Music Group
Mike Ross-Trevor	....	music mix engineer
Mike Ross-Trevor	....	music recordist
Peter Ryom	....	consultant: baroque music
Anders Valbro	....	music supervisor
Ray Williams	....	music consultant: The Film Music Group
Allan Wilson	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Malini Ahlberg	....	driver (as Anna Ahlberg)
Nenad Belancic	....	driver (as Nenad Belancics)
Antonello Cuomo	....	driver
Sara Eriksson	....	driver
Johan Johnsson	....	driver
Morgan Karlsson	....	driver
Jennifer Kennt	....	driver
Lee R. King	....	driver: Nicole Kidman
Anders Lejonmåne	....	driver
Linda Maripuu	....	driver
Henrik Nordberg	....	driver
Lars Nordenskjöld	....	driver
Jonas Ohlsson	....	driver
Henrik Ryhlander	....	driver

Other crew
Henrik Agermann	....	banking: Forstædernes Bank AS (as Henrik Angermann)
Malini Ahlberg	....	production assistant (as Anna Ahlberg)
Malini Ahlberg	....	runner (as Anna Ahlberg)
Daniel Ahlqvist	....	production coordinator
Cynthia Almeida	....	body double
Anna Andersson	....	catering assistant
Max Angervall	....	body double
Robert Arlinder	....	body double
Anette Arnholm	....	equipment facility: EF Rental (as Annette Arnholm)
Gun Åsander	....	accountant: Sweden (as Gun Åsander Karlsson)
Nenad Belancic	....	production assistant (as Nenad Belancics)
Nenad Belancic	....	runner (as Nenad Belancics)
Stina Berggren	....	assistant production coordinator
Caroline Blanco	....	assistant: Vibeke Windeløv
Susan H. Bodine	....	production lawyer: Epstein, Levinsohn, et al (as Sue Bodine)
Sophie Borowsky	....	production lawyer: Walker & Associés
Felicia Bushman	....	production assistant: Nicole Kidman
Annelie Byström	....	body double
Thomas Callahan	....	dialogue coach: Skarsgård
Andreas Calltorp	....	security
Andrea F. Cannistraci	....	production lawyer: Epstein, Levinsohn, et al
Tai Shin Carstensen	....	public relations: Denmark
Holley Chant	....	assistant dialogue coach (as Holly Chant)
Alison S. Cohen	....	production lawyer: Epstein, Levinsohn, et al
Antonello Cuomo	....	production assistant
Antonello Cuomo	....	runner
Linda Daae	....	continuity
Nik Dahlström	....	body double
Anders Ericsson	....	catering manager
Lena Ericsson	....	body double
Sara Eriksson	....	production assistant
Eva Ermenz	....	body double
Atle Fägersten	....	body double
Elisabeth Falk	....	body double
Malte Forsell	....	production consultant (as Malte Forssell)
E. Max Frye	....	script consultant: US (as Max Fry)
Tracy Gossett	....	assistant to actor
Lizette Gram	....	public relations: Denmark
Patrik Gren	....	security
Frida Hallberg	....	body double coordinator assistant
Mattias Hallsten	....	catering assistant
Mikael Halvardsson	....	security
Christel Hammer	....	public relations: Denmark
Jeanett Hansen	....	banking: Forstædernes Bank AS
Jens Georg Hansen	....	insurance: Marsh A/S (as Jens-Georg Hansen)
Lena Hansson	....	film consultant: Swedish Film Institute (as Lena Hansson-Varhegyi)
Helene Heldager	....	subtitler: Danish subtitles
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialogue coach
Jenny Holmstrand	....	public relations: Sweden
Pia Janols	....	accountant: Sweden
Gunnar Johansson	....	body double
Magdalena Johansson	....	continuity assistant
Sonny Johnson	....	body double
Johan Johnsson	....	runner
Morgan Karlsson	....	production assistant
Morgan Karlsson	....	runner
Lisbeth Keldsen	....	assistant: Vibeke Windeløv
Jennifer Kennt	....	production assistant
Jennifer Kennt	....	runner
Susan Ketola	....	body double
Anders Kjærhauge	....	production lawyer: Zentropa administration
Sara Klingvall	....	body double
Ann Køj	....	accountant: Denmark
Tony Krantz	....	weapon consultant
Patricia Page Leandersson	....	body double
Anders Lejonmåne	....	production assistant
Anders Lejonmåne	....	runner
Anders Lexne	....	weapon technician (as Anders Lexner)
Cecilia Lindquist	....	body double
Åke Ljung	....	body double
Marlon Sterling Long	....	production assistant: James Caan (as Marlon Long)
Hans Lönnerheden	....	completion bond
Mikkel Maltha	....	production lawyer: Zentropa administration
Linda Maripuu	....	production assistant
Linda Maripuu	....	runner
Shannon McCullough	....	production assistant: Lauren Bacall
Alexandra Mehrstam	....	body double
Sune Myrfalk	....	body double
Per Neumann	....	production lawyer: Bech-Bruun Dragsted
Pia Severin Nielsen	....	production coordinator
Pia Severin Nielsen	....	travel coordinator
Hanna Nilsson	....	body double coordinator
Henrik Nordberg	....	production assistant
Henrik Nordberg	....	runner
Tina Nordberg	....	body double
Lars Nordenskjöld	....	production assistant
Lars Nordenskjöld	....	runner
Per Norin	....	security
Astrid Ohlsson	....	chef
Jonas Ohlsson	....	production assistant
Jonas Ohlsson	....	runner
Abigail Payne	....	production lawyer: Harbottle & Lewis
Tine Grew Pfeiffer	....	production accountant
Henrik Ryhlander	....	production assistant
Henrik Ryhlander	....	runner
Tommy Saks	....	insurance: Media Insurance Brokers
Thomas Schindel	....	production coordinator
Paul Schwartzman	....	consigliere
Valérie Sieye	....	accountant: France (as Valerie Sieye)
Lennart Svensson	....	teacher
Jonathan Sydenham	....	script translator
Josefine Tengblad	....	production secretary
Denise Thorsmyr	....	body double
Jimmy Uller	....	body double
Ann Vognsen	....	accountant: Denmark (as Anse Vognsen)
Dan Walker	....	production lawyer: Walker & Associés
Annette Zetterström	....	body double
Daniel Karpantschof	....	development consultant (uncredited)

