Rating: 
Summary: A downer, without a doubt...but worth seeing!
Review: I found this movie entertaining, depressing, and intriguing. Bjork has never been one of my favorite entertainers, but I definitely give her acting & musical kudos for Dancer In The Dark. As a poor immigrant with a hereditary disease that leads to blindness, she's faced with many conflicts...yet, she can still escape into the magical world of musical make believe. These scenes, which blend the aura of classic musical cinema with her obscure singing style, are almost surreal to the viewer. I was blown away. There are glimpses of hope and happiness in the multi-faceted story, but it does not end on a happy note...and may leave many viewers with an bad taste in their mouth. I've read a few reviews that stated that it had a strong anti-American sentiment, but I disagree with them. This story goes beyond politics - its a deep and somewhat personal story of people's faults and fears, and how they deal with them.
Rating: 
Summary: If you want a headache...
Review: I sure don't understand the other reviewers, but, having bought this DVD based upon their reviews, I feel duped. The camera person could not keep a steady hand, and the picture shakes all over; on top of that, the camera makes quick swings back and forth as people are talking that is EXTREMELY distracting. It did make us aware of some of the good camera- shooting that we take for granted, so it was of some educational value. The camera also routinely cut off the tops of people's heads. As for the story...after one hour, we still could not tell you what the storyline was - not a clue! This is SLOW, boring, poorly filmed, with a very trite plot and trite characters who are totally non-convincing. Selma is Miss Perfect with the exception of the opening scene where she swats her son rather violently (and the viewer is not sure why, nor who these people are). The characters sound like they are reading their scripts...and as if they don't understand it, either. Save your money and time.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful
Review: A journey through human feelings, where we are given to experience from tremendous happiness to sadness and anger. Thank you and congratulations to Lars, Björk, and everyone who made this masterpiece possible.
Rating: 
Summary: The Choreographer's feature is fantastic
Review: I saw this movie in the theatre and was riveted. It is somewhat manipulative but I didn't find it distractingly so, and I purchased the DVD on the day it was released. There a lot of reviews here that discuss the movie, so I'll discuss the DVD.I had read a rumor on the internet that Bjork was not featured in the behind-the-scenes footage because of fights with the director. While I don't know the reason, it is true that Bjork is woefully underfeatured in the bonus material. The lack of bonus material with the main star of the film unfortunately is not unique to this DVD, the focus mainly being on the director with occasional producers or writers thrown in. Nonetheless, the lack of a "star feature" particularly disappointed me on this DVD because I'm a fan of Bjork and thought she turned in a powerhouse performance and would like to have heard more about it. It's pretty unique to have the composer of a film's main songs to also star in the movie...if nothing else, doesn't that merit some kind of feature even if just her acting or regular Bjorkness did not? They didn't include anything like that, and that is why I've rated the movie 4 stars instead of 5. With that said, one of the bonus features on this disc immediately ranks as one of the most interesting and enjoyable bonus features I've seen on a DVD. It makes me cheer for the DVD format and its ability to include bonus material in general and to cheer the New Line Platium Series DVDs in particular. The choreographer edited footage of original in-studio rehearsals with alternate takes and final cuts of the dance numbers. This was very well done and extremely enjoyable and informative to watch, even if you aren't a fan of the movie. I know next to nothing about this process and it was great to see the process in action. If you didn't like the film I can't say that this feature alone is compelling enough to make the purchase, but I really did find it to be spectacular. In somewhat of a contrast, the feature on the 100 camera footage was was quite cheesy, but still enjoyable. It is definitely not at the level of the choreography feature, but I was glad to see it. I was also happy to see the menu that lets you jump right to Selma's pieces. My young son was interested in what I was doing and with that handy menu I pulled up the factory and courtroom musical numbers and he loved them.
Rating: 
Summary: I want my money back!
Review: If it wasn't for the fact that the Beatiful and exceptionally talented Bjork was in this movie I probably would have turned it off after the first 20 minutes. As it was, I could only stand to watch about 45minutes before i had to leave the room. What I want to know is why Bjork? She is so cute and makes her own paper clothing, and makes really dope music. This movie is tortuous and dark (as the title alludes to) and painfully drawn out. I think that if I ever find the guy that wrote and directed it I would have to kick him in the shins and ask for my rental fee back. I love Bjork, but could not recommend this movie to anyone that I wanted to keep as a friend. Don't see this movie. Don't pander to this type of childish, trying to be too cool drudgery. It's not just that the story was painfull and sad, but I felt that it was formulaicly designed to be irritating and I have no time in my life for that.
Rating:
Summary: The best movie ever
Review: This movie is a brilliant movie, bjork is great, she makes you trust her, as if she is not acting, i suggest this movie to bjork fans..
