Björk’s foray into cinema with “Dancer in the Dark” remains a landmark moment, not just for her multifaceted career, but for the film world itself. Her raw and visceral performance as Selma Ježková, a Czech immigrant factory worker losing her eyesight while struggling to care for her son, resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike. The film, directed by Lars von Trier, became instantly recognizable for its emotional depth and unconventional approach to musical cinema. However, the creation of this cinematic piece was far from straightforward. In a revealing interview from 2000, Björk openly discussed the challenges, creative clashes, and profound impact of making “Dancer in the Dark film”, offering a unique glimpse behind the scenes of this controversial yet celebrated movie.
From Music to Movies: A Difficult Transition
For Björk, primarily known for her groundbreaking music, stepping into the world of acting was a significant departure. She candidly admits that portraying Selma was “the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my whole life.” This starkly contrasts with her musical endeavors, where she relies on instinct and self-assessment. “When I make music, I’ve got a certain instinct, which tells me if it’s good or bad,” she explains, highlighting her internal compass in her primary artistic field. This intrinsic understanding was absent during filming, leaving her in a state of uncertainty about her performance. The subsequent recognition, including the prestigious award at Cannes, came as a “great relief,” validating her challenging venture into acting.
Alt text: Björk delivers a powerfully emotive performance in a scene from Dancer in the Dark, highlighting the film’s intense emotional core.
Björk draws a distinct line between music and film industries, emphasizing the contrasting nature of these creative spaces. She points out the collaborative and dialogue-driven nature of filmmaking, a stark contrast to the often solitary and introspective world of music creation. Musicians, she notes, can be deeply introverted, spending months in isolation during album production. This isolation is punctuated by periods of intense public performance, which she still finds nerve-wracking despite her seasoned stage presence. This duality – solitude in creation and exposure in performance – defines the musician’s path, quite different from the collaborative and externally directed process of filmmaking.
Creative Conflicts with Lars von Trier
The rumors of friction between Björk and director Lars von Trier during the making of “Dancer in the Dark” are well-documented, and Björk addresses these directly in the interview. The core of their conflict stemmed from differing visions of the character Selma. Björk envisioned Selma as an “artistic character,” one whose imaginative inner world served as a refuge and source of strength amidst hardship. “I wanted her to be more of an artistic character,” she states, emphasizing Selma’s rich fantasy life as a coping mechanism.
Alt text: Director Lars von Trier guides Björk in a scene during the filming of Dancer in the Dark, illustrating the directorial collaboration on set.
However, Lars von Trier, as Björk describes, had a penchant for portraying suffering, particularly in his female characters. “Lars, who is a complete fanatic, wants his role figures to suffer, especially the female ones and I couldn’t really accept that,” she reveals. This fundamental disagreement led to clashes on set, as von Trier pushed for increasingly bleak and tragic turns for Selma, culminating in her execution. Björk felt this trajectory was “a bit too simple, a bit too easy,” arguing against a purely victimized portrayal of Selma.
Despite these creative clashes, Björk acknowledges that the final film is a “compromise” – a synthesis of their contrasting perspectives. She sees “Dancer in the Dark film” as a blend of “reality and fantasy,” mirroring the nature of a musical itself, where heightened emotions and fantastical elements coexist with grounded narratives. This tension between differing artistic visions ultimately contributed to the film’s unique and emotionally charged atmosphere.
Selma’s Fantasy and Musical Reality
Björk elaborates on Selma’s character, highlighting the interplay between her harsh reality and vibrant imagination. Selma’s escapism into a fantasy world, fueled by her love for musicals, is presented as a direct response to her “hard life.” Björk emphasizes the emotional impact of Selma’s despair, stating, “Her despair gives you an emotional kick, she makes you high!” This intense emotionality, however, was something von Trier seemingly resisted, pushing for a more relentlessly tragic portrayal.
Alt text: A poignant close-up of Björk as Selma in Dancer in the Dark, capturing the character’s vulnerability and emotional depth.
Björk connects Selma’s imaginative world to her own artistic philosophy, emphasizing the importance of both realism and fiction in art and life. She believes a “mixture between 50 percent realism and 50 percent fiction is the best combination,” arguing that imagination, like dreams, provides energy and resilience to face reality. This philosophy resonates with the musical nature of “Dancer in the Dark film,” where the grim realities of Selma’s life are intertwined with elaborate musical sequences that represent her inner world.
The soundtrack album, “Selmasongs,” reflects this blend, featuring “great bombastic arrangements and orchestrations.” Björk acknowledges the influence of her classical music training on this work, appreciating the formal education she initially resisted. She sees a parallel between her youthful rebellion against classical music and Selma’s resourceful musicality, where everyday factory sounds are transformed into passionate musical expressions. This connection highlights the film’s thematic exploration of finding beauty and art in unexpected and mundane environments.
Musical Inspirations and Collaborations
Björk mentions Einstürzende Neubauten as an inspiration, particularly for the industrial sounds incorporated into “Cvalda,” a song from the soundtrack. She recounts a personal anecdote about her pregnancy and a Neubauten concert, linking the band’s intense sound to visceral physical reactions. This anecdote underscores Björk’s openness to unconventional musical influences and her willingness to push boundaries in her work.
Alt text: Björk and Thom Yorke in performance, highlighting their collaborative song “I’ve Seen It All” from the Dancer in the Dark soundtrack.
The interview also touches upon Björk’s collaboration with Thom Yorke of Radiohead on “I’ve seen it all,” another key track from “Selmasongs.” She describes Yorke as an “intense personality” but in a contrasting way to von Trier, highlighting his shyness, uncertainty, and deep loyalty to Radiohead. She admires his down-to-earth nature and the positive atmosphere he brought to their collaboration. This partnership, born from songs Björk had been developing for years, brought a “new light of day” to her musical ideas, enriching the soundtrack and further solidifying the film’s musical identity.
Björk’s Creative Autonomy and Collaborative Spirit
The interview concludes with a discussion of Björk’s creative process and her then-upcoming album “Domestika.” She describes “Domestika” as a “mental island,” a portable creative space enabled by her laptop, emphasizing her growing autonomy in music production. This self-reliance, however, is paradoxically linked to her ability to collaborate effectively. Björk believes that “you are always best at communicating with other people when you don’t really need them.” This statement suggests that creative independence fosters healthier and more genuine collaborations, a principle perhaps tested and affirmed during the challenging yet ultimately fruitful experience of making “Dancer in the Dark film.”
“Dancer in the Dark film” remains a powerful testament to Björk’s artistic courage and willingness to explore new creative territories. Despite the difficulties and disagreements encountered during its production, the film stands as a unique and impactful work, blurring the lines between musical and cinematic storytelling. Björk’s insights into this demanding process offer valuable perspectives on the nature of collaboration, artistic vision, and the enduring power of emotional expression in film.
