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Mood:
- AtmosphericBleakStylizedSuspensefulCaptivatingGloomy
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Plot:
- Police DetectiveSerial KillerPolice InvestigationPsychologicalMurderCrimesDeadlyLaw Enforcement more...
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Genres:
- MysteryThrillerIndependentNeo NoirCrimeDrama
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Time/Period:
- Future
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Place:
- AfricaEgyptEuropeMiddle EastDesert
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Praise:
- Award WinnerCritically Acclaimed
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Style:
- Voice OverSurreal
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Attitudes:
- SeriousRealistic
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Flag:
- NudityProfanityViolent Content
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The Element of Crime, 1984
English
Denmark
Profile of The Element of Crime
The mood of The Element of Crime is bleak, atmospheric, and stylized. The plot centers around a police investigation, a police detective, and a serial killer. It is an independent, thriller, and mystery movie. Stylistically, The Element of Crime is neo-noir, is surreal, and includes a voice over. In approach, it is serious and realistic. It takes place, at least partly, in the desert. The Element of Crime is set in Egypt, the Middle East, and Europe. It happens in the future. The movie is known for being an award winner and critically acclaimed. Note that The Element of Crime includes nudity, profanity, and violent content.
Summary of The Element of Crime
Danish director Lars von Trier's debut feature film--also his first English-language effort--is an extremely hypnotic, moody thriller. The story opens in the desert of Egypt, where police detective Leopold Fisher (Michael Elphick) is hypnotized and asked to recount the recent events of his life. It seems that Fisher has been called back to a small town where he has previously spent time in order to investigate the brutal murders of several little girls who sell lottery tickets. He reunites with his mentor, Osborne (Esmond Night), the writer of a controversial book entitled The Element of Crime, in which he recommends that investigators adopt the point of view of killers in order to better predict subsequent tragedies. When Fisher meets Kim (Meme Lei), a beautiful young woman, the pair embarks on a journey that begins to blur the line between Fisher's simulated killer and the real thing.
Von Trier's film is a bold exercise in style, using hypnotism to support the slowly unfolding story. Visually, he soaks the film in a sepia tone, incorporating double exposures and super-8 footage to add even more stylish effect. The result is a deeply puzzling murder mystery that stands as an extremely bold directorial debut.
Details
| Language: | English |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Release date: | October 1984 |
| Runtime: | 104 min |
Cast and Crew
as Fisher
Photos
Clips