Thanks
Svend Abrahamsen	....	acknowledgment: supported by, Nordic Film- & TV Fund
Sandra Adrian	....	the production wishes to thank
Jens Albinus	....	the production wishes to thank
Erkki Astala	....	acknowledgment: supported by, Finnish Film Foundation
Katrin Cartlidge	....	in loving memory of: 15.05.1961 - 07.09.2002
Jack Collier	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
Howard Cook	....	the production wishes to thank: Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Alfredo Cuomo	....	acknowledgment: in collaboration with, Planet Pictures
Elin Erichsen	....	acknowledgment: supported by, Foundation for Audiovisual Productions
Peter Gilsfort	....	the production wishes to thank
Tómas Gislason	....	the production wishes to thank (as Tomas Gislason)
Jens Georg Hansen	....	the production wishes to thank (as Georg Jensen)
Lena Hansson	....	acknowledgment: supported by, Swedish Film Institute (as Lena Hansson-Varhegyi)
Douglas A. Harper	....	acknowledgment: end credit photos by, Good Company
Tom Heinemann	....	the production wishes to thank
Jacob Holdt	....	acknowledgment: end credit photos by, American Pictures
Dan Holmberg	....	acknowledgment: end credit photos by, Nye Scener Fra Amerika.
Anders Hove	....	the production wishes to thank
Jim Hubbard	....	acknowledgment: end credit photos by, American Refugies
Kirsten Jakobsen	....	the production wishes to thank (as Kirsten Jacobsen)
Sidse Babett Knudsen	....	the production wishes to thank
Dorothy Lange	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
Russel Lee	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	....	the production wishes to thank
Carl Mydans	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
Leo Pescarolo	....	acknowledgment: in collaboration with, Planet Pictures
Ditte Lehmann Rasmussen	....	the production wishes to thank
Connie Reenberg	....	the production wishes to thank
Arthur Rothstein	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
Mogens Rukov	....	the production wishes to thank: for the title
Michael Schmid-Ospach	....	acknowledgment: supported by, Filmstiftung NRW
Ben Shan	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
A. Siegel	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
Bente Trier	....	the production wishes to thank
J. Vachon	....	acknowledgment: FSA - OWI Collection photographs by
Keld Veirup	....	the production wishes to thank
Vinca Wiedemann	....	acknowledgment: supported by, Danish Film Institute
Amy Williams	....	the production wishes to thank

