Politics, Theory, and Film : Critical Encounters with Lars Von Trier

Lars von Trier's intense, disturbing, and sometimes funny films have led many to condemn him as misogynist or misanthropic. The same films inspire this collection's reflections on how our fears and desires regarding gender, power, race, finitude, family, and fate often thwart -- and sometimes feed -- our best democratic aspirations. The essays in this volume attend to von Trier's role as provocateur, as well as to his films' techniques, topics, and storytelling. Where others accuse von Trier of being cliched, the editors argue that he intensifies the "cliches of our times" in ways that direct our political energies towards apprehending and repairing a shattered world. The book is certainly for von Trier lovers and haters but, at the same time, political, critical, and feminist theorists entirely un familiar with von Trier's films will find this volume's essays of interest. Most of the contributors tarry with von Trier to develop new readings of major thinkers and writers, including Agamben, Bataille, Beauvoir, Benjamin, Deleuze, Euripides, Freud, Kierkegaard, Ranciere, Nietzsche, Winnicott, and many more. Von Trier is both central and irrelevant to much of this work. Writing from the fields of classics, literature, gender studies, philosophy, film and political theory, the authors stage an interdisciplinary intervention in film studies. " Cover......Page 1 Politics, Theory, and Film: Critical Encounters with Lars von Trier ......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 PREFACE: SHOW, DON’T TELL......Page 10 Bibliography......Page 18 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 20 CONTRIBUTORS......Page 22 Introduction: Lars von Trier and the “Clichés of Our Times”......Page 28 References and Further Reading......Page 45 I: Anti-Semite/Jew......Page 48 Von Trier: Tony Cokes......Page 49 Insert1 ......Page 50 Chapter 1: AN INVITATION FROM LARS VON TRIER: Translated by Troels Skadhauge and Lars Tonder ......Page 54 II: Woman/Nymph......Page 74 Chapter 2: MUST WE BURN LARS VON TRIER?: Simone de Beauvoir's Body Politics in Antichrist ......Page 76 The Aberrant: Failed Femininity......Page 77 The Grotesque: Nature’s Feminine......Page 85 The Excessive: Crushing the Dick......Page 90 Feeling Our Way beyond Patriarchy......Page 94 Notes......Page 96 Bibilography......Page 100 Chapter 3: THE SUFFERING SPECTATOR?: Perversion and Complicity in Antichrist and Nymphomaniac ......Page 102 The Sexual Scene and the Perverse Cinematic Apparatus......Page 103 Playing (with) the Spectator......Page 107 Affect and the Complicitous Spectator......Page 110 Provocative Compositions......Page 112 Queer Disorganizations......Page 117 Coda: Escape......Page 121 Notes......Page 123 References......Page 124 Chapter 4: THE NYMPH SHOOTS BACK: Agamben and the Feel of the Agon ......Page 128 I. Nymphomaniac en Abyme......Page 132 II. Pygmalion, Galatea, and Agamben’s Nymph......Page 137 III. The Nymph Shoots Back......Page 145 IV. Coda: “Hey Joe”......Page 148 Notes......Page 152 References......Page 154 III: Fate/Martyr......Page 160 The Question of Violence in Breaking the Waves......Page 162 The Goodness Interpretation......Page 163 The Bataillean Interpretation......Page 166 Narrating Violence......Page 173 Notes......Page 175 References......Page 176 Introduction: Bess’s Rebellion......Page 179 Bess and Her God......Page 180 Belief and Sacrifice......Page 182 Talking to God, Talking to Oneself......Page 184 The Benefits of Belief......Page 186 The Amor Fati of Bess McNeill......Page 188 The Space for Judgment......Page 190 Conclusion......Page 192 Notes......Page 194 References......Page 195 IV: Young Americans......Page 198 Chapter 7: BLIND SPOTS AND DOUBLE VISION: National and Individual Fantasy in Dancer in the Dark ......Page 200 Notes......Page 214 References......Page 220 Introduction: One Damn Song.........Page 222 Dogville: A Brief Synopsis of the Film......Page 224 Dogville’s Documentation of the Ethical Turn......Page 226 Surfaces, Authenticities, and Commodities in Dogville......Page 232 Notes......Page 242 References......Page 244 Chapter 9: THREE EMANCIPATIONS......Page 247 I. The Slavery of Emancipation: Wilhelm’s Emancipation......Page 250 II. Emancipation as Exoneration: Grace’s Emancipation......Page 255 III. The Performance of White Supremacy: Timothy’s Emancipation......Page 