MANDERLAY is the second film in Lars von Trier’s trilogy, “USA – Land of Opportunities”, and thus the follow-up to his 2003 film, DOGVILLE. At first, I wasn’t entirely certain why a sequel to DOGVILLE needed to exist. Ultimately, DOGVILLE criticized the small-minded nature of Middle America as well as the American reluctance to accept and embrace foreigners. It was harsh, harrowing, horrifying and I loved it. After watching, MANDERLAY, von Trier’s purpose for the film becomes clear. He’s just not finished saying all he’s got to say about the U.S.A.
The purpose does not take shape right off. The film opens with Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard replacing Nicole Kidman) being asked to save a black slave at a 1930’s southern plantation called Manderlay. As slavery had been abolished seventy years beforehand, Grace is outraged and decides that she must liberate the slaves. It seems an odd choice considering Grace has just come from the massacre of the people of Dogville, a massacre she was mostly responsible for. Suddenly she is a humanitarian. Or perhaps she feels kin to the slaves as the people of Dogville enslaved her. This liberation is now marred by her own vindictive needs. What follows is Grace’s mission to establish the newly freed slaves as functional members of the new society. But as she presides over their progress, she is oblivious to her god-like status and basically she is the scientist and they are her lab rats. Her indignation to their oppression and subsequent lack of enthusiasm over their newfound freedom is consistently tainted by her own inevitable prejudice.
As there are absolutely no special features to speak of on the MANDERLAY DVD, I will take this opportunity to address my disappointment to director, Lars von Trier. Lars, buddy, you are obviously trying to make some bold statements about the United States, addressing a not oft explored subject like slavery. And you are obviously trying to push yourself creatively by setting MANDERLAY up the same way you did for DOGVILLE – the bare soundstage with painted outlines substituting for houses or the stark shadows interrupted by bursts of colour. Your use of non-diegetic sound is an inspiration unto itself as rain hits rooftops that aren’t there and feet shuffle the dirt that isn’t beneath their feet. Why then have you left us with nothing to devour on DVD? MANDERLAY, like it predecessor, has such a rich visual texture that is rivaled only by the depth of its script. Don’t be so shy. Stand where I can see you and take the applause you deserve.
Of course if Lars von Trier were literally right in front of me, I would have to commend him for sharing his observations on slavery by having a well-intentioned white woman observe black people only to realize she’s not as pure as she thought. But I would also need to ask why he seems to imply that black people should start acknowledging that they kept themselves stuck where they were for longer than they needed. I thought this was supposed to be an attack on Americans after all.
