Director
Lars Von Trier
Leading Actors/Actresses
Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgard, Kiefer Sutherland
Supporting Actors/Actresses
John Hurt, Charlotte Rampling
Genre
Science Fiction, Arthouse
Language
English
Awards
Best Actress Award, Cannes Film Festival : Kirsten Dunst
Date of Release
May 18th, 2011
Producer
Meta Louise Foldager, Louise Vesth
Setting and Context
At a sprawling country estate on the occasion of a wedding, as the apocalypse is coming.
Narrator and Point of View
There is no specific narrator and both Justine's and Claire's points of view tell the story.
Tone and Mood
The tone is melancholic, depressing and fearful; there is a mood of impending doom.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Justine is the protagonist; life in general is the antagonist because she suffers from melancholy and sees only darkness and evil.
Major Conflict
There is conflict between Claire and John with regard to the severity of the impact that Melancholia will have on Earth.
Climax
Melancholia collides with Earth and the planet explodes into an enormous ball of fire, causing the world to end.
Foreshadowing
Justine having sex with Tim at her wedding reception foreshadows the end of her marriage to Michael.
Understatement
John calls those who believe the planets will collide "prophets of doom" but this is an understatement because they are correct in their predictions that the world will come to an end.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
No specific examples.
Allusions
There are many allusions to the scientists who study the planets and the way in which they present this information to the public.
Paradox
John claims to believe the scientists who say that Melancholia will pass by Earth and there will be no impact yet he is so frightened about the impending collision that he commits suicide.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the horse that refuses to go over the bridge and the golf cart shorting out before the bridge.
