The House That Jack Built (2018)

DVD CASE/SIDE

Length of film:  152 Minutes

Rated: 18A

Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror

Director: Lars von Trier

Starring: Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Turman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Sofie Gråbøl

IMDB Rank: 6.8/10

Part 1 Time:  74 Minutes

Part 2 Time:  78 Minutes

Where does the first part end? A montage of Jack (Matt Dillon) building his house, then skips to a black-and-white film of Glenn Gould playing piano. The David Bowie song ‘fame’ plays in the background.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: No dialogue between characters. Instead the David Bowie song ‘fame’ plays in the background then cuts suddenly.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Verge?” Jack speaks aloud to a black screen.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Very jarring, Jack murdering his unnamed girlfriend and her two children with a hunting rifle is a both a disturbing and gruesome murder scene that puts chills down your spine. Although technically the montage happens directly after (which is then followed by a fade to black screen) it still takes time to process.

Which part is better? The film is an interesting take on the mind of a serial murderer as he compares his atrocities to works of art. The film documents five different murdering sequences with part one exploring the first three. Although both parts give different glimpses into the many facets of a serial murderer’s mind, part two is given a slight edge as it not only provides more insight into Jack’s methodology and mindset but also his demise.

Academy Awards: None