Dogville: Film and Other Arts
Dogville is a movie directed by Lars von Trier in 2003. The movie has an experimental style like put together cinema and theatre. We are watching the epic theatre in a cinematic way during the movie. I want to discuss the function of the form of this movie.
In the film, we didn’t watch the real town. The stage has chalk lines on the floor marking the town’s location name. This is a common epic theatre convention; via the use of placards, scenes were often introduced to the spectators. Dogville started with a bird-eye view shot of this stage. After that, it comes closer to Tom Edisons’ room. Besides the location is as a theatre, the way you look did not possible for the theater auditor. Yet, this eyeshot is prominent in the beginning because spectators can see the whole town easily. Then learn who needs to focus on. The movie has a handheld camera aesthetic such as rapid moving or zooming. These are distracted to the spectator and the film makes itself self-reflexive. In this way, the audience may watch the movie from a critical point of view. If it was just an epic theatre, we may deprive of this perspective.
On the other hand, the design of the set is wall-less. This is to say something about democracy. All decisions are taken by voting. Plus, if the majority accepts it,-even the wrong and terrible- whole things are normalized publicly. For instance, in chapter seven, Grace wants to escape from the town then she rapped and brought back to the Dogville. All the townies made a machine and put a collar on her. This is receiving favorably from everyone else. Thus, if the movie which may not borrow stage techniques all things are come true from behind the walls. But Trier says that “everybody watching the violence in all its nakedness” with his own style.
As a result, the movie has a striking effect on each element. This success achieved by combining with two arts. Therefore, if we try to change medium we may cause destruction from the theme of the movie.
-Gizem Hayali