Production Companies

• Zentropa Entertainments (as Zentropa Productions)
• Isabella Films B.V. (in co-production with) (as Isabella Films International)
• Something Else B.V. (in co-production with)
• Memfis Film (in co-production with) (as Memfis Film International AB)
• Trollhättan Film AB (in co-production with)
• Pain Unlimited GmbH Filmproduktion (in co-production with) (as Pain Unlimited GmbH)
• Sigma Films (in co-production with)
• Zoma Films Ltd. (in co-production with) (as Zoma Ltd)
• Slot Machine (in co-production with) (as Slot Machine SARL)
• Liberator Productions (in co-production with) (as Liberator2 SARL)
• Edith Film Oy (in association with)
• Spillefilmkompaniet 4 1/2 (in association with)
• Arte (in co-production with) (as arte - WDR)
• Fjeldabe Films AS (in association with)
• Invicta Capital (in association with)
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) (in co-production with) (as arte - WDR)
• TV 1000 (in association with)
• Film i Väst (also in co-production with)
• arte France Cinéma (also in co-production with)
• France 3 Cinéma (also in co-production with)
• Danmarks Radio (DR) (also in co-production with) (as DR TV-Drama - Danish Broadcasting Corporation)
• Sveriges Television (SVT) (also in co-production with) (as Sveriges Television AB - SVT Fiktion)
• NPS Television (also in co-production with) (as NPS Television, The Netherlands)
• YLE TV1 (also in co-production with) (as YLE/TV1 Co-Productions)
• Filmmek (in co-production with)
• Norsk TV2 AS (in co-production with) (as Norsk TV 2 AS)
• Planet Pictures (in collaboration with)
• Canal+ (with the participation of)
• Nordisk Film Biografdistribution (with the participation of)
• Det Danske Filminstitut (supported by) (as Danish Film Institute)
• Eurimages (supported by)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (supported by) (as Swedish Film Institute)
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond (supported by) (as Nordic Film- & TV Fund)
• Filmstiftung North Rhine Westphalia (supported by) (as Filmstiftung NRW)
• CoBo Fonds (supported by) (as CoBo Fund)
• Foundation for Audiovisual Production (supported by) (as Foundation for Audiovisual Productions)
• Film Fund of the Netherlands (supported by)
• Finnish Film Foundation (supported by)
• European Regional Development Fund (supported by)
• 4 1/2 Film (in association with)

Distributors

• Trust Film Sales 2 ApS (2003) (worldwide) (theatrical) (sales)
• Trust Film Sales (2003) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• A-Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• AmaFilms (2003) (Greece) (theatrical)
• California Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Central Partnership (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Dendy Films (2003) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (2004) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Egmont Entertainment (2003) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Egmont Film (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (2003) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Imovision (2004) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Les Films du Losange (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Polyfilm Verleih (2003) (Austria) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2004) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2004) (Greece) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD) (retail)
• EuroVideo (2004) (Germany) (DVD) (rental)
• Fox Crime (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (Canada) (DVD) (as Lions Gate Home Entertainment)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (as Lions Gate Home Entertainment)
• Medusa Home Entertainment (2004) (Italy) (DVD) (uncut)
• Melimedias (2003) (Belgium) (DVD)
• Melimedias (2003) (Belgium) (video)
• Nederlandse Programma Stichting (NPS) (2005) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• 3D Connection (match moving)
• Gearless ApS (visual effects facility)
• B.S Christiansen & Co. (special effects warrant officer)

