The Five Obstructions

{{Short description|2003 film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Infobox film | name = The Five Obstructions | image = The Five Obstructions.jpg | director = Lars von Trier Jørgen Leth | writer = Lars von Trier Jørgen Leth | based_on = ''The Perfect Human'' by Jørgen Leth | starring = Lars von Trier Jørgen Leth Claus Nissen Daniel Hernandez Rodriguez Patrick Bauchau | producer = Carsten Holst | distributor = Zentropa Real ApS Wajnbrosse Productions Koch-Lorber Films | released = {{Film date|2003|09|11|TIFF|2003|11|21|Denmark|df=y}} | runtime = 90 minutes | country = Denmark | language = Danish English French Spanish }} '''''The Five Obstructions''''' is a 2003 Danish documentary film directed by Lars von Trier and Jørgen Leth. The film is conceived as a documentary, but incorporates lengthy sections of experimental films produced by the filmmakers.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Verrone|first1=William|title=Adaptation and the Avant-Garde.Alternative Perspectives on Adaptation Theory and Practice|date=23 May 2013|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|isbn=9781623562885|url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/adaptation-and-the-avant-garde-9781623562885/|accessdate=6 April 2020|language=en}}</ref> The premise is that Trier has created a challenge for his friend and mentor, Jørgen Leth, another renowned filmmaker.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Collin|first1=Robbie|title=Destination Wedding review: Keanu and Winona's romcom chemistry lesson doesn't quite ring true|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/destination-wedding-review-keanu-winonas-romcom-chemistry-lesson/|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=6 April 2020|date=9 May 2019}}</ref> Lars von Trier's favorite film is Leth's ''The Perfect Human'', and Trier gives Leth the task of remaking ''The Perfect Human'' five times, each time with a different "obstruction" (or obstacle) imposed by Trier.<ref>A. O. Scott (26 May 2004). [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C02E4D6143EF935A15756C0A9629C8B63 "''The Five Obstructions'' (2003)| Movie Review; A Cinematic Duel of Wits For Two Danish Directors"]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved 15 June 2015.</ref>

It has been said that "Both this film and ''Dogville'' show a more mature Trier, one who is more aware of and accountable to the full implications of the torture, suffering and victimization he has employed in his films, especially in exploring how easily those who victimize others in the name of righteousness become victims [of] their own self-righteousness."<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091310/https://www.alsolikelife.com/FilmDiary/2004/whatfilms060704.html|url=https://www.alsolikelife.com/FilmDiary/2004/whatfilms060704.html|title=Screening Log – 5/31–6/06, 2004|date=6 June 2004|website=Also Like Life|access-date=14 June 2015|archivedate=4 March 2016}}</ref>

==The obstructions==

#12 frames, answers, cuba, no set: Leth must remake the film in Cuba,<ref name="Guardian">{{cite web|title=Five Obstructions humiliate Perfect Human|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/aug/30/filmfestivals.film|website=the Guardian|accessdate=6 April 2020|language=en|date=30 August 2003}}</ref> with no set, and with no shot lasting longer than twelve frames, and he must answer the questions posed in the original film; Leth successfully completes this task.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web|last1=Scott|first1=A. O.|title=FILM REVIEW; A Cinematic Duel of Wits For Two Danish Directors|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/26/movies/film-review-a-cinematic-duel-of-wits-for-two-danish-directors.html|website=The New York Times|accessdate=6 April 2020|date=26 May 2004}}</ref><ref name="The Independent"/> #A miserable place, don't show it, Jørgen Leth is the man, the meal: Leth must remake the film in the worst place in the world<ref name="Guardian"/> but not show that place onscreen;<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pratt|first1=Geraldine|title=Film and Urban Space|date=23 June 2014|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|isbn=9780748623846|page=8|url=https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-film-and-urban-space.html|accessdate=6 April 2020|language=en}}</ref> additionally, Leth must himself play the role of "the man". The meal must be included,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Moore|first1=Anne Elizabeth|title=The House That Jack Built is Lars von Trier's way of showing how much he loves women|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/house-that-jack-built-lars-von-trier/Content?oid=66566649|website=Chicago Reader|accessdate=6 April 2020|language=en|date=January 18, 2019}}</ref> but the woman is not to be included. Leth remakes the film in the red light district of Mumbai,<ref name="NYT"/> only partially hiding it behind a translucent screen. #Complete freedom or back to Bombay: Because Leth failed to complete the second task perfectly,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Straten-McSparran|first1=Rebecca Ver|title=The Five Obstructions|url=https://imagejournal.org/article/the-five-obstructions/|website=Image Journal|accessdate=6 April 2020}}</ref> Trier punishes him, telling him to either remake the film in any way he chooses,<ref name="The Independent"/> or else to repeat it again with the second obstruction in Mumbai. Leth chooses the first option and remakes the film in Brussels, using split-screen effects.<ref name="The Independent"/><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ogden|first1=Benjamin|title=How Lars von Trier Sees the World: Postmodernism and Globalization in The Five Obstructions|journal=Quarterly Review of Film and Video|pages=54–68|doi=10.1080/10509200802241381|date=30 November 2009|volume=27|s2cid=191555832|doi-access=free }}</ref> #Cartoon: Leth must remake the film as a cartoon.<ref name="Guardian"/> He does so with the aid of Bob Sabiston, a specialist in rotoscoping, who creates animated versions of shots from the previous films.<ref name="NYT"/> As such the final product is technically an animation but not a cartoon. Nevertheless, Trier considers the task to be completed successfully. #Lars von Trier will make the last obstruction, Jørgen Leth will be credited as director, Jørgen Leth will read a text written by Lars von Trier: The fifth obstruction is that Trier has already made the fifth version, but it must be credited as Leth's, and Leth must read a voice-over narration,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Maoilearca|first1=John Ó|title=All Thoughts Are Equal|url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/all-thoughts-are-equal|website=University of Minnesota Press|accessdate=6 April 2020|language=en|date=September 2015}}</ref> ostensibly from his own perspective but in fact one written by Trier.<ref name="The Independent">{{cite web|last1=Romney|first1=Jonathan|title=The Five Obstructions|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-five-obstructions-77726.html|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-five-obstructions-77726.html|archive-date=18 June 2022|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|website=The Independent|accessdate=6 April 2020|language=en|date=9 November 2003}}</ref>

