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Dancer in the Dark ()


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An Eastern European US immigrant with a love for musicals has to cope with the gradual loss of her vision.

Director:
Writers:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 34 wins & 47 nominations.
  • See more »
Reviews:

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Complete, Cast awaiting verification

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Selma Jezkova
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Kathy
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Bill Houston
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Jeff
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Oldrich Novy
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Linda Houston
Vladica Kostic ...
Gene Jezek
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Norman
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Samuel
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Brenda (as Siobhan Fallon)
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District Attorney
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Dr. Porkorny
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Morty
Reathel Bean ...
Judge
Mette Berggreen ...
Receptionist
Lars Michael Dinesen ...
Defense Attorney / Dancer
Katrine Falkenberg ...
Suzan / Dancer
Michael Flessas ...
Angry Man
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Detective
Noah Lazarus ...
Officer of the Court / Dancer
Sheldon Litt ...
Visitor
Andrew Lucre ...
Clerk of Court / Dancer
John Martinus ...
Chairman / Dancer
Luke Reilly ...
New Defense Council
T.J. Rizzo ...
Boris / Dancer (as TJ Rizzo)
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Doctor
Sean-Michael Smith ...
Person in Doorway (as Sean Michael Smith)
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Woman on Night Shift
Eric Voge ...
Officer
Nick Wolf ...
Man with Hood
Timm Zimmermann ...
Guard / Dancer
Al Agami ...
Dancer
Alex Mouro ...
Dancer
Alexander Arli ...
Dancer
Allan Gyldenkærne ...
Dancer
Ami Eklöf-Annell ...
Dancer
Ana Christine Broström ...
Dancer
Anders Tärneberg ...
Dancer
Anders Thorhauge ...
Dancer
Anders-Peter Torsleff Hansen ...
Dancer
Ann Crosset ...
Dancer
Anna David ...
Dancer
Anna Norberg ...
Dancer
Anna Rosenberg ...
Dancer
Annette Lindholm ...
Dancer
Anthony Ajoise Olufemi Jacob ...
Dancer
Birgitte Skands ...
Dancer
Bjorn Ahlander ...
Dancer
Bo Westerholm ...
Dancer
Bobo Eriksson ...
Dancer
Britt Bendixen ...
Dancer
Carl Johan De Neergaard ...
Dancer
Carol Linda Nielsen ...
Dancer
Claus Berenhard ...
Dancer
Cristian Valle ...
Dancer
Diana G.L. Watson ...
Dancer
Ed Hickok ...
Dancer
Edvin Karsson ...
Dancer
Eli Stalhand ...
Dancer
Elin Johansson ...
Dancer
Emilie Bendz ...
Dancer
Erik Dammann ...
Dancer
Erik Drugge ...
Dancer
Fredrik Börgesson ...
Dancer
Frederik Mondrup ...
Dancer
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marianne Bengtsson ...
Dancer
Karoliina Heiskanen ...
Dancer
Troels Asmussen ...
Dancer (uncredited)
Caroline Sascha Cogez ...
Prison Guard - Serving Selma Jezkova's last meal (uncredited)
Rikke Lylloff ...
Dancer (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Bente Trier ...
Woman in Parking Lot (uncredited)

Directed by

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Lars von Trier ... (as Lars Von Trier)

Written by

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Lars von Trier ... (written by) (as Lars Von Trier)
 
Sjón ... (librettist) (as Sjón Sigurdsson)

Produced by

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Malte Forssell ... line producer
Friðrik Þór Friðriksson ... associate producer (as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson)
Finn Gjerdrum ... associate producer
Mogens Glad ... associate producer
Anja Grafers ... associate producer
Tony Grob ... line producer: USA
Torleif Hauge ... associate producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen ... executive producer
Lars Jönsson ... co-executive producer
Tero Kaukomaa ... associate producer
Poul Erik Lindeborg ... associate producer
Charlotte Pedersen ... assistant producer
Leo Pescarolo ... collaborating producer
Marianne Slot ... co-executive producer
Els Vandevorst ... associate producer
Vibeke Windeløv ... producer

Music by

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Björk ... (music composed by)

Cinematography by

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Robby Müller ... director of photography

Editing by

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François Gédigier ... (as François Gedigier)
Molly Malene Stensgaard ... (as Molly Marlene Stensgaard)

Editorial Department

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Christine Ekstrand ... post-production assistant
Peter Hjorth ... additional editor
Soren Kloch ... digital film transfer
Yvan Lucas ... color timer

