Lars von Trier’s philosophical meta horror about the life of a serial killer premiered at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
Two men are walking in darkness: the eccentric Jack (Matt Dillon), a serial killer who is retelling the story of his life, and the mysterious Verge (Bruno Ganz) who keeps arguing with him. Having murdered over 60 people over a period of 12 years, Jack presents his story in five “incidents, » each explaining his cruel “philosophy.”
From the late 2000s to the mid 2010, Lars von Trier shot the cycle that came to be known as his “depression trilogy” (Antichrist, Melancholia, Nymphomaniac), in which he removed the conventional, even if questionable, distance between the director’s own persona and their work. As he has repeatedly said in interviews, the protagonists’ metal illnesses reflect his own experiences. The House That Jack Built follows that approach, while adding self-deprecating irony to Lars von Trier’s style.
The film resembles a video essay. Split into chapters, it features archival footage, voiceover commentary, and even links to von Trier’s previous works. Though narrated by the protagonist, Bruno Ganz’s character channels the director’s irony toward his characters and himself: Verge keeps interrupting Jack and his piercing comments reveal the latter’s narcissism and self-importance.
The film will be screened in English, Italian, and German with Russian subtitles.
The House That Jack Built
Director: Lars von Trier
Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, 2018. 152 min.
18+