260 IV. Emancipatory Acts and Bad Behavior......Page 263 Notes......Page 265 References......Page 267 Chapter 10: FACE VALUE......Page 271 Kanye: Tony Cokes......Page 275 Insert2 ......Page 276 V: Europe/Evil......Page 280 BowieTony Coke......Page 281 Insert3 ......Page 282 Chapter 11: “AT THE FRINGES OF ONE’S CONSCIOUSNESS”: Kierkegaard, The Idiots, and the Politics of Comic Rule Following ......Page 288 Spazzing......Page 290 Kierkegaard and the Comic......Page 292 Beyond the Negative......Page 295 An Anomaly within an Anomaly......Page 296 Dogme 95 as Comic Rule Following......Page 299 Notes......Page 301 References......Page 304 Deleuzian Interference......Page 307 A Cartography of Elements......Page 308 The Philosophical Approach: Philopoesis......Page 310 Policing Methods......Page 312 An Otherness in Europe......Page 313 Film Form as Political Critique......Page 314 Fisher and Space......Page 315 Cinematic Political Thought: Von Trier’s Temporal Context......Page 316 Conclusion: Von Trier’s (and Others’) Europe......Page 320 Notes......Page 322 References......Page 323 Chapter 13: EVILS OF REPRESENTATION IN EUROPA AND MELANCHOLIA......Page 326 The Evils of Representation......Page 327 Europa: Political Evil......Page 329 Seeing Evil......Page 331 Melancholia: Radical Evil......Page 333 Conclusion......Page 338 Notes......Page 341 References......Page 343 VI: Thinking/Melancholia......Page 344 End-of-the-World Movies......Page 346 Cosmic and Man-Made Disasters......Page 347 Cinema as Thought Experiment......Page 348 “What If...”......Page 351 Critical Contexts, Hermeneutic Moves, and Frames of Reference......Page 354 Male and Female Depression—with Lacan, Žižek, and Stanley Cavell......Page 355 Julia Kristeva’s Black Sun of Melancholia......Page 358 The Maternal in Melancholia......Page 360 The Anatomy of Melancholy and the Autonomy of Art......Page 362 Thought Experiments and Mathematical Game Theory......Page 364 Cinema/Melancholy......Page 367 Notes......Page 368 References......Page 372 Chapter 15: “I KNOW WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN”: Tragedy, Mourning, and Melancholia in Medea ......Page 377 Mourning and Melancholia......Page 378 Freedom and Necessity......Page 382 Notes......Page 392 Bibliography......Page 394 Chapter 16: “OUT LIKE A LION”: Melancholia with Euripides and Winnicott ......Page 397 The Other Calamity: Manhood, or “I’m the King of the Castle”......Page 399 The King’s Three Bodies......Page 408 Conclusion......Page 412 Postlude......Page 414 Notes......Page 416 Works Cited......Page 425 Chapter 17: THE GRAVITY OF MELANCHOLIA : SUBTITLE: A Critique of Speculative Realism ......Page 430 The Eclipse of the Subject......Page 436 The Next Big Thing......Page 438 We Are All Ptolemaists......Page 440 Carrying the World......Page 444 Notes......Page 450 References......Page 451 Chapter 18: MELANCHOLIA AND US......Page 454 Notes......Page 461 References......Page 462 Index......Page 464 Cover 1 Politics, Theory, and Film: Critical Encounters with Lars von Trier 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 PREFACE: SHOW, DON’T TELL 10 Notes 18 Bibliography 18 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 20 CONTRIBUTORS 22 Introduction: Lars von Trier and the “Clichés of Our Times” 28 Notes 45 References and Further Reading 45 I: Anti-Semite/Jew 48 Von Trier: Tony Cokes 49 Insert1 50 Chapter 1: AN INVITATION FROM LARS VON TRIER: Translated by Troels Skadhauge and Lars Tonder 54 II: Woman/Nymph 74 Chapter 2: MUST WE BURN LARS VON TRIER?: Simone de Beauvoir's Body Politics in Antichrist 76 The Aberrant: Failed Femininity 77 The Grotesque: Nature’s Feminine 85 The Excessive: Crushing the Dick 90 Feeling Our Way beyond Patriarchy 94 Notes 96 Bibliography 100 Chapter 3: THE SUFFERING SPECTATOR?: Perversion and Complicity in Antichrist and Nymphomaniac 102 The Sexual Scene and the Perverse Cinematic Apparatus 103 Playing (with) the Spectator 107 Affect and the Complicitous Spectator 110 Provocative Compositions 112 Queer Disorganizations 117 Coda: Escape 121 Notes 123 References 124 Chapter 4: THE NYMPH SHOOTS BACK: Agamben and the Feel of the Agon 128 I. Nymphomaniac en Abyme 132 II. Pygmalion, Galatea, and Agamben’s Nymph 137 III. The Nymph Shoots Back 145 IV. Coda: “Hey Joe” 148 Notes 152 References 154 III: Fate/Martyr 160 Chapter 5: SHARING IN WHAT DEATH REVEALS: Breaking the Waves with