Casting By

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Avy Kaufman

Production Design by

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Karl Júlíusson ... (as Karl Juliusson)

Art Direction by

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Peter Grant

Costume Design by

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Manon Rasmussen

Makeup Department

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Michelle Crane ... key hair stylist: second unit (as Michelle Ahern) / key makeup artist: second unit (as Michelle Ahern)
Anja Dahl ... makeup artist
Sanne Gravfort ... makeup artist
Cédric Gérard ... makeup artist: Catherine Deneuve
Morten Jacobsen ... special makeup effects artist
Lisa Mustafa ... assistant makeup dept.
John Nollet ... hair stylist: Catherine Deneuve
Ursula Rodel ... makeup artist: Catherine Deneuve (as Ursula Rödel)

Production Management

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Anders Barlebo ... unit manager
Joakim Höglund ... unit manager: Sweden
Lene Irgens ... post-production manager
Pia Nielsen ... technical post-production manager
Jonas Overton ... assistant unit manager: Sweden

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Caroline Sascha Cogez ... second assistant director
Damian Payne ... second assistant director: second unit
Anders Refn ... first assistant director / second unit director

Art Department

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Gorm Andersen ... carpenter
Jonas Alexander Arnby ... set property assistant (as Jonas Arnby)
Christine Bechameil ... head painter
Mary Buri ... prop master: second unit
Friederik Eriksson ... set property assistant
Jan Hansen ... carpenter
Cecilia Hellner ... art department coordinator (as Cecilia Sille Hersby)
Nicola Hewitt ... set decorator: second unit
Anders Jacobsen ... set property assistant
Søren Jochumsen ... construction coordinator
Thomas Karlsen ... property
Carsten Larsen ... carpenter
Jesper Lorents ... property master
Anders Lunde ... property master
Bent 'Niller' Nielsen ... construction coordinator (as Bent Nielsen)
Simone Grau Roney ... set property (as Simone Grau)
Paul Mason ... carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Kristian Eidnes Andersen ... supervising sound editor
Fabio D'Amico ... adr recordist
Pétur Einarsson ... dialogue editor
Bruno Langiano ... foley artist
Julien Naudin ... foley artist
Guy Sigsworth ... sound processor: Celesta
Ad Stoop ... boom operator
Per Streit ... sound designer
Damian Taylor ... sound processor: Celesta
Paul Walton ... additional sound recordist
Mark Kenna ... consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Martin Högberg ... special effects

Stunts

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Stig Günther ... stunts
Sidsel Jensen ... stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department

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Sedsel Andersen ... continuity: 100 camera department
Frank Berger ... gaffer
Edvard Friis-Moeller ... department head: 100 camera department (as Edvard Friis-Moller)
Tómas Gislason ... consultant: 100 camera department
Peter Harton ... assistant 100 camera unit
Peter Hjorth ... technical director: 100 camera department
David Koskas ... poster photographer / still photographer
Eric Kress ... director of photography: second unit
Morten Nybø ... electrician (as Morten Nyboe)
Helene Sandberg ... still photographer intern
Harri Sipilä ... electrician (as Harry Sipilä)
Jean-Robert Viallet ... video assistant
Lars von Trier ... camera operator (as Lars Von Trier)
Marcel Zyskind ... additional camera operator / focus puller
Kristoffer Andrén ... assistant camera: Sweden (uncredited)

Casting Department

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Joyce Nettles ... casting: UK
Terry Terry ... extras casting coordinator: second unit
Robbie Wald ... extras casting assistant: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Calem Martin ... assistant costume designer
Jalene Murphy ... set costumer
Louize Nissen ... assistant costume designer

Location Management

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Khalil Al Harbiti ... assistant location manager
Roger D. Faires ... location manager: second unit (as Roger Faires)
Daniel Gylling ... location manager (as Daniel Ahlqvist)

Music Department

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Ron Anderson ... vocal coach
Mark Bell ... music producer / music programmer
Mark Berrow ... musician: violin
Richard Bissill ... musician: French horn
Björk ... music arranger: choral / music producer / musician: celesta / vocal editor
Peter Davies ... musician
Sarah Eyden ... singer
Geoff Foster ... score recordist
Isobel Griffiths ... orchestra contractor
Vincent Mendoza ... conductor / music arranger / orchestrator
Everton Nelson ... musician: violin
Scott Rodger ... music manager
Greg Rogers ... music consultant
Guy Sigsworth ... musician: celesta
Valgeir Sigurðsson ... music editor / music mixer / music programmer / music recordist
Sjón ... composer: lyrics (as Sjón Sigurdsson)
Mark Stent ... music mixer: songs (as Mark 'Spike' Stent)
Lars von Trier ... composer: lyrics (as Lars Von Trier)
Lawrence Wallington ... singer
Ray Williams ... music consultant
Warren Zielinski ... musician: violin
Charlie Morgan ... musician: drums (uncredited)
Bruce White ... musician: viola (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Linda Daae ... continuity
Jonathan Sydenham ... script translator

