History Creator / LarsVonTrier

Von Trier is also known for his weird ability to make [[EnforcedMethodActing actors perform way beyond]] [[DyeingForYourArt their personal boundaries]], and being one of the cofounders of the UsefulNotes/{{Dogme 95}} manifesto. He also has a tendency to group his films into trilogies involving similar themes.

* UsefulNotes/{{Dogme 95}}: Co-founder and author of the [[http://pov.imv.au.dk/Issue_10/section_1/artc1A.html Dogme 95 Manifesto and "Vow of Chastity"]] along with fellow Danish filmmaker Creator/ThomasVinterberg. Vinterberg directed the first Dogme film -- Dogme #1 -- ''Film/TheCelebration'', while von Trier directed Dogme #2, ''Film/TheIdiots''.

* {{Minimalism}}: Beginning with ''Breaking the Waves'', von Trier began a process of paring his films down to their essentials. ''The Idiots'' and aforementioned ''Breaking the Waves'' began by eschewing SpecialEffects and slick photography and focusing on character and story instead. ''Dancer in the Dark'' continued the trend, while streamlining characterization and plotting to a level of simplicity reminiscent of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood Silent Era]]. ''Dogville'' and ''Manderlay'' eliminated sets and most props, filming everything on a large soundstage with buildings marked by lines of chalk. And finally ''Antichrist'' brought it all down to only two actors engaged in a series of Mind Games, though it did make use of some CGI. ''Melancholia'' and ''Nymphomaniac'' bring things back to a level of sophistication not seen since ''Breaking the Waves'', though the characters are still as broadly drawn as they've been since ''Dancer in the Dark''. [[{{Jerkass}} And almost]] [[DysfunctionJunction uniformly unpleasant.]]

A notorious proponent of {{melodrama}}, his works are often considered to be heavily on the cynical side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, to the point of nihilism. They're also deemed to center around emotional pain and depression, and just as often portray [[HobbesWasRight humankind as inherently evil creatures]] that are more than happy to exploit, torment and ultimately destroy the few kind and selfless individuals in the world. [[NeverLiveItDown Do bear in mind that this is the popular stereotype of his work]], and that his films have taken a variety of approaches, though a focus on [[TrueArtIsAngsty angst]] is frequently present. (The aforementioned generalization mostly applies to his "Depression Trilogy", a ThematicSeries made while he was [[CreatorBreakdown struggling with the aforementioned disorder]].)

* DeusAngstMachina: [[CreatorThumbprint All]] [[SignatureStyle the]] [[TrueArtIsAngsty time.]]

* LeFilmArtistique: Lars nearly always has a strong Narrative, and he tends to go lighter on the [[{{Surrealism}} more]] [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible esoteric]] stereotypes of this trope, but he gets enough mileage out of the CameraTricks, [[TrueArtIsAngsty maudlin subject matter]] and [[RefugeInAudacity controversy]] associated with the trope for three directors.

* CreatorBreakdown: A rather nasty bout of Depression was the main impetus for his aptly named "Depression Trilogy": ''Film/{{Antichrist}}'', ''Film/{{Melancholia}}'' and ''Film/{{Nymphomaniac}}''. ''Melancholia'' is about a woman with crippling depression, [[WriteWhatYouKnow mirroring the director's]]. It's still ongoing and he thinks that ''The House That Jack Built'' might be his last if it continues to get worse.

** Bizarrely, von Trier is the product of a RealLife example, as well. He was born to a pair of Communist Nudist parents -- [[SincerityMode you read that right]] -- and was raised in an environment where "Everything was permitted, except for Religion, Feelings, or Enjoyment," to use the man's words. The lack of rules his parents set for him caused him to go strongly in the opposite direction, sowing the seeds for the ControlFreak he grew up to be. In addition, his Father used to routinely condemn "Golden Hearts" like Jesus Christ, eventually causing him to embrace Christianity in an act of rebellion (this also inspired the title of his second Trilogy, all of which involve self-sacrificting heroines). It's been said that Lars is one of the few filmmakers with a backstory as singular as his films.

Lars is also known for his weird ability to make [[EnforcedMethodActing actors perform way beyond]] [[DyeingForYourArt their personal boundaries]], and being one of the cofounders of the UsefulNotes/{{Dogme 95}} manifesto. He also has a tendency to group his films into trilogies involving similar themes.

von Trier publicly revealed in August 2022 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Trier publicly revealed in August 2022 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

* {{Flanderization}}: Over the course of his career, his plots have become [[{{Minimalism}} simpler]], the content of the stories [[DarkerAndEdgier harsher]], and his characters [[HumansAreBastards meaner]] [[UpToEleven and meaner]].

* OddballInTheSeries: ''The Boss of It All'' is a ''straightforward Workplace Comedy'' starring frequent collaborator Jens Albinus. Supposedly made at the outset of his depression as an attempt to regain his enthusiasm for filmmaking.