==Collaboration with Martin Scorsese== In 2010, ''Variety'' reported rumors that Lars von Trier, Martin Scorsese, and Robert De Niro planned to work on a remake of Scorsese's film ''Taxi Driver'' with the film made with same restrictions as were used in ''The Five Obstructions''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/35923/lars-von-trier-robert-deniro-and-martin-scorsese-collaborating-new-taxi-driver|author=Steve Barton|date=16 February 2010|title=Lars von Trier, Robert De Niro, and Martin Scorsese Collaborating on New ''Taxi Driver''|website=Dread Central|accessdate=24 February 2010}}</ref> In 2014, ''Taxi Driver'' screenwriter Paul Schrader said that it was not being made. He said, "It was a terrible idea" and "in Marty's mind, it never was something that should be done."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/taxi-driver-will-not-be-remade-by-lars-von-trier-i-201262|author=Dan Selcke|date=19 February 2014|title=''Taxi Driver'' will not be remade by Lars Von Trier, if anyone was worried|website=The A.V. Club|accessdate=8 July 2016}}</ref>

==Reception== ''The Five Obstructions'' received strongly positive reviews from critics. It holds a 79/100 on Metacritic,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-five-obstructions/details|title=The Five Obstructions Reviews|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=December 14, 2016}}</ref> and Rotten Tomatoes reports 88% approval among 59 critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/five_obstructions/|title=The Five Obstructions (2003)|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|accessdate=December 14, 2016}}</ref> It was later voted one of the 30 best films of the 2000s in a poll for ''Sight & Sound''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/49593|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802234346/http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/49593|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 2, 2012|title=Sight & Sound's films of the decade|publisher=British Film Institute|accessdate=December 14, 2016}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite book|last1=Hjort|first1=Mette|title=The Routledge Companion to Philosophy and Film|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hev6YYxFpYgC|accessdate=11 October 2010|date=3 December 2008|publisher=Routledge Philosophy Companions. London: Routledge, pp. 631–640|isbn=978-0-415-77166-5|editor-last=Livingston|editor-first=Paisley Nathan|chapter=The Five Obstructions|editor-last2=Plantinga|editor-first2=Carl Rendit}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0354575|The Five Obstructions}} *[http://mymhm.squarespace.com/blog/2009/9/9/18-we-challenge-you-to-watch-the-five-obstructions.html Movies You May Have Missed – Episode 18: "We Challenge You to Watch ''The Five Obstructions''" (9 September 2009)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214842/http://mymhm.squarespace.com/blog/2009/9/9/18-we-challenge-you-to-watch-the-five-obstructions.html |date=3 March 2016 }} *{{rotten-tomatoes|id=five_obstructions|title=The Five Obstructions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Five Obstructions, The}} Category:2003 documentary films Category:2003 drama films Category:2003 films Category:2000s business films Category:Danish documentary films Category:Danish drama films Category:2000s Danish-language films Category:2003 Danish films Category:Documentary films about actors Category:Documentary films about animation Category:Documentary films about Cuba Category:Documentary films about film directors and producers Category:Documentary films about films Category:Documentary films about food and drink Category:Documentary films about women in film Category:Documentary films about women in India Category:Films about cities Category:Documentary films about prostitution in India Category:Films directed by Jørgen Leth Category:Films directed by Lars von Trier Category:Films set in Brussels Category:Films set in Denmark Category:Films set in Mumbai Category:Films shot in Brussels Category:Films shot in Cuba Category:Films shot in Denmark Category:Films shot in Mumbai Category:2003 French-language films Category:2003 Spanish-language films Category:2003 English-language films Category:2003 multilingual films Category:Danish multilingual films Category:English-language documentary films Category:English-language drama films Category:Films with screenplays by Lars von Trier

The Five Obstructions

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