Forever a provocateur, acclaimed filmmaker Lars von Trier is known for his audacious and eccentric films that dabble in unthinkable violence and erotica. Proudly flaunting his badge of being controversial, this Danish filmmaker’s prolific filmography has always been disturbing with a bleak view of the world, defined by films like Antichrist, Dogville, Melancholia and more. There is one such erotic film of his on Netflix that is soaring the charts.
Released in two parts, Nymphomaniac is von Trier’s 2013 film project that stars the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Shia LaBeouf, Stellan Skarsgard, Willem Dafoe, Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell, Connie Nielsen and Jean-Marc Barr in prominent roles.
Pertaining to the titular condition that refers to an addiction to sexual intercourse due to extremely high libido, the explicit odyssey is one of von Trier’s most defining works that has pushed the conservative threshold of mainstream cinema.
Split into eight chapters across the two volumes, the original version runs for a whopping 325 minutes. However, the first volume aka Nymphomaniac: Vol I has attracted Netflix viewer attraction, making it climb up the top ten charts in more than seven countries where it is available for streaming, namely Netflix UK & Ireland, Germany, Canada, Brazil and more.
The film revolves around a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac Joe who is rescued by a priest after being severely assaulted. As he nurses her back to health, she recounts the stories of promiscuity across a series of escapades from her adolescence to adulthood.
As the priest has certain anecdotes to share, the filmmaker deftly uses various images to which the priest draws comparisons.
While the film garnered controversy from the very beginning, starting with character posters that show the various facial expressions of the actors and actresses reaching climax, the film is itself audacious, indulgent and mysteriously funny. Among the incredible performances from the ensemble, Gainsbourg’s bravura portrayal of a vulnerable yet fearless Joe stands out.
As the finest example of von Trier’s avant-garde filmmaking, the film received an NC-17 rating that the filmmaker disregarded and decided to go unrated instead, grossing a total of $13 million at the box office for the first film.
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