A notorious proponent of {{melodrama}}, his works are often considered to be heavily on the cynical side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, to the point of nihilism. They're also deemed to center around emotional pain and depression, and just as often portray [[HobbesWasRight humankind as inherently evil creatures]] that are more than happy to exploit, torment and ultimately destroy the few kind and selfless individuals in the world. [[NeverLiveItDown Do bear in mind that this is the popular stereotype of his work]], and that his films have taken a variety of approaches, though a focus on [[TrueArtIsAngsty angst]] is frequently present. (The aforementioned generalization mostly applies to his "Depression Trilogy", a ThematicSeries made while he was [[CreatorBreakdown struggling with the aforementioned disorder.]])

* TransAtlanticEquivalent: Odd as the comparison may sound, Lars is this to Creator/JossWhedon. Both are visually distinctive Writer-Directors with an ear for dialogue and an ability with actors. Both have worked in the mediums of both Television and Film. And, most importantly, both are ''great big'' believers in [[TrueArtIsAngsty Angst for Angst's Sake]], in addition to being {{Trolling Creator}}s that like to rub their fans' noses in all the misery.
** It goes farther than that; both are quite fond of putting a [[AlwaysFemale Female Protagonist]] through [[BreakTheCutie unbelievable hardships]] that [[DeusAngstMachina never seem to end]]. They differ in that Whedon's are always WaifFu and von Trier's are always TheIngenue, but the principle is the same.
** He also shares with Creator/TheCoenBrothers the tendency to pit [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Incorruptibly Pure]] protagonists against Baby-Eating Evil antagonists. That and their [[MisanthropeSupreme complete misanthropy]].
** Creator/ToddSolondz shares his affinity for black comedy and nightmarish, misanthropic situations.

* BreakTheCutie: Lars' SignatureStyle. Take a cute actress, Creator/EmilyWatson, Creator/KirstenDunst or even Music/{{Bjork}}, and put her through the most hideous psychosexual torture imaginable. There's a reason Bjork never made another movie.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: His last name is pronounced "vawn TREE-err", not "vawn TRY-err".

Lars von Trier (born Lars Trier, April 30, 1956) is a Danish avant-garde writer-director (in)famous for his experimental storytelling and mercilessly bleak subject matter.

A notorious proponent of {{melodrama}}, his works are often considered to be heavily on the cynical side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism to the point of nihilism. They're also deemed to have emotional pain and depression as their central themes, and just as often portray [[HobbesWasRight humankind as inherently evil creatures]] that are more than happy to exploit, torment and ultimately destroy the few kind and selfless individuals in the world. [[NeverLiveItDown Do bear in mind that this is the popular stereotype of his work]], and in fact his films have taken a variety of approaches, though a focus on [[TrueArtIsAngsty angst]] is frequently present. (The aforementioned generalization mostly applies to his "Depression" Trilogy; made while he was [[CreatorBreakdown struggling with the aforementioned disorder.]])

The "[[TheVonTropeFamily von]]" in his name does not come from German nobility, but is in fact an in-jokish nickname von Trier had amongst his fellow students in film school. He ultimately decided to keep the nickname to pay homage to Creator/ErichVonStroheim and Creator/JosefVonSternberg, who also added their "von" later in life.

* CaliforniaDoubling: His films are almost never shot where they're set, with the notable exception of ''Film/BreakingTheWaves''. Many of his films are set in the United States, but are shot in Scandinavia. Von Trier has a severe fear of flying that keeps him from traveling to-and-from the U.S.

* ControlFreak: Every actor he has ever worked with has characterized von Trier as this. Some (Creator/StellanSkarsgard, Creator/WillemDafoe, Creator/CharlotteGainsbourg) [[TeethClenchedTeamwork seem to tolerate this enough to work with him again]], while others (Music/{{Bjork}}, Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/JamesCaan) [[WeUsedToBeFriends do not]]. Then there are some (Jean-Marc Barr, Creator/JohnHurt, Udo Kier) who admire him enough to become part of his ProductionPosse, despite this trope.

* ProductionPosse: His go-to acting ensemble includes Creator/UdoKier, Jean-Marc Barr, Creator/StellanSkarsgard, Jens Albinus, Creator/CharlotteGainsbourg, Creator/WillemDafoe, Creator/JeremyDavies, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Creator/JohnHurt, and Creator/ZeljkoIvanek. He works frequently with [=DPs=] Robby Muller (until his death), Anthony Dod Mantle, and Manuel Alberto Claro.

A notorious proponent of {{melodrama}}, his works are often considered to be heavily on the cynical side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism to the point of nihilism. They're also deemed to have emotional pain and depression as their central themes, and just as often portray [[HobbesWasRight humankind as inherently evil creatures]] that are more than happy to exploit, torment and ultimately destroy the few kind and selfless individuals in the world. [[NeverLiveItDown Do bear in mind that this is the popular stereotype of his work]], and in fact his films have taken a variety of approaches, though a focus on [[TrueArtIsAngsty angst]] is frequently present. (The aforementioned above "Synopsis" mostly applies to his "Depression" Trilogy; made while he was [[CreatorBreakdown Struggling with the aforementioned disorder.]])