“A personal interpretation and homage to the master” – Lars von Trier
During his “Europa Trilogy”, Lars von Trier adapted a script the late director Carl Theodor Dreyer, one of Lars’s major movie influences, wrote but never filmed. Euripides’s “Medea”. The story of the witch betrayed by her lover Jason. Witch who in revenge commits a terrible crime that will psychologically destroy her former lover.
Tragic and dramatic, Lars’s adaptation allows him to profess an homage to his idol, but also dives where Dreyer himself would not have gone to; like nudity, sensuality, eroticism, and a more troubling revenge than what Dreyer had planned.
Here and there, this movie, in a timeless environment closer to the world of Vikings than the Greeks, offers gorgeous Jutland’s landscapes, memorable quotes, and strong camera effects. Like in the prologue, which forewarned what Lars would do with Charlotte Gainsbourg in “Antichrist”, then “Medea”‘s dialogue with her maid while her children are asleep, and the final encounter with her husband by the beach. I also have to say that the movie’s distorted colors is wonderful as it reinforces the timeless effect of the story. As if we were viewing an archaeological document; ruins of an ancient artifact a great writer wrote centuries ago, which survived time, and which is left to us in shambles. In ruined condition that strengthen the story’s relic power.
Of the main actors, Udo Kier and Kirsten Olesen offer wonderful performances and the presence of Dreyer’s former collaborators, Baard Owe (“Gertrud”) and Preben Lerdorff-Rye (“Day of Wrath” and “Ordet”), pays tribute to the late director. The dynamics and energy between the actors working together are great and Olsen allows her text to stay in the viewer’s mind after the story ends. Also the script’s length is perfect. Not too long, not too short, we have enough time to understand the story and what occurred before. Seventy-five minutes, which I think has to do with this movie being a work for television rather than a movie theatre. But then again, I think if Lars could have shot a five hour work like he did with Nymphomaniac, then he would have done it.
Now I know that Lars was ambivalent about “Medea”, even said to an interviewer that he didn’t like his movie. But personally, I don’t think Lars did a bad film there. Unlike “Element of Crime”, Lars allowed the characters to connect themselves with us. Their words and their emotions hit us, don’t leave us indifferent, succeeding where his first movie had failed for me. In sum, in connecting us to the story. But I also think his criticism regarding “Medea” has more to do with him being uncomfortable with doing adaptations. Indeed this movie is the sole script adaptation Lars ever did. And as Lars did original scripts afterwards, I think “Medea” made him realise that he was more comfortable with doing a project whose bases came from him rather than someone else’s; which can happen for some directors.
Anyway, I still think “Medea” is a wonderful gem that forewarned what Lars would do in his upcoming films. Stories with strong female characters, fable like universes, strong emotions, and Udo Kier’s presence in several of Lars’s movies. Especially as a bad guy.
Will we ever have a remastered HD release one day with special features? Let’s hope so because I think more people should see this movie.
Omnes's Oasis 