Europa (1991) ( Zentropa )

Europa (1991) (DVD) (*)

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(Expected in Stock in 3-6 weeks)

Original Title: Zentropa
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Cannes Film Festival
Catalonian International Film Festival
Fantasporto Awards
Stockholm Film Festival

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
German ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
108 min

Aspect Ratio:
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Anamorphic Widescreen
Filmographies
Interactive Menu
Production Notes
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 1991 and produced in:
Denmark ( Scandinavia, Iceland )
France ( France, Benelux )
Germany ( Germany, Central Europe )
Sweden ( Scandinavia, Iceland )

Directed By:
Lars von Trier

Written By:
Lars von Trier
Niels Vørsel

Actors:
Jean-Marc Barr ..... Leopold Kessler
Barbara Sukowa ..... Katharina Hartmann
Udo Kier ..... Lawrence Hartmann
Ernst-Hugo Järegård ..... Uncle Kessler
Erik Mørk ..... Pater
Jørgen Reenberg ..... Max Hartmann
Henning Jensen ..... Siggy
Eddie Constantine ..... Colonel Harris
Max von Sydow ..... Narrator (voice)
Benny Poulsen ..... Steleman
Erno Müller ..... Seifert
Dietrich Kuhlbrodt ..... Inspector
Michael Phillip Simpson ..... Robins
Holger Perfort ..... Mr. Ravenstein
Anne Werner Thomsen ..... Mrs. Ravenstein

Synopsis:

Lars Von Trier's Europa is an alluring film that follows Leopald Kessler (Jean-Marc Barr), an American pacifist of German descent as he travels to Germany to help the country rebuild and becomes involved in a surreal nightmare. His uncle gets him employment working on the giant railway complex Zentropa where he falls in love with the daughter of the railway owner, Katherina (Barbara Sukowa) who lures him into becoming a pawn in a pro-Nazi terrorist scheme. Despite his wishes he finds he cannot remain neutral and is forced into making some difficult choices. Von Trier's stylish thriller features hypnotic narration by the legendary Max von Sydow, and employs a series of ingenious technical tricks, using rear projection, as well as cutting between colour and black-and-white, in order to give the film a dazzling visual presentation that rewards multiple viewings.

Europa (retitled Zentropa for the American release) is an hallucinatory Danish film set in postwar Germany. Jean-Marc Barr plays a young German who aspires for a job as a street conductor. But this is no mere "Joe Job;" Barr's adventures on the line are designed as a metaphor for the emergence of the "New Europe" following the war. Barbara Sukowa costars as the daughter of a railroad magnate - and possible Nazi sympathizer. Many of the special-effects sequences are computer enhanced, but even the "live" scenes have an unsettling, surreal quality to them (colors changing abruptly, backgrounds shifting without warning, etc.) This experimental film left some viewers confused, which may be why English-language prints of Zentropa are narrated by Max Von Sydow.

Lars von Trier's bizarre yarn concerns Leopold Kessler (Jean-Marc Barr), a German American who becomes involved in a surreal nightmare in postwar Germany. Leopold travels to Germany in order to help restore the ravaged countryside. His uncle (Ernst-Hugo Jaregard) gets him a job as a sleeping-car conductor with a giant railway complex called Zentropa. On his first day, Leopold is seduced by Katharina Hartmann (Barbara Sukowa), who just so happens to be the daughter of Zentropa's owner. Leopold blindly falls for Katharina, unaware that she is about to draw him into a maze of suspense and intrigue involving pro-Nazi terrorists.

This product was added to our catalog on Friday 03 February, 2012.