Controversial award-winning Danish director Lars von Trier is back with his first movie in six years and he’s not fucking around.
His psychological horror movie The House That Jack Built premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night and was so intensely gory that over 100 people walked out of the theater, Variety reports.
The movie follows Jack, played by Matt Dillion, who commits serial murders for a decade in the state of Washington in the 1970s and 1980s. Jack mutilates and strangles his victims in a film von Trier describes as a celebration of “the idea that life is evil and soulless.”
I’ve never seen anything like this at a film festival. More than 100 people have walked out of Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built,’ which depicts the mutilation of women and children. “It’s disgusting,” one woman said on her way out. #Cannes2018 pic.twitter.com/GsBGCoyHEG
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
This is how quickly the audience clearly out after Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built.’ #Cannes2018 pic.twitter.com/yxZJJww71w
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built’ was one of the most unpleasant movie-going experiences of my life. #Cannes2018
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/robbiereviews/status/996169139512324097
Walked out on LarsvonTrier . Vile movie. Should not have been made. Actors culpable
— Showbiz 411 (@showbiz411) May 14, 2018
This shouldn’t be surprising for those familiar with von Trier’s work, who admitted to being “full of anxieties and alcohol” on set. Back in 2011, he was declared persona non grata (unwelcome) by the Cannes Film Festival after sympathizing with Hitler. Like for real.
“What can I say? I understand Hitler,” he said. “I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely, but I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end. He’s not what you would call a good guy, but yeah, I understand much about him and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on! I’m not for the Second World War, and I’m not against Jews.” [via New York Times]
Yikes.
It should be noted that although a hundred people walked out of the theater during the movie, the ones who stayed gave a 10-minute standing ovation.
I’m intrigued.
[h/t IndieWire]