Other Companies

• AVIS Danmark  the production wishes to thank (as Avis)
• Aqua Service  the production wishes to thank
• Asplund  the production wishes to thank
• Bech-Bruun Dragsted  production lawyers
• Clarins  the production wishes to thank
• Cofiloisirs  banking
• Dansk Speciel Effekt Service  weapon house
• Denver Museum of Nature and Science  the production wishes to thank
• EF Rental  equipment facility
• Egmont Interactive  the production wishes to thank
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  production lawyers
• Estrella  the production wishes to thank
• Film Finances Scandinavia  completion bond (as Film Finances)
• FilmTeknik A/S  the production wishes to thank
• Forstædernes Bank  banking
• Förenade Vakt  security
• Harbottle & Lewis  production lawyers
• Klippegangen ApS  post-production facilities
• Kollekt ApS  collection agent
• Levis  the production wishes to thank
• Liberator Productions  equipment facility
• Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division  end credit photos (as Library of Congress, Prints & Division, FSA - OWI Collection)
• Löfbergs Lila  the production wishes to thank
• MacForum Göteborg  the production wishes to thank
• Mainstream ApS  sound studio
• Marsh A/S  insurance
• Max Factor  the production wishes to thank
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance
• OBC  banking
• Polfoto  end credit photos by: Nixon (as Pol Foto)
• Rekorder ApS  digital preparation
• Ronnums Herrgård  accommodations (catering)
• Rönnums Herrgård  the production wishes to thank
• SAS Business Travel  the production wishes to thank
• Saba Frukt Och Grönt  the production wishes to thank
• Sony Music Studios  score recorded at
• Sony  the production wishes to thank
• Trust Film Sales 2 ApS  world sales
• Walker et Associés  production lawyers (as Walker & Associés)
• Wolford  the production wishes to thank (as Woolford)
• Zentropa Music ApS  music supervision

Also Known As:

Dogville (France) (Germany)
The Film 'Dogville' as Told in Nine Chapters and a Prologue (USA) (long title)
U - Der Film 'Dogville' erzählt in neun Kapiteln und einem Prolog. (Germany) (long title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and sexual content.

Runtime:

178 min | Australia:138 min | Italy:135 min

Country:

Denmark | Sweden | Norway | Finland | UK | France | Germany | Netherlands

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Norway:11 | Iceland:14 (theatrical rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Italy:T (re-rating) (2004) | Singapore:PG (video rating) (cut) | Malaysia:U (DVD) | Brazil:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Film i Väst, Nohab Industrial Estate, Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden

Company:

Zentropa Entertainments

Trivia:

Katrin Cartlidge was chosen to play Vera, but she had to leave the shooting because of her health problems.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Chuck takes the scarf from Grace's neck it shows up two shots later, then is gone again in next shot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: This is the sad tale of the township of Dogville. Dogville was in the Rocky Mountains in the US of A, up here where the road came to its definitive end, near the entrance to the old abandoned silver mine. The residents of Dogville were good honest folks...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Pervert's Guide to Cinema (2006)

Soundtrack:

Young Americans

Morally challenging but still a gripping, well written and well acted film

Dogville is a small mountain village outside of George Town; it is a tight community of good people who look after each other. However Tom, the town's writer and moral heart feels that the people are not caring deep down. He has the opportunity to test this theory when a woman, Grace, stumbles into the village to escape gangsters. He challenges them to hide Grace and take her in - and is pleasantly surprised as they gradually do. In return she agrees to do work for the villagers - however the relationship begins decreasingly pure and increasingly exploitative.

