Melancholia (2011)

Two sisters find their already strained relationship challenged as a mysterious new planet threatens to collide with Earth.

Director:

Lars von Trier

Writer:

Lars von Trier

Stars:

Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland

41 wins & 57 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kirsten Dunst	...	Justine
Charlotte Gainsbourg	...	Claire
Alexander Skarsgård	...	Michael
Brady Corbet	...	Tim
Cameron Spurr	...	Leo
Charlotte Rampling	...	Gaby
Jesper Christensen	...	Little Father
John Hurt	...	Dexter
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Jack
Udo Kier	...	Wedding Planner
Kiefer Sutherland	...	John
James Cagnard	...	Michael's Father
Deborah Fronko	...	Michael's Mother
Charlotta Miller	...	Betty 1
Claire Miller	...	Betty 2

Storyline

On the night of her wedding, Justine is struggling to be happy even though it should be the happiest day of her life. It was an extravagant wedding paid for by her sister and brother-in-law who are trying to keep the bride and all the guests in-line. Meanwhile, Melancholia, a blue planet, is hurtling towards the Earth. Claire, Justine's sister, is struggling to maintain composure with fear of the impending disaster.

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Plot Keywords:

disaster | fear | copywriter | art director | advertising agency | 

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Taglines:

Enjoy it while it lasts

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

14A

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Denmark Sweden France Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 May 2011 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Melancolía

Filming Locations:

Tjolöholm Castle, Fjärås, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

$7,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$257,174 (USA) (11 November 2011)

Gross:

$3,029,870 (USA) (24 February 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zentropa Entertainments, Memfis Film, Zentropa International Sweden

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Second part of the "Trilogy of Depression" also including Antichrist (2009) and Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013) / Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013).

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Goofs

Melancholia is said to have "hidden behind the sun", then turn "from black to blue". There are many reasons because of which a close-by celestial object can remain undetected for a long time, but this isn't one of them. An object coming out from behind the sun would have been in full solar light, bright and clearly visible to the naked eye at either dusk or dawn.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Michael: Sir. Eh...
[looking backward]
Michael: Yeah, you're good. You can back up a little more, if you want. I think you need the... I think you need that extra...
Justine: [laughing] I don't think he can hear you.
Michael: Sir. Sir, can you hear me up there?
[fiddling with controls]
Michael: Do you copy, sailor? He's in a different county, I think that's...
Justine: [laughing]

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Connections

Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.19 (2011)

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Soundtracks

Excerpts from Tristan und Isolde
Music: Richard Wagner
Orchestra: Filharmonici mesta Prahy (as The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra)
Conductor: Richard Hein
Recorder: Jan Holzner
Solo cello: Henrik Dam Thomsen
Arrangements by Kristian Eidnes Andersen

User Reviews

Transform to Lars von Trier for 2 hours.

''Melancholia'' - Lars von Trier's best work to date. The movie is about the nature of depression and how 2 sisters go through it. Kirsten Dunst (Justine) accepts her melancholia by the time a planet that was hiding behind the sun threatens to collide the Earth, while other sister (Charlotte Gainsbourg - Clair) is afraid to face the reality and her own personal emotions.

If you have any little doubt whether you want to watch this movie or not, you better don't, because this is not for everyone, and if you still want to see this then prepare yourself for what you're going to face. The movie is all about how Lars Von Trier sees the world, the people and the dearness between them. It's beautiful, it's real, it's disgusting, it's terrifying - it all depends on how you want to perceive this film. The opening and the ending scenes are mesmerizing! The music used in the film is taken from Wagner's ''Tristan and Isolde'' opera which fits the movie perfectly. Cinematography - amazes. Special effects, not for 3D, but are very realistic and breathtaking.

Kirsten Dunst gives us her best performance to date, forget the girl in Spider-man, this is a new level for her. She finally proves us how good she can be with the right movie choice. An Oscar nomination is on its way...

I'm not a fan of Lars and his movies, but this one had me at the edge of my seat to the last minute. 10/10