Self-destructive gentle subject

Tressie 2022-03-16 08:01:01

For three days, off and on, I finally finished watching this movie. The complexity that the film presents may outweigh the author's intentions, at least when watching the director commenting on the subtitles, I feel like he himself (or ostensibly disguise his true intentions) is just constantly talking about which films those scenes pay homage to. Of course, I do not deny the director's own creative attitude, but I would like to talk about my interpretation of the author's work from my personal perspective, rather than the interpretation of the author's intentions.

What the film should present is a journey of self-exploration under hypnosis, the self-reflection of Europe as a whole. In the rapid vibrato of the cello released by the director at the beginning, the director began to count, ten, nine, eight... One, you came to Europa, came to Germany in 1945, and then you are a young handsome guy. If you see this, you should understand that what you are seeing yourself is a young man in the spirit of a modern European, hypnotized back to brutal post-war Germany. This young man, as some film critics said, is a gentle subjectivity of humanitarianism. But it was this gentle subjectivity that he witnessed the helplessness of the Americans' revenge plundering, stood by when he saw the remnants of the Nazi party, and was willing to degenerate when he met his girlfriend who was infected by the Nazi spirit, and finally he was in his inner conscience, or accidental, Ultimately achieves self-destruction and is reawakened by the director in death.

It has to be said that this film does have a lot to explore, especially in today's degenerate Europe. Looking back at this Europe today, not only can it no longer export valuable ideas, but it has fallen into self-isolation and self-mutilation, not only unable to help others, but also unable to extricate itself. Perhaps we can also say that in the early 1990s, when industrialization was basically completed on a global scale, the old Europe that represented gentle subjectivity died with this film. Today's Europe is just a utilitarian, restless, and purposeless community.

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Extended Reading
  • Melvin 2022-03-27 09:01:21

    Although I don't like the ideas expressed in Lars von Trier's works, I cannot deny his talent in images, the color prominence in black and white tones, the rotating photography of overlooking, the sense of blur created by hypnosis, these elements are all for The film has a dark and magical atmosphere. As for reflection, the director has never been able to do it. This is a work that looks at the issue of defeat from a German standpoint, which can be regarded as providing another perspective.

  • Rowan 2022-03-25 09:01:23

    In the minds of most people who lose the war: I lost, but I am not wrong. Just as the Japanese believed that the Nanjing Massacre was not wrong, the Germans believed that it was not wrong to exterminate the Jews, and the Israelis were not wrong to seize Palestinian land. And in the minds of most war winners: I win, I can do whatever I want, I can rape women in Berlin, I can shoot at Vietnamese civilians. Is there really a distinction between good and evil, perhaps inventing the term just to justify one's actions? (at least in the eyes of some people). It is difficult to comment on this film, but the four deepest insights are: 1. The mentality and behavior of the Germans who do not admit their wrongdoing. 2. The appearance of scorched earth all over Germany, which was destroyed by the war. 3. The image of the Jews being oppressed and scrawny. A winner's face. As the male protagonist, he is actually cowardly and opportunistic. The German-American returned to Germany at the end of the war, tried to find a good job with his own identity, and then took the opportunity to deliberately mix with the daughter of a big entrepreneur who is passive and passive, and finally Swing between love and sanity.

Europa quotes

  • [opening lines]

    Narrator: You will now listen to my voice. My voice will help you and guide you still deeper into Europa. Every time you hear my voice, with every word and every number, you will enter into a still deeper layer - open, relaxed and receptive. I shall now count from one to ten. On the count of ten, you will be in Europa. I say: one. And as you focus your attention entirely on my voice, you will slowly begin to relax. Two - your hands and your fingers are getting warmer and heavier. Three - the warmth is spreading through your arms, to your shoulders and your neck. Four - your feet and your legs get heavier. Five - the warmth is spreading to the whole of your body. On six, I want you to go deeper. I say: six. And the whole of your relaxed body is slowly beginning to sink. Seven - you go deeper and deeper and deeper. Eight - on every breath you take, you go deeper. Nine - you are floating. On the mental count of ten, you will be in Europa. Be there at ten. I say: ten.

  • [last lines]

    Narrator: In the morning, the sleeper has found rest on the bottom of the river. The force of the stream has opened the door and is leading you on. Above your body, people are still alive. Follow the river as days go by. Head for the ocean that mirrors the sky. You want to wake up to free yourself of the image of Europa. But it is not possible.