Idioterne (1998)

Writer:

Lars von Trier (writer)

Release Date:

20 May 1998 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Society is the mother of all Idiots

Plot:

The group of people gather at the house in Copenhagen suburb to break all the limitations and to bring out the "inner idiot" in themselves.

Plot Keywords:

Cult | Community | Group Sex | Male Frontal Nudity | Mental Illness

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Bodil Jørgensen	...	Karen
Jens Albinus	...	Stoffer
Anne Louise Hassing	...	Susanne
Troels Lyby	...	Henrik
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Jeppe
Louise Mieritz	...	Josephine
Henrik Prip	...	Ped
Luis Mesonero	...	Miguel
Knud Romer Jørgensen	...	Axel
Trine Michelsen	...	Nana
Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis	...	Katrine
Paprika Steen	...	High Class Lady
Erik Wedersøe	...	Stoffer's Uncle
Michael Moritzen	...	Man From Municipality
Anders Hove	...	Josephine's Father
Jan Elle	...	Waiter
Claus Strandberg	...	Guide At Factory
Jens Jørn Spottag	...	Boss At Advertising Agency (as Jens Jørgen Spottag)
John Martinus	...	Man In Morning-Jacket
Lars Bjarke	...	Rocker #1
Ewald Larsen	...	Rocker #2
Christian Friis	...	Rocker #3
Louise B. Clausen	...	Rocker Girl
Hans Henrik Clemensen	...	Karen's Husband - Anders
Lone Lindorff	...	Karen's Mother
Erno Müller	...	Karen's Grandfather
Regitze Estrup	...	Karen's Sister - Louise
Lotte Munk Fure	...	Karen's Sister - Britta (as Lotte Munk)
Marina Bouras	...	Axel's Wife
Julie Wieth	...	Woman With 2 Kids
Kirsten Vaupel	...	Art Class Lady #1
Lillian Tillegren	...	Art Class Lady #2
Birgit Conradi	...	Art Class Lady #3
Peter Frøge	...	Man In The Swimmingpool
Albert Wichmann	...	High Class Man (as Albert Wickmann)
Ditlev Weddelsborg	...	Severin At Advertising Agency
Jesper Sønderaas	...	Svendsen At Advertising Agency
Svend Erik Plannthin	...	Mongoloid
Torben Meyrowitsch	...	Mongoloid
Lis Bente Petersen	...	Mongoloid
Palle Lorentz Emiliussen	...	Mongoloid
Axel Schmidt	...	Mongoloid
Iris Albøge	...	Qualified Carer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bent Sørensen	...	Taxa Driver
Lars von Trier	...	Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Lars von Trier		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lars von Trier		writer

Produced by
Svend Abrahamsen	....	producer: DR TV
Dag Alveberg	....	producer: Nordic Film & TV Fund
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	executive producer
Erik Schut	....	co-producer (as Erik Shut)
Marianne Slot	....	co-producer
Peter van Vogelpoel	....	co-producer (as Peter Van Vogelpoel)
Vibeke Windeløv	....	producer

Cinematography by
Lars von Trier		(as Lars Von Trier)

Film Editing by
Molly Marlene Stensgaard		(as Molly Malene Stensgaard)

Casting by
Marie Louise Hedegaard		(as Rie Hedegaard)

Production Management
Lene Nielsen	....	production manager

Sound Department
Kristian Eidnes Andersen	....	sound engineer: 2nd unit
John Nielsen	....	boom operator
Rene Schrøder	....	boom operator
Per Streit	....	sound designer
Johan Winbladh	....	sound engineer: 2nd unit

Camera and Electrical Department
Caroline Sascha Cogez	....	clapper loader (as Caroline Cogez)
Caroline Sascha Cogez	....	data recorder (as Caroline Cogez)
Edvard Friis-Moeller	....	camera assistant (as Edvard Friis-Møller)
Ian Hansen	....	camera assistant
Casper Holm	....	assistant director of photography
Casper Holm	....	camera operator
Jesper Jargil	....	assistant director of photography
Jesper Jargil	....	camera operator
Kristoffer Nyholm	....	assistant director of photography
Kristoffer Nyholm	....	camera operator
Jan Schut	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Anne Katrine Andersen	....	post-production coordinator
Pelle Folmer	....	avid consultant
Anne Hovad Fischer	....	assistant editor (as Anne Hovad Fisher)
Lene Irgens	....	post-production coordinator
Peter Kornbek	....	on-line editor
Mogens Rukov	....	consultant: editing
Carsten Søsted	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Kim Kristensen	....	musician: melodica

Other crew
Lene Børglum	....	legal advisor
Christel Hammer	....	public relations
Ann Køj	....	production accountant (as Ann Køj Slemming)
Mette Nelund	....	assistant to producer
Nynne Oldenburg	....	assistant to producer: Paris
Annette Buch Petersen	....	caterer (as 'Petite' Buch Petersen)
Tine Grew Pfeiffer	....	production assistant
Mogens Rukov	....	script consultant
Jonathan Sydenham	....	translator: English
Ann Vognsen	....	production accountant

