The Element of Crime (1984)

A cop in a dystopian Europe investigates a serial killings suspect using controversial methods written by his now disgraced former mentor.

Director:

Lars von Trier (as Lars Von Trier)

Writers:

Niels Vørsel, William Quarshie (dialogue translation)

Stars:

Michael Elphick, Esmond Knight, Me Me Lai

12 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Elphick	...	Fisher
Esmond Knight	...	Osborne
Me Me Lai	...	Kim (as Meme Lai)
Jerold Wells	...	Kramer
Ahmed El Shenawi	...	Therapist
Astrid Henning-Jensen	...	House Keeper
János Herskó	...	Coroner (as Janos Hersko)
Stig Larsson	...	Coroner's Assistant
Harry Harper	...	Portier 1
Roman Moszkowicz	...	Portier 2
Lars von Trier	...	Schmuck of Ages (as Lars Von Trier)
Frederik Casby	...	White Policeman
Duke Addabayo	...	Black Policeman
Jon Bang Carlsen	...	Angry Policeman (as Jon Bang-Carlsen)
Leif Magnusson	...	Hotel Guest

Storyline

Fisher, an ex-cop, returns to his old beat somewhere in northern Europe after a thirteen-year hiatus in Cairo. His former mentor and role model, author of a treatise called "The Element of Crime", asks him to solve a series of murders involving lottery ticket sellers. Guided by the theories put forth in the book, Fischer retraces the steps of a suspect, Harry Grey, as recorded in a three-year-old police surveillance report.

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Plot Keywords:

post punk | laundry drying on a clothesline | alphabet letter | method | headache | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Denmark

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

14 May 1984 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

The Element of Crime

Filming Locations:

Denmark

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,003

Company Credits

Production Co:

Det Danske Filminstitut, Per Holst Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first film in Lars von Trier's 'Europa' trilogy which illuminates the traumas of Europe in the future. The two other parts are Epidemic (1987) and Europa (1991).

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Quotes

[first lines]
Therapist: [to Fisher] Fantasy is OK, but my job to keep you on the right track. We are after the facts. You seem to return to Cairo and me whenever you have a problem. Two months ago you left Cairo, your wife, everything for a police job in Europe. Now you are back haunted by headaches. If you want me to help you get rid of these headaches, we must go back two months in the time. Back to where it all started. All I know... Europe has become an obsession for you.

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Connections

Referenced in Portræt af: Lars von Trier (1991)

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Soundtracks

Der Letzte Tourist in Europa
By Mogens Dam, Henrik Blichmann
Translated by Waltraut Andersen
Sung by Sonja Kehler

User Reviews

Schmuck of Ages

Hypnosis and criminology get the once over in this highly disturbing first entry from maverick film-maker Von Trier. A washed up profiler returns home to a post-apocalyptic Europe from Cairo to investigate "The Lotto Girl" murders and becomes determined to prove the methods of his mentor (who has since gone mad) in catching the serial killer. Odes to Hitchcock and other classic film noir abound.

Von Trier manipulates every aspect of every shot (the use of color tones is especially alarming) to create a totally fantasized vision of psychological torture. This, much like his follow up masterpiece, "Zentropa" is the polar opposite of his "no frills" Dogma classics of more recent years "Breaking the Waves" and "Dancer in the Dark." Love them or loathe them, you can't deny the talent and thought that went into making these drastically different works or film art.

Unfortunately, by setting "The Element of Crime" in such a vaguely distant future (I can only guess this is Europe in nuclear winter) and pacing the film to be so hypnotically listless, there really is no heart to this film. "Zentropa" had historical context and better executed tension, and is thus far superior. The only context "The Element of Crime" has is someone else's nightmare.

The screenplay seems to be ahead of its time, as there are many depressingly cynical one-liners that David Fincher wish he had put in "Fight Club." That is the only hint of humor at all to break the oppressive feel of this film, and it is very very dark and nihilistic humor at that. Alas, while you can study and find value in the technical aspects of this film, there is no "joy" to be found, and we, much like the protagonist must awaken from this film nightmare by screaming "I believe in joy!"

Side Notes: ala Hitchcock, Von Trier has a cameo as "the schmuck of ages."