I have a natural dislike for films that come across as pretentious or arty for art's sake, so you can imagine I approached this film with slight trepidation despite not having seen any clips of it. However, I did really like the film and was surprised just how quickly the three hours flew by. In terms of the plot, it is more than up to the task of the three-hour running time - in fact I (and most of the audience) stayed in my seat until the very last credit had run over great photographs and the great Bowie's `Young Americans'. The plot is good enough to be accepted but you do need to see past the script and look at what it is saying to appreciate it - although having said that it would still grip me even if it hadn't made me think.

Leaving the cinema I felt that I hadn't really bought the film's moral that nobody is really `good' because I felt that most people are not bad, and certainly not to this extent; but I think my mind was stuck on the specifics of the film rather than the meaning. In the film everyone is socially polite and restrained, but once the chance to take advantage comes, it is increasingly taken (albeit to extremes). I felt the film was particularly harsh to Tom, who was actually a `good' person - however I think time has allowed me to understand it better. We are not good people. We do take advantage of others, whether it be individuals (while trying to keep up our good public image as much as we want) or groups. Even those who turn a blind eye are `bad' simply because they could have acted for good and they didn't.

I saw this film two weeks after illegal immigrants drowned in the UK while picking cockles for very, very low wages - they were caught in mudflats by the rising tide. While the obvious `bad' people are those who made them work like this, many others knew of the work and ignored it. More pertinently to the film is the fact that a vulnerable and needy group were exploited by society - just as Grace was here. I didn't get the photographs over the end credit (I was into the music!) but they were all of the poor or minorities etc on the fringe of society - I found this challenging. When many of us see people in need we will do enough to look `good' and keep our social niceties (ie put a £ in the cup) just like those in Dogville did. We all feel good after this, but this film challenges that idea of `good' as wholly inadequate and that just being polite and moving on is still `bad' even if it is on a sliding scale. This is not to say that the film's plot and themes are perfect, but even flawed they are clear and will keep you thinking of the film long after it ends.

Of course it is unrelentingly bleak for the entire second half, but this is the film and I had to accept it for what it was. In terms of being arty, I found the bleak stage to work very well. The only downside of it was cuts from very black scenes to white scenes hurt my eyes in the cinema. This is not just theatre being filmed, the film uses the lack of scenery well. Sure it focuses the attention on the actors, but it also highlights how the people turn a blind eye. In my favourite shot, a rape occurs in one `house' and the camera shoots it through all the others, they are unable to hide from it even if they don't look - it is a very simple way of showing the audience that everyone knows but is socially polite. The film still uses makeup and props except for, inexplicably, Nicole Kidman herself. She starts the film looking good but ends it looking as good - when really she would have looked tired or bedraggled and destroyed.

In fairness Kidman manages to do that without makeup and her performance is very good throughout the film - it is easy to dismiss hers and the other stars' roles as some sort of justification of themselves as `real artists' but it was still a brave move for a business that is more about dollars than art. The rest of the cast more than match her and I was surprised to see so many big names. Bettany is very good as are Bacall, Hall, Ivanek, Sevigny and Skarsgård. Even the child actor is very self-assured and Hurt's homely narration is colourful and funny. Ironically the two black characters have little to do - the script says they are there as a token indication of Edison Sr's open-mindedness, but it is almost like they were token at times - sadly Shims' whole contribution is going `shhhh' twice! Despite that there are no weak links, the acting is superb and it certainly appears as if von Trier's aim of stripping the film away to focus on performances has paid off in a big way. Acting awards may not come but I have not seen more daring performances from a Hollywood cast for quite a while.

Overall this is a bleak and challenging film - not only to watch but to think about and apply to myself too. I left the cinema enjoying it but disagreeing with it's moral point of view, however I allowed myself to look and I now agree with it, as sad as that sounds. As a story and a film it is wonderful; the fact that it has come to the multiplexes' forcing thought and emotion is even better. The saddest thing is that so many teenagers at the screening I was in walked out - they saw something they were not used to and they rejected it within 30 minutes; I find that horribly depressing.