Rating:
Summary: yes
Review: "basically, i'm afraid of everything in life except film making..." -Lars von Trier Ok, so i'm a huge björk fan, and i've always liked von Trier's cinematic innovations even if i don't understand his need to torture women....so of course i think this dvd is the best one i've gotten this year. Being a non-actress, Björk's performance comes from real emotion, she is able to tap into the deepest sadness (and beauty) rooted within everyone... sort of like the gag reflex that happens when you're brushing your teeth and you try to brush too far back on your tongue, this movie is full of instinct triggers... Everyone i've talked to who hated this movie hated it deeply, it pushed their comfortable boundries...a typical Von Trier technique, and, as he says; "...if i was the audience that had this experience, that i was taken further than i like to or that i would have thought that i could be taken...i think this is an interesting experience...or something you can use for something..." Although on the whole, this is a depressing movie, it is full of everything i also love, saturation, movement, beauty, sadness and a presence that sticks with you long after viewing..."something you can use for something...". As with most dvds nowadays, Dancer includes a director commentary and even a seperate full commentary just by the choreographer (Vincent Patterson, who has also lended his talents to Michael Jackson and Madonna...). These are like going to film school...you find out that von Trier did most of the hand held camera work himself, standing inches away from Björk and the rest , poking, prodding, interrupting and getting genuine breakdowns and tears. There are also 2 seperate documentaries on the making of Dancer and von Trier's use of 100 mini DV cameras...a must-see if you are at all interested in this medium...and, love her or hate her, Björk yet again has created music that pushes as many boundries as von Trier could ever hope to.
Rating: 
Summary: Not one of my favorite things, but ...
Review: I have to admit that after a first puzzled reaction I was intrigued if not particularly excited by the unusual -- well, actually, bizarre -- film experience that is "Dancer in the Dark". I was not famaliar with the director Lars von Trier nor with his star Björk. As for von Trier, evidently he has delivered to the motion picture establishment , with his Dogma 95, a manifesto of the New Cinema, a rejection of the slick conventions offered at the Cineplex. With a hand-held camera and cinéma vérité handling of locations and actors, he's doing basically what the Nouvelle Vague was doing forty years ago. There are limitations. The camera work becomes too self-consciously unsteady,and von Trier does not have a light touch with actors. Björk, for instance. Björk, it turns out, is a plain, somewhat mannered woman who has a fanatical following due to her soulful new-age singing, complete with deliberate cracks and wobbles. In this film, her second, she is playing Selma, a Czechoslovakian immigrant who is going blind and who, after being betrayed and vicitimized, is put on trial for murder. The story is set in Washington State in the early 1960's, though it doesn't seem particularly American. (Another reviewer has wondered how, in the boondocks, a revival movie house can stay open on three customers per night.) Selma is suppose to be rehearsing an amateur production of "The Sound of Music", in which she has the role of Maria. These rehearsals, clueless and almost competely devoid of children, seem arbitrary and interminable. Musicals are Selma's passion, and whenever life becomes too tense, she reverts to a dream world where her surroundings are transformed into simplistic song-and-dance routines that look like MTV. (Björk is credited with writing the songs.) Selma says she loves musicals because nothing dreadful ever happens in them, which tells me she doesn't know her Rodgers and Hammerstein: young men get killed in "Carousel", "South Pacific", and "The King and I". At any rate, Björk has a peculiar talent suitable for supporting this type of entertainment, and she gets help from David Morse as a neurotic cop and Peter Storemare (usually a villain) as Selma's sweet-natured dopey suitor. Catherine Deneuve (who seems to have a thing for off-beat screenplays) plays a protective friend of Selma's; and Joel Grey is agile and dapper in a small but important role -- nearly 50 years after he made his film debut in "About Face", an awful Warners musical. "Dancer in the Dark" is long, nearly two and a half hours, which is quite a stretch for misty-eyed surrealism, but I was drawn enough by von Trier's style to try one of his other films in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Very effective, but for what purpose?
Review: I thought this film was very well done. The hand-held camera worked for the material, making it appear like a home movie. Bjork did an excellent job playing Selma, and the supporting cast was also very good. The song and dance numbers ranged from mildly interesting to emotionally wrenching. I don't think I've seen "Favorite Things" done any better. The film definitely had its intended effect of leaving you emotionally drained at the end, but after reflecting on it, it seemed just an exercise in filmmaking technique than something that will stick with me. There just isn't much to think about here. Still, it was a powerful experience and worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Intense and involving
Review: "Dancer in the Dark" is more than just a film; it is a filmed work of performance art. I know that sounds pretentious, but I truly believe that this is the only proper characterization. Great movies give a sense of otherworldliness and escape; "Dancer in the Dark" involved me on such a personal level that I actually started having dreams that I know these people. Watching the Sean Penn character walk to the death chamber in "Dead Man Walking" was upsetting because I sympathized with his character. Watching Selma walk to the gallows in "Dancer in the Dark" was upsetting because I felt like I knew her and was experiencing her fear. By all reports--including her own--Bjork's performance was more the result of embodiment than acting. Watching this movie, I got the sense that she really felt Selma's exhilaration, fear, loyalty, and resignation. It is one of the truly great performances of all time. The supporting players are excellent, too. I really enjoyed Siobhan Fallon's subtle and affecting portrayal of a prison guard.
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