Bataille 162 The Question of Violence in Breaking the Waves 162 The Goodness Interpretation 163 The Bataillean Interpretation 166 Narrating Violence 173 Notes 175 References 176 Chapter 6: BROKEN BY GOD: Fate and Divine Intervention in Breaking the Waves 179 Introduction: Bess’s Rebellion 179 Bess and Her God 180 Belief and Sacrifice 182 Talking to God, Talking to Oneself 184 The Benefits of Belief 186 The Amor Fati of Bess McNeill 188 The Space for Judgment 190 Conclusion 192 Notes 194 References 195 IV: Young Americans 198 Chapter 7: BLIND SPOTS AND DOUBLE VISION: National and Individual Fantasy in Dancer in the Dark 200 Notes 214 References 220 Chapter 8: “YOUNG AMERICANS” 222 Introduction: One Damn Song... 222 Dogville: A Brief Synopsis of the Film 224 Dogville’s Documentation of the Ethical Turn 226 Surfaces, Authenticities, and Commodities in Dogville 232 Notes 242 References 244 Chapter 9: THREE EMANCIPATIONS 247 I. The Slavery of Emancipation: Wilhelm’s Emancipation 250 II. Emancipation as Exoneration: Grace’s Emancipation 255 III. The Performance of White Supremacy: Timothy’s Emancipation 260 IV. Emancipatory Acts and Bad Behavior 263 Notes 265 References 267 Chapter 10: FACE VALUE 271 Kanye: Tony Cokes 275 Insert2 276 V: Europe/Evil 280 BowieTony Coke 281 Insert3 282 Chapter 11: “AT THE FRINGES OF ONE’S CONSCIOUSNESS”: Kierkegaard, The Idiots, and the Politics of Comic Rule Following 288 Spazzing 290 Kierkegaard and the Comic 292 Beyond the Negative 295 An Anomaly within an Anomaly 296 Dogme 95 as Comic Rule Following 299 Notes 301 References 304 Chapter 12: A PHILOPOETIC ENGAGEMENT: Deleuza and the Element of Crime 307 Deleuzian Interference 307 A Cartography of Elements 308 The Philosophical Approach: Philopoesis 310 Policing Methods 312 An Otherness in Europe 313 Film Form as Political Critique 314 Fisher and Space 315 Cinematic Political Thought: Von Trier’s Temporal Context 316 Conclusion: Von Trier’s (and Others’) Europe 320 Notes 322 References 323 Chapter 13: EVILS OF REPRESENTATION IN EUROPA AND MELANCHOLIA 326 The Evils of Representation 327 Europa: Political Evil 329 Seeing Evil 331 Melancholia: Radical Evil 333 Conclusion 338 Bibilography 100 Notes 341 References 343 VI: Thinking/Melancholia 344 Chapter 14: BLACK SUNS AND A BRIGHT PLANET: Melancholia as Thought Experiment 346 End-of-the-World Movies 346 Cosmic and Man-Made Disasters 347 End of Cinema? 348 Cinema as Thought Experiment 348 “What If...” 351 Critical Contexts, Hermeneutic Moves, and Frames of Reference 354 Male and Female Depression—with Lacan, Žižek, and Stanley Cavell 355 Julia Kristeva’s Black Sun of Melancholia 358 The Maternal in Melancholia 360 The Anatomy of Melancholy and the Autonomy of Art 362 Thought Experiments and Mathematical Game Theory 364 Cinema/Melancholy 367 Notes 368 References 372 Chapter 15: “I KNOW WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN”: Tragedy, Mourning, and Melancholia in Medea 377 Mourning and Melancholia 378 Freedom and Necessity 382 Notes 392 Bibliography 394 Chapter 16: “OUT LIKE A LION”: Melancholia with Euripides and Winnicott 397 The Other Calamity: Manhood, or “I’m the King of the Castle” 399 The King’s Three Bodies 408 Conclusion 412 Postlude 414 Notes 416 Works Cited 425 Chapter 17: THE GRAVITY OF MELANCHOLIA : SUBTITLE: A Critique of Speculative Realism 430 The Eclipse of the Subject 436 The Next Big Thing 438 We Are All Ptolemaists 440 Carrying the World 444 Notes 450 References 451 Chapter 18: MELANCHOLIA AND US 454 Notes 461 References 462 Index 464 The Disturbing And Intense Films Of Lars Von Trier Are Often Dismissed As Misogynist, Misanthropic, Or Anti-humanist. This Work, However, Invites Us To Engage With His Work To Found A New Feminist Vision And Discover What Might Be Distinctively Hopeful For The Future Of Our Fragile Human Condition. Introduction: Lars Von Trier And The Clichés Of Our Times / Bonnie Honig And Lori J. Marso -- I. Anti-semite/jew. Van Trier Concept, Design, And Form / By Tony Cokes -- An Invitation From Lars Von Trier / Translated By Troels Skadhaug And Lars Tønder -- Ii. Woman/nymph. Must We Burn Lars Von Trier?: Simone De Beauvoir’s Body Politics In Antichrist / Lori J. Marso -- The Suffering Spectator?: Perversion And Complicity In Antichrist And Nymphomaniac / Rosalind Galt -- The Nymph Shoots Back: Agamben And The Feel Of The Agon / Lynne Huffer -- Iii. Fate/martyr. Sharing In