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| MELANCHOLIA |
Melancholia is a 2011 drama film written and directed by Lars von Trier, starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kiefer Sutherland.
The narrative revolves around two sisters during and shortly after the
wedding party of one of them, while Earth is about to collide with an
approaching rogue planet. The film prominently features music from the prelude to Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde (1857–59).
Trier's initial inspiration for the film came from a depressive episode he suffered and the insight that depressed people remain calm in stressful situations. The film is a Danish production by Zentropa, with international co-producers in Sweden, France, Germany and Italy. Filming took place in Sweden.
The film premiered in May 2011 at the 64th Cannes Film Festival. Dunst received the festival's Best Actress Award for her performance.
Plot
The film begins with an introductory sequence shot in extreme slow motion, involving the main characters and images from space and introducing many of the film's visual leitmotifs. A shot from outer space shows a giant planet approaching Earth; the two
planets collide. The film continues in two parts, each named for one of
two sisters.
In part one, "Justine", a young couple, Justine and Michael, arrive
at their wedding reception at a resort owned by Justine's sister,
Claire, and her husband, John. The lavish reception lasts from dusk to
dawn with eating, drinking, dancing, and the gathering of guests on the
estate's lawn to release sky lanterns
adorned with handwritten well-wishes for the bride and groom. On
several occasions, Justine looks at a particular red star, which seems
to shine brighter than normal; John, an amateur astronomer, identifies it as Antares.
Over the course of the evening, Justine is frustrated by various
personal and professional difficulties. Her bitter mother insults her in
a toast, for which John attempts to throw her off of his property.
Justine's boss repeatedly harasses her to write ad copy
before the end of the reception. Claire becomes frustrated with Justine
and chastises her for not reacting to the reception with the joy she
had anticipated. Justine drifts away from the party several times –
including to take a nap with her young nephew, Leo – and becomes
increasingly distant from her family and new husband. Michael attempts
to console Justine with a wedding present – his purchase of an apple orchard
for them to enjoy as they grow older – but Justine seems unmoved. When
she and Michael retreat to their room for the evening, she brushes off
his advances and goes walking on the grounds, where she has sex with a
coworker in a sand trap. At the end of the party, Michael leaves her. At
dawn the next day, Claire takes Justine horseback riding; Justine
notices that the red star has disappeared.
In part two, "Claire", Justine has become severely depressed. She
comes to stay with Claire and John, who live in the mansion where the
reception took place. Justine is unable to carry out normal everyday
activities like taking a bath or even eating, but gets better over time.
John explains that the reason for Antares' disappearance was the rogue planet Melancholia, which has eclipsed the star. Melancholia, a massive blue telluric planet (or super-earth) that had formerly been hidden behind the sun, becomes visible in the sky, approaching Earth.
John is excited about the planet, and looks forward to the "fly-by"
expected by scientists, who have assured the public that Earth and
Melancholia will pass each other without colliding.
Claire is very fearful that the end of the world is imminent, despite
her husband's assertions that their family is safe. She searches the
internet and finds a site describing the movements of the planet
Melancholia around Earth as a "dance of death" in which the apparent
passage of Melancholia initiates a slingshot orbit
that will bring the planets into collision soon thereafter. Justine
tells Claire that life on Earth is evil, and that Melancholia will hit.
Justine further informs her sister that her intuition tells her that
Earth is the only planet in the universe with life, and that the
destruction of Earth will mean the end of all life. On the night of the
fly-by, it seems that Melancholia will not hit Earth. John, Justine, and
Claire watch Melancholia rise on the night of the flyby and view it
through a telescope. After the fly-by, background birdsong abruptly
ceases. The next day, Claire realizes that Melancholia is circling back
and will collide with Earth after all. John, who has come to the same
realization, commits suicide. Claire finds his body and then tries to
conceal his death from Leo and Justine.
Faced with the impending collision, Claire becomes distraught and
suggests a "farewell party" on the terrace with wine and music. In
response, Justine, unfazed by the impending doom, demeans Claire's idea
before going to comfort Leo. She makes him a protective "magic cave", a
teepee of wooden sticks, on the lawn of the estate. Justine, Claire and
Leo enter the shelter as the planet approaches. Claire continues to
remain agitated and fearful, while Justine and Leo remain calm and hold
hands. Melancholia collides with Earth.
Cast
- Kirsten Dunst as Justine
- Charlotte Gainsbourg as Claire
- Kiefer Sutherland as John, Claire's husband
- Alexander Skarsgård as Michael
- Cameron Spurr as Leo
- Charlotte Rampling as Gaby, Justine and Claire's mother
- John Hurt as Dexter, Justine and Claire's father
- Jesper Christensen as Little Father, The Butler
- Stellan Skarsgård as Jack, Justine's boss
- Brady Corbet as Tim
- Udo Kier as The Wedding Planner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melancholia_%282011_film%29
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