The Five Obstructions

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Film Description

Iconoclastic director Lars von Trier dares director, producer, novelist, poet and television presenter Jorgen Leth to remake his seminal 1967 film The Perfect Human. This time however Leth has to produce the film five times, each one under a different 'fiendish condition'. A typically ingenious dose of Von Trier mischief.

Film Information

DVD Extras

Theatrical trailer; The Perfect Human - Leth's original short film.

Technical Details

Film Media

2 Stills

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Review by Steve Turner on 1st October 2004

In 2001, Lars Von Trier challenged director Jorgen Leth to re-make his acclaimed short film “The Perfect Human” five times under a series of Dogma like constraints.
The result is much more than a simple film school exercise. Von Trier is as malevolent, irritable and intelligent as you can imagine, attacking every aspect of Leth’s directorial practise and personality. The obstructions, decided over mid morning Vodka, include filming in the worst place Leth can imagine and re-making it as a cartoon (a medium they both despise) and are devised to annoy and frustrate Leth into making a truly terrible film – a film less perfect and more human.
The deconstruction process is given the warmth of therapy through Von Trier’s humour and respect for his friend and with the original short film “The Perfect Human” included on the disc; this is a completely fascinating examination of artistic practise.

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Collections & Lists

This film is part of the following Film Collections

Films About Filmmaking

Including: A Star Is Born, Adaptation, Bad Education, Bollywood Hollywood, Boogie Nights, Camera Buff, Celebrity, Day Of The Locust, Ed Wood, Fellinis 8 1/2.

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