History Film / Antichrist

''Antichrist'' is a 2009 {{horror}} film written and directed by LarsVonTrier. Imagine what a film co-directed by the StanleyKubrick who made ''TheShining'', the DavidLynch who made ''{{Eraserhead}}'' and the AndreiTarkovsky who made ''{{Film/Stalker}}'' could look like, and you're getting close to the idea.

* ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight: [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] and heavily played with.

!!This film provides examples of:

* FauxSymbolism: Many critics try really hard to read into the Christian symbols disseminated throughout the movie. This was arguably intentional on Trier's part, a way of [[DeconstructedTrope peeling back the absurdity of finding meaning in a meaningless universe]].
-->"But there's no such constellation!"

* IntimatePsychotherapy: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] hard.

* DroneOfDread: the entire sountrack -- minus Händel's "Liascia ch'io pianga" in the prologue and conclusion.

* HumansAreBastards: Then again, so is nature, apparently.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: Many times by She, [[spoiler:then used as torture on her husband He.]]

* RoomFullOfCrazy: Double-subverted: The crazy was originally regular research material for a dissertation about misogyny, but...
** [[HeWhoFightsMonsters She Who Fights Monsters]]: Then she really began to believe that women are inherently evil.

* PrimalScene: Inverted. Nick didn't saw his parents having sex, but She saw him [[spoiler:jumping from the window]].

* AgonyOftheFeet: While alone with Nick, She used to switch his shoes. This caused small deformations in his feet. [[spoiler:Her husband He didn't know that.]]

* RoomFullOfCrazy: Double-subverted: The crazy was originally regular research material for a dissertation about misogny, but...

* GroinAttack: And ''how''. In both the male and female equivalent, [[spoiler:and both inflicted and self-inflicted.]]

* GroinAttack: And ''how''. [[spoiler:In both male and female equivalent, and both inflicted and self-inflicted.]]

* GroinAttack: And ''how''. [[spoiler:In both male and female equivalent.]]

* AgonyOftheFeet: While alone with Nick, She used to switch his shoes. This caused small deformations in his feet. [[spoiler:He didn't know that.]]

* AgonyoftheFeet: While alone with Nick, She used to switch his shoes. This caused small deformations in his feet. [[spoiler:He didn't know that.]]

* GainaxEnding

* RoomFullOfCrazy: Slightly [[SubvertedTrope subverted]], as the crazy was originally regular research material for a dissertation.
* [[HeWhoFightsMonsters She Who Fights Monsters]]: She was once trying to fight against misogyny but as her research went on She began to believe that women are inherently evil.

-->''Chaos...reigns.''

* OmegaCast

->''"I've defended his films in the past... but I thought I had my head down a lavatory, frankly."''
-> -- '''Baz Bamigboye''' of Britain's Daily Mail.

''Antichrist'' is a 2009 {{horror}} film written and directed by LarsVonTrier. To sum it up: it starts [[KillTheCutie pretty bad]], then [[ItGotWorse it gets worse]]. Imagine what a film co-directed by the StanleyKubrick who made ''TheShining'', the DavidLynch who made ''{{Eraserhead}}'' and the AndreiTarkovsky who made ''{{Film/Stalker}}'' could look like, and you're getting close to the idea. The film is also dedicated to Tarkovsky.

* NoNameGiven: The main protagonists are never named, not even in the end credits, where they are just designated as "He" and "She".

* BodyHorror:
* CameraTricks:

* TheFaceless: Apart from the two main protagonists, the few supporting cast members appearing have their faces deliberatedly blurred.

* [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic What Do You Mean, It's Not Symbolic?]]: Many critics try really hard to read into the Christian symbols disseminated throughout the movie. This was arguably intentional on Trier's part, a way of [[DeconstructedTrope peeling back the absurdity of finding meaning in a meaningless universe]].
-->"But there's no such constellation!"

* AxCrazy: If She doesn't fit this trope as well as [[TheShining Jack Torrance,]] then I don't know who can.
* BodyHorror: Oh God
* CameraTricks: Loads and loads.

* CreatorBreakdown: Trier was suffering from depression when making the film. If the film is any indication, it was a ''severe'' depression. Apparently, Trier was making the film to help cope with said depression. [[ItGotWorse It didn't work.]]

* GenreShift: Starts as a PsychologicalThriller, then progressively shifts to PsychologicalHorror, and ends up as gratuitous, over-the-top graphic violence.

* ItGotWorse: The story keeps getting worse and worse for one hour and half, but we cannot say we weren't told so, one of the early lines of dialogue is: "It will get worse".

''Antichrist'' is a 2009 {{horror}} film written and directed by Lars Von Trier. To sum it up: it starts [[KillTheCutie pretty bad]], then [[ItGotWorse it gets worse]]. Imagine what a film co-directed by the StanleyKubrick who made ''TheShining'', the DavidLynch who made ''{{Eraserhead}}'' and the AndreiTarkovsky who made ''{{Film/Stalker}}'' could look like, and you're getting close to the idea. The film is also dedicated to Tarkovsky.

* DidNotDoTheResearch: Toddlers do not look obliviously happy while falling. The filmmakers should probably get a pass on that one, since making the toddler look the opposite would have raised some concerns as to methods used.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible
* TrueArtIsOffensive: And how!

* AxCrazy: If Charlotte Gainsbourg ("She") doesn't fit this trope as well as [[TheShining Jack Torrance,]] then I don't know who can.

* ThereAreNoTherapists: Averted in that one of the main protagonists is a therapist. Things get out of hand anyway.

-->''"I've defended his films in the past... but I thought I had my head down a lavatory, frankly."''
---> -- '''Baz Bamigboye''' of Britain's Daily Mail.

---> -- '''Baz Bamigboye''' of Britain's Daily Mail, on the screening he saw at Cannes