What Death Reveals: Breaking The Waves With Bataille / Stephen S. Bush -- Broken By God: Fate And Divine Intervention In Breaking The Waves / James Martel -- Iv. Young Americans. Blind Spots And Double Vision: National And Individual Fantasy In Dancer In The Dark / Victoria Wohl -- Young Americans: Rancière And Bowie In Dogville / Paul Apostolidis --three Emancipations: Manderlay And Racialized Freedom / Elisabeth R. Anker -- Face Value: Von Trier, Bowie, Kanye (notes On A Review And Three Rants) / Tony Cokes -- Kanye Concept, Design, And Form / By Tony Cokes -- V. Europe/evil. Bowie Concept, Design, And Form / By Tony Cokes -- At The Fringes Of One’s Consciousness: Kierkegaard, The Idiots, And The Politics Of Comic Rule Following / Lars Tønder -- A Philopoetic Engagement: Deleuze And The Element Of Crime / Michael J. Shapiro -- Evils Of Representation In Europa And Melancholia / Joshua Foa Dienstag -- Vi. Thinking/melancholia. Black Suns And A Bright Planet: Melancholia As Thought Experiment / Thomas Elsaesser -- I Know What Has To Happen: Tragedy, Mourning, And Melancholia In Medea / Miriam Leonard -- Out Like A Lion: Melancholia With Eurpides And Winnicott / Bonnie Honig -- The Gravity Of Melancholia: A Critique Of Speculative Realism / Christopher Peterson -- Melancholia And Us / William E. Connolly. Edited By Bonnie Honig And Lori J. Marso. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Lars von Trier's intense, disturbing, and sometimes funny films have led many to condemn him as misogynist or misanthropic. The same films inspire this collection's reflections on how our fears and desires regarding gender, power, race, finitude, family, and fate often thwart -- and sometimes feed -- our best democratic aspirations. The essays in this volume attend to von Trier's role as provocateur, as well as to his films' techniques, topics, and storytelling. Where others accuse von Trier of being cliched, the editors argue that he intensifies the "cliches of our times" in ways that direct our political energies towards apprehending and repairing a shattered world.The book is certainly for von Trier lovers and haters but, at the same time, political, critical, and feminist theorists entirely__un__familiar with von Trier's films will find this volume's essays of interest. Most of the contributors tarry with von Trier to develop new readings of major thinkers and writers, including Agamben, Bataille, Beauvoir, Benjamin, Deleuze, Euripides, Freud, Kierkegaard, Ranciere, Nietzsche, Winnicott, and many more. Von Trier is both central and irrelevant to much of this work. Writing from the fields of classics, literature, gender studies, philosophy, film and political theory, the authors stage an interdisciplinary intervention in film studies." Lars von Trier's intense, disturbing, and sometimes funny films have led many to condemn him as misogynist or misanthropic. The same films inspire this collection's reflections on how our fears and desires regarding gender, power, race, finitude, family, and fate often thwart? and sometimes feed? our best democratic aspirations. The essays in this volume attend to von Trier's role as provocateur, as well as to his films' techniques, topics, and storytelling. Where others accuse von Trier of being clichéd, the editors argue that he intensifies the "clichés of our times" in ways that direct our political energies towards apprehending and repairing a shattered world. 00The book is certainly for von Trier lovers and haters but, at the same time, political, critical, and feminist theorists entirely unfamiliar with von Trier's films will find this volume's essays of interest. Most of the contributors tarry with von Trier to develop new readings of major thinkers and writers, including Agamben, Bataille, Beauvoir, Benjamin, Deleuze, Euripides, Freud, Kierkegaard, Ranciére, Nietzsche, Winnicott, and many more. Von Trier is both central and irrelevant to much of this work. Writing from the fields of classics, literature, gender studies, philosophy, film and political theory, the authors stage an interdisciplinary intervention in film studies The disturbing and intense films of Lars von Trier are often dismissed as misogynist, misanthropic, or anti-humanist. This book, however, invites us to engage with his work to found a new feminist vision and discover what might be distinctively hopeful for the future of our fragile human condition.