Transportation Department

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Thomas Garris ... transportation captain

Additional Crew

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Malini Ahlberg ... production manager: Sweden (as Anna Malini Ahlberg)
Mattias Andersson ... runner
Mette Berggreen ... assistant choreographer / consultant: dance edit
Andrea F. Cannistraci ... legal services
Jonas Frederiksen ... production controller
Peter Garde ... financial advisor
Joga Gnarr ... assistant: Björk (as Joga Johansdottir)
Louise Grosell ... production coordinator
Andrea Helgadóttir ... assistant: Björk (as Andrea Helgadottir)
Rolf Hepp ... dancer
Kerstin Hofstadius ... travel agent: Sweden
Carsten Holst ... assistant: Lars von Trier
Per Kirkeby ... overture sequence
Cecilie Kølpin ... production assistant
Mario Locurcio ... italian publicist
Hans Lönnerheden ... completion bond
Andreas Martinsen ... runner
Liz Miller ... unit publicist
Vincent R. Nebrida ... executive director of marketing
Travis Nelson ... production staff
Mette Nelund ... financial coordinator
Pia Severin Nielsen ... assistant: Vibeke Windeløv
Vincent Paterson ... choreographer / dance director
Charlotte Pedersen ... assistant: Vibeke Windeløv
Cecilie Rui ... assistant: Vibeke Windeløv
Chris Sanger ... assistant: Marianne Slot
Paul Schwartzman ... consigliere
Jay Sheveck ... premiere and release
Sean-Michael Smith ... dialogue coach
Line Spanning ... travel coordinator
Carsten Sparwath ... production assistant
Christian Tafdrup ... runner
Nicholas Vroman ... assistant: Björk, second unit (as Nick Vroman)
James Wilson ... production executive: FilmFour
Karrie Melendrez ... story analyst (uncredited)

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

In small-town Washington state in 1964, Czechoslovakian immigrant Selma Jezková and her preteen son Gene live in a rented trailer owned by Bill and Linda Houston; Bill is the town sheriff. Selma also has a small group of friends, including her co-worker and primary confidante Kathy, and Jeff, who wants to be her boyfriend. Jeff regularly waits outside Selma's workplace to drive her home, although she always refuses, not wishing to lead him on. Her primary job is working on the Anderson Tool factory assembly line, but she does whatever else she can to earn money. What only Kathy knows among Selma's friends is that she is slowly going blind from a genetic medical condition. She can see just enough to be able to do her job. Her primary reason for moving to the USA and working all the time is to earn enough money for an operation for Gene when he turns 13; he knows nothing about his mother's or his own degenerative eyesight. Selma allows only one indulgence in her life: anything to do with musicals which she loves, because they're an escape from her bleak life. Kathy often takes her to the cinema to watch old musicals and must describe to her what's happening on the screen, to the other patrons' annoyance. Selma also has the role of Maria in a community-theatre production of "The Sound of Music." Close to having enough money for the operation, Selma races against time before she loses enough sight to lose her job and her role in the musical. What may also threaten Selma's goal of the operation for Gene is some financial problems facing Bill, who feels pressured to provide Linda with the comforts of life to which she's accustomed. Written by Huggo

Plot Keywords
Taglines You don't need eyes to see. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Taps (Denmark)
  • Myrkradansarinn (Iceland)
  • Bailar en la oscuridad (Spain)
  • Dançando no Escuro (Brazil)
  • Tanečnica v tme (Slovakia)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 140 min
Official Sites
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $12,800,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend Denmark $103,102, 10 Sep 2000
Cumulative Worldwide Gross $45,583,319

Did You Know?

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Trivia It took Lars von Trier a whole year to convince Björk to play the lead role. See more »
Goofs Selma's son's surname should be Jezek, not Jezková. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Mission: Impossible II/Running Free/Passion of Mind/Big Momma's House (2000). See more »
Soundtracks Overture See more »
Quotes Lines on screen: They say it's the last song. They don't know us, you see. It's only the last song if we let it be.
See more »

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