Long before he adopted the pure cinema philosophy of Dogme 95 (hand-held camera only, natural light only, no special effects, etc.), Danish director Lars von Trier (Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark), was one stylin' pup. Case in point: his debut 1984 feature The Element of Crime, a bizarre sepia-toned study in existential madness revolving around an inspector's (Michael Elphick) reality-shifting attempts to get inside the mind of a serial killer preying on young girls. Although the whole shebang doesn't quite add up to the proverbial satisfying experience, this Blade Runner-influenced thriller set in a murky future will appeal to cutting edge cinema fans and completists. Criterion's widescreen digital transfer is characteristically pristine, and fans will be delighted that a 52-minute documentary, Transformer: A Portrait of Lars von Trier, is included as an extra. Optional. (R. Pitman)
The Element of Crime
Criterion, 104 min., in Danish w/English subtitles, not rated, $39.95 Vol. 16, Issue 2
The Element of Crime
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