Nymphomaniac: The Director's Cut [DVD]

NYMPHOMANIAC - VOLS 1 & 2 DIRECTOR'S CUT - Directed by Lars Von Trier**Huge Erect Spoilers**NYMPHOMANIAC takes place inside the head of Lars Von Trier. Or any manic depressive. There is no escaping this fact. Both Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard) are the dual aspects of a single personality. The tiny room in which these two damaged people talk to one another is filled with Seligman's intellectual and cultural reference points, as well as his past. Joe cannibalises what's there to spark her stories - none of which are true - to rebel, shock, titillate and antagonise the intellect. She is emotional chaos, abandon and sexuality. He is order, the rationale, culture and - being asexual - pure and virgin.The room is grim, dirty, with two windows - eyes being the windows of the soul - gazing out upon a brick wall where, after the long night, a glimpse of sunlight can be seen, but nobody knows where from. Seligman can't fathom it. Joe thinks it's beautiful.However, this being Von Trier - and with 'no happy endings', because there are no happy endings with mental illness, only coping mechanisms - Seligman and Joe play a game. It's the beyond of what they're both capable of achieving. Balance.NYMPHOMANIAC is about the struggle for balance, survival, and the lies we tell ourselves in order to continue. What's interesting about the film is the disappointment audiences feel at the punchline. They feel betrayed, because the relationship between Joe and Seligman seems so real. That these two lonely souls have, at last, both found respite and true friendship.Von Trier knows this to be bull. The idea that we must love ourselves in order to find true happiness, that we - and only we - can save ourselves, is one of the biggest lies sold on the market. It's impossible for a permanently damaged person - even a species - to do such a thing. And that's what makes NYMPHOMANIAC such a bold and daring film.Seligman just doesn't listen to Joe at all in the film. He hears her stories, but then tries to fit them into a rational framework. She is bored of his methods from the word go. As the story continues, and as Joe steals from Seligman's - and Von Trier's - body of work (there is a direct and very amusing reference to both ANTI-CHRIST and MELANCHOLIA) Joe and Seligman subconsciously collude to bring about the climax of the final chapter, THE GUN. Seligman even telling Joe HOW to shoot it. Joe informing Seligman that the executed should be grateful to their killer.It's the corruption of the rational mind, armed only with useless facts, by manic depression and anxiety. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can stop the cycle. The apparent reprieve is a lie. Joe crosses a line - maybe it's even suicide? - and flees the scene in darkness. Seligman, the rational thought, is dead. And it's not attempted rape, as some observe (remember, it's - literally - a psychological drama). Seligman expects Joe to respond in kind, but he can't even get it up. Of course he can't. It's an area he can not control or master.Some see the film as a strong feminist tract. They are wrong. It has a strong female character, that's all, but she's gradually broken as the film continues. The ways of coping become more extreme, she is damaged, loses feeling, sacrifices her family, performs a self-abortion, has sympathy for Hitler (Von Trier mocking his infamous 2011 slip-up) and paedophiles. She's not a likeable character, which is the point - nobody with depression is - they become selfish and driven to destruction. Juliet in MELANCHOLIA literally summons the planet Melancholia and ends all life on earth. That's the (usually unspoken of) ego of the mentally ill. And if you think I'm wrong, consider the scene where Joe points out the mirror to Seligman. He looks over and - from his point of view - we see the reflected image of a camera shooting the film the audience is watching.However, it takes a person struggling with manic depression and OCD to understand and create a trilogy of films about the subject. NYMPHOMANIAC is a masterpiece. A film full of hard-core sex, transgression, dark humour (and some very crude, childish humour - spoons, is all I'm saying) and a no-holds-barred look at what it is to experience and struggle with depression in the most explicit way I've ever seen.

"Nymphomaniac" is a complex, serious and dark movie which amounts, in my opinion, to nothing less than cinematic gold. It's dramatic and bold, representing a piece of sexual art on film.This is a superbly made movie, directed by Lars von Trier (whose earlier work includes “Melancholia” and “Antichrist”), and who is known for making explicit and artistic films. It is a two-part drama, and involves both fantastic writing and great acting. There are several well-known actors in the film, including Christian Slater, Shia LaBeouf, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe, and Stellan Skarsgård. Yet the stand-out contributions are by Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stacy Martin – especially Martin, who takes lead role as the central character Joe aged from 15 to 31. But in many ways, it's an ensemble piece - and all contributions are top notch.The film is about a woman who's telling her life story, from childhood to her 40's. And the defining aspect of her life is that she's a nymphomaniac. The movie explores her sexual adventures, which are many and varied. And full-on sex is shown ... I'm impressed that the film received an 18 rating, rather than an 18R (attitudes are obviously becoming more liberal). I bought the two volume director's cut (at 5 1/2 hours long) on Blu-ray. Excellent picture and sound quality. Note: the movie is in English.It's not a happy film, and the lead character is often very depressed with her life. Yet, as a viewer, I found myself engaged and connected to the difficulties and plight of this woman. Often the film is demanding, as it deals with tragic and problematic issues, but it always adopts a serious (rather than wontedly titillating) approach.While I'm sure that this film isn't for everyone, I thoroughly recommend it for adult viewers who are interested in this sort of explicit, character-driven story.