Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark is a haunting, emotional, and unconventional musical tragedy that blends heart-wrenching realism with bursts of stylized fantasy. The film stars Icelandic singer Björk in a tour de force performance and is known for its raw emotional power, divisive directorial style, and deeply polarizing ending.

Detailed Summary

Introduction: Selma’s World

Selma Ježková (Björk) is a Czech immigrant living in 1960s rural America. She works long hours in a factory while raising her son Gene. Selma is nearly blind due to a degenerative condition and is secretly saving money for an operation that will prevent her son from suffering the same fate.

Despite her difficult life, Selma escapes through her imagination—she envisions herself in the midst of joyous, colorful musicals. These fantasies give her momentary relief from the bleakness of her everyday existence.

Selma’s Double Life and Her Secret

Selma hides her condition from her co-workers and employer, which leads to accidents and increasing suspicion. Her friend Kathy (Catherine Deneuve) is one of the few who knows the truth. Selma also shares a fragile friendship with Bill, her landlord, a financially troubled police officer.

Betrayal and Tragedy

As her blindness worsens, Selma discovers that her life savings have been stolen by Bill. He lies to his wife, claiming Selma tried to seduce him. In a devastating confrontation, Selma ends up killing Bill in self-defense and recovers the money meant for Gene’s operation.

This moment marks the film’s transition from hardship to full-blown tragedy. Selma refuses to explain the real reason for her actions to protect Gene’s future and ensure that the money isn’t confiscated by the authorities.

Arrest, Trial, and Conviction

Selma is arrested and goes on trial. She refuses to defend herself truthfully, unwilling to risk her son’s surgery. Her silence is interpreted as guilt. The court finds her guilty of murder, and she is sentenced to death by hanging.

Throughout the trial and prison scenes, Selma continues to retreat into musical numbers in her mind. These sequences grow darker and more abstract, mirroring her despair.

Movie Ending

The film’s conclusion is harrowing and unforgettable.

Selma’s last days are spent in prison. She remains stoic, believing that Gene’s surgery has been successfully performed. However, she is devastated when she learns the surgery hasn’t been paid for due to a legal technicality.

Desperate, Selma begs for help and eventually gets the money to the hospital by sacrificing her last belongings and dignity. She finally receives confirmation that Gene’s operation has gone through.

In the final scene, Selma is brought to the gallows. Blind, terrified, and without music in her mind, she panics. The execution is brutal, realistic, and deeply disturbing. She begins to sing “Next to Last Song” to comfort herself as the noose tightens. Her voice is silenced mid-song.

There is no rescue, no redemption, no last-minute stay. Selma dies, fully believing that her son will live a better life.

The screen cuts to black in silence.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Dancer in the Dark does not have a post-credits scene. The film’s final moment is deliberately abrupt and emotionally jarring, and the end credits roll in silence to preserve the impact.

Type of Movie

This is a musical drama with strong elements of tragedy, social realism, and art-house cinema. It belongs to the Dogme 95 movement (though not strictly), emphasizing handheld camera work, natural lighting, and minimal artificiality—apart from the musical fantasy scenes.

Cast

• Björk as Selma Ježková
• Catherine Deneuve as Kathy
• David Morse as Bill Houston
• Peter Stormare as Jeff
• Joel Grey as Oldrich Novy
• Cara Seymour as Linda
• Jean-Marc Barr as Norman
• Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Brenda

Film Music and Composer

The soundtrack, titled “Selmasongs”, was composed by Björk, with lyrics by Lars von Trier and Sjón. The music contrasts heavily with the grim tone of the film—joyful and rhythmic songs erupt during Selma’s dreamlike musical escapes, reinforcing her inner world.

Notable songs include:

• “I’ve Seen It All” (Oscar-nominated)
• “Cvalda” (featuring Catherine Deneuve)
• “Next to Last Song”

Filming Locations

The film was shot in:

• Sweden – Interiors and prison scenes
• Denmark – Selected factory scenes
• Czech Republic – Brief exterior settings
• Germany – Some musical sequences

These locations were chosen for their economic feasibility and visual flexibility. Despite being set in the U.S., none of it was filmed there. The contrast between drab, realistic settings and vivid musical fantasies highlights the duality of Selma’s life.

Awards and Nominations

• Palme d’Or – Winner (Cannes Film Festival, 2000)
• Best Actress (Björk) – Winner (Cannes Film Festival, 2000)
• Academy Awards – Nominated for Best Original Song (“I’ve Seen It All”)
• Golden Globe Nominee – Best Actress in a Drama (Björk)
• Numerous wins and nominations across European film festivals and critics’ circles

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Björk vowed never to act again after this film due to the emotional toll and tension on set.
• Conflicts between Björk and Lars von Trier were intense—she reportedly walked off set multiple times.
• The film used 100 stationary digital cameras for musical sequences to capture multiple angles simultaneously.
• Von Trier encouraged improvisation, creating a raw, unscripted feeling.
• Catherine Deneuve reportedly served as a stabilizing force on set.

Inspirations and References

• The film draws inspiration from classic Hollywood musicals, especially Busby Berkeley choreography and Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films.
• Selma’s character arc echoes themes from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables—sacrifice, injustice, and redemption.
• Influences from Dogme 95 ideology are visible, even though the film breaks many of its formal rules.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no officially released alternate endings. However, a few extended musical sequences and character scenes were reportedly cut for pacing and tonal balance. Some cuts involved deeper backstories for Bill and Jeff, but von Trier decided to keep the focus firmly on Selma.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Dancer in the Dark is not based on a book, but it has a novelization by Patrick Ness, which slightly expands on Selma’s thoughts and motivations. The book includes more internal monologues and backstory but follows the same bleak trajectory.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Selma and Cvalda performing “Cvalda” in the factory using machinery noises as rhythm.
• The courtroom scene where Selma sings “In the Musicals,” unable to explain herself any other way.
• The jailhouse scene where Selma sings with another inmate before her execution.
• The final hanging scene—raw, silent, gut-wrenching.

Iconic Quotes

• Selma: “In a musical, nothing dreadful ever happens.”
• Selma: “I see… I see everything.”
• Jeff: “You don’t have to pretend to be blind, Selma.”
• Kathy: “You don’t have to do this alone.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• Joel Grey plays Oldrich Novy—a nod to classic Czech musical films, grounding Selma’s fantasies in her cultural roots.
• The song “I’ve Seen It All” features subtle sound effects from previous musical numbers, creating a thematic thread.
• Selma’s love for musicals is based on Björk’s real childhood experiences with American movies in Iceland.

Trivia

• Björk won Best Actress at Cannes but later called the filming experience “emotional violence.”
• The film’s aesthetic was intentionally grainy and handheld to reflect Dogme realism.
• The song “I’ve Seen It All” was performed by Björk and Thom Yorke (of Radiohead) for the album version.
• Lars von Trier suffers from a fear of flying and never visited the U.S.—hence the European shooting locations.

Why Watch?

Watch Dancer in the Dark if you’re prepared for an emotional, genre-defying experience. It’s not a feel-good musical—it’s a tragic opera of sacrifice, maternal love, and social injustice. The mix of realism and musical fantasy is jarring but powerful. Björk’s performance is unforgettable, and the story stays with you long after the credits roll.

Director’s Other Movies

• Breaking the Waves (1996)
• Dogville (2003)
• Melancholia (2011)
• Antichrist (2009)
• The House That Jack Built (2018)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Breaking the Waves (1996)
• Requiem for a Dream (2000)
• The Piano (1993)
• Les Misérables (2012)
• All That Jazz (1979)
• Rosetta (1999)
• My Life Without Me (2003)