They say that the most important part of the joke is the delivery. Even a good punchline doesn’t work if the gag itself isn’t funny. Well it would appear that Lars von Trier is just not funny.
Lars von Trier premiered his latest film Melancholia at the Cannes film festival. This is not a comedy film, and after his attempt to make light of his “I sympathize with Hitler” statement at a Cannes press conference makes me confident that he does not have a career in comedy.
If you are going to call yourself a Hitler sympathizer, “I am a Nazi” might not be the best line to deadpan. That statement needs some solid justification to not hang yourself with it, but Herr von Trier missed that class in improv…
Seeing Kristen Dunst next to him just about to climb out of her own skin just makes this all that much more uncomfortable. The only amusing thing he said is “Now how can I get out of this sentence” which makes me think he realized the crap he just stepped in.
But now it appears that the Cannes Festival Board of directors have branded him “persona non grata” which for you non latin speaking folks out there means “We can’t be friends anymore”. The official well worded ban from the festival did not contain any stumbling attempts to insult Jews:
“Cannes provides artists with an exceptional forum to present their works and defend freedom of expression and creation. We profoundly regret that this forum has been used by Lars von Trier to express comments that are unacceptable, intolerable, and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the festival.”
Gordon and the Whale‘s Josh Brunsting brings up a good point:
“Would Cannes have banned Walt Disney? Would they ban Polanski? Doubt it.” They can ban Lars von Trier for this verbal stumble and poorly delivered statement… but continue to entertain Roman Polanski’s works? I wouldn’t put Disney in there as best I can tell he was an over eager anti-communist in an era where that would be applauded. Polanski drugged and raped an underage girl.
Do you think von Trier was just stumbling over his words? Does saying he sympathizes with Hitler have some other meaning we are missing here? Does he deserve a ban?