Thanks
Niels Vørsel	....	acknowledgment: The Idiots wish to thank

Production Companies

• Zentropa Entertainments (produced by) (as Zentropa Entertainments2 ApS)
• Danmarks Radio (DR) (produced by) (as DR TV)
• Liberator Productions (in co-production with)
• La Sept Cinéma (in co-production with)
• Argus Film Produktie (in co-production with)
• Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (VPRO) (in co-production with) (as VPRO Television, Holland)
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond (with the support of)
• CoBo Fonds (with the support of)
• SVT Drama (in collaboration with)
• Canal+ (in collaboration with)
• Rai Cinemafiction (in collaboration with)
• 3 Emme Cinematografica (in collaboration with)
• Arte
• October Films
• Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications (????) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (Czech Republic)
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Cult Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Distribution Company (Argentina)
• EDKO Film (Hong Kong)
• Fidalgo (Norway)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Finnkino (Finland)
• Golem Distribución (Spain)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Les Films du Losange (France)
• Motion Picture Distribution (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Nachshon Films (1999) (Israel) (all media)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (Russia) (VHS)
• Scanbox Entertainment (Denmark)
• Triangelfilm (Sweden)
• USA Films (2000) (USA) (subtitled)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• B&B Systems  post production planning system
• Feltwave  online facilities
• Hokus Bogus Rekorder ApS  video transfer to 35 mm (as Hokus Bogus ApS)
• Johan Ankerstjerne A/S  laboratory
• Jægersborg Skovdistrikt  acknowledgment: The Idiots wish to thank (as Jægersborg Skov Distrikt )
• Mainstream ApS  sound studio
• Murermester Bent Hassing Storvorde  acknowledgment: The Idiots wish to thank (as Bent Hassing)
• Rockwool International  acknowledgment: The Idiots wish to thank (as Rockwool)
• Søllerød Kro  acknowledgment: The Idiots wish to thank

Also Known As:

Dogma 2: 'The Idiots' (International: English title) (complete title)
Dogma 95 - Idioterne
Dogme # 2 - Idioterne (Denmark) (series title)
Dogme 2 (Denmark)
Idioterna (Sweden)
Idioti (Italy)
Les idiots (France)
The Idiots (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality and nudity, and for language.

Runtime:

117 min | South Korea:110 min (cut)

Country:

Denmark | Sweden | France | Netherlands | Italy

Language:

Danish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | France:-12 (original rating) | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:(Banned) | Italy:T (cut) | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (cut)

Filming Locations:

Søllerød, Sjælland, Denmark

Company:

Zentropa Entertainments

Trivia:

The second film in Lars von Trier's "Golden Heart" trilogy in which the heroines remain naïve despite their actions. The two other parts are Breaking the Waves (1996) and Dancer in the Dark (2000).

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: This is a film that adheres to the 'Dogme 95' manifesto, so the usual goof rules do not necessarily apply. This includes shots of the crew, microphones and other equipment, as well as continuity errors.

Quotes:

[at Stoffer's birthday party]
Susanne: I think Stoffer should choose what we do next. Because it's his party.
Stoffer: Gang bang.
Susanne: No, listen, we've got picture lotto, spin the bottle...
Stoffer: Gang bang.
Nana: Count me in. Gang bang! Gang bang!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Det danske dogmeri (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Vi Er Dem De Andre Ikke Må lege Med

ambivalence unbounded

I really liked The Idiots, I enjoyed it, found it interesting and it gave me a great deal to think about. But I also have major problems with it. Most of these issues have to do with the tenets of the Dogma Manifesto (although I don't know it off by heart, I am familiar with it) which smack of school-boy anarchy and have little to do with the true expansion of cinema's boundaries. However, I do like The Idiots, I really do. My main problem with the film and the manifesto is the assumption that Von Trier is pushing limits when he really isn't. It seems to be more of a publicity vehicle, a method for gaining notoriety rather than challenging the manner of representation. His transgressions are pretty infantile – formally we get a shaky camera, unfocused compositions, booms in shot (I mean, really ) and aberrant performances. Thematically we are confronted by perverse or repellent material and, horror of all horrors – images of copulating genitals. Rebellious? – has Von Trier ever seen any pornography? The truth is his so called transgressions are only transgressive to traditional mainstream representations so Von Trier is not challenging the limits of cinema but rather the paradigms of the mainstream. Now there's nothing wrong with that, that's good – Bunuel, Godard, Warhol, Waters – but for Christ sake just shut up and do it! Manifestos are for poseurs and unabombers – leave it to them and just get on making films. Here's an idea, for free form cinema try not making ANY rules. What I find most intriguing about The Idiots is how the thematic aspects so keenly reflect the filmmaker. The idea of a commune of pretentious sophisticates whose concept of transgressing the ghastly bourgeoisie is by confronting them with unpleasantness which plays on their traditional beliefs and desire for control is in my book the film's great irony. Also, for the most part Von Trier ought to be congratulated for exposing himself to such an obvious criticism. Although, unfortunately his representation of the middle-class characters who suffer the indignity of meeting the members of the commune as they are 'spazzing out' is strictly one-dimensional. Each of the other characters is mutli-dimensional and their participation in the activities and their conviction in it always remains complex. I think the final sequence is the film's major flaw – as it seems to me that Karen finds an inner grace as she seeks to break the shackles of middle-class society. This seems too pat, too handy a resolution which denies all of the complexity of her situation. Regardless of this, this is a very bold and very worthwhile film which has so much to offer.