‘The House That Jack Built’ First Reactions: ‘Lars Has Gone Too Far This Time’ As 100 People Walk Out — Cannes
Lars von Trier once had small-screen aspirations for “The House That Jack Built,” but his stab (sorry) at a serial-killing narrative premiered at the Cannes Film Festival Monday night. As promised, the writer-director brought gore to the Croisette; tickets even included a scènes violentes (“explicit violence”) warning. A notable segment of the 2,400-seat Grand Théâtre Lumière audience revolted against what they saw: Variety’s Ramin Setoodeh reported that 100 guests exited in protest, while others on social media estimated half the film-goers departed early:
I’ve never seen anything like this at a film festival. More than 100 people have walked out of Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built,’ which depicts the mutilation of women and children. “It’s disgusting,” one woman said on her way out. #Cannes2018 pic.twitter.com/GsBGCoyHEG
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built’ was one of the most unpleasant movie-going experiences of my life. #Cannes2018
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 14, 2018
Although the two-and-a-half hour film screened out of competition — a source of pride for producer Louise Vesth, who donned an “Out of Competition” t-shirt — it was the day’s major festival draw for visiting critics and press, some of whom tweeted that the “vile,” “vomitive” footage “should not have been made.” Nonetheless, the crowd fêted von Trier with a 10-minute standing ovation (Spike Lee earned the same earlier in the day for “BlacKkKlansman”). Afterwards, in the press room, one reporter asked von Trier, “Have you been taking your medication, mister?”
He offered a concise director’s statement in the film’s press notes: “For many years I’ve made films about good women, now I did a film about an evil man.”
Production was difficult on the controversy-courting Dane, who has said he was “full of anxieties and alcohol” while on set in Sweden and Denmark. Von Trier has also had a turbulent relationship with Cannes, where he was once banned following a 2011 press conference in which he — in jest — proclaimed himself a Nazi.
“Crash” Oscar-nominee Matt Dillon stars as the namesake knifeman, gunman, bludgeoner, and strangler. Set during the ’70s, the film tracks five deaths — including characters played by Uma Thurman and Riley Keough — that shaped Jack’s murderous career. In the first trailer, Jack brags that he has lived a punishment-free life, but he fantasizes about notoriety: David Bowie’s “Fame” plays as he cues one victim to scream, and drags another body, wrapped in plastic, attached to his van’s bumper.
In December, nine women alleged that working with von Trier’s production company, Zentropa, led them to be sexually harassed and bullied. Several accusations were directed at Zentropa co-founder and “The House That Jack Built” producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen. Following an investigation, the Danish Working Environment Authority found that Zentropa instituted enough changes in company culture — among them a new code of conduct — to continue operations.
Read a smattering of first reactions from the film below, and IndieWire’s review here.
The House That Jack Built feels like a suicide note. #Cannes2018
— Robbie Collin (@robbiereviews) May 14, 2018
Walked out on LarsvonTrier . Vile movie. Should not have been made. Actors culpable
— Showbiz 411 (@showbiz411) May 14, 2018
Just left Lars Von Trier’s The House that Jack Built.
Gross. Pretentious. Vomitive. Torturous. Pathetic. #Cannes2018— The Oscar Predictor (@OscarPredictor) May 14, 2018
Sadistic murder porn that inspired more than a few walkouts. But such is usually Von Trier’s MO #cannes2018 #TheHouseThatJackBuilt
— Andrea Mandell (@AndreaMandell) May 14, 2018
Lars Von Trier’s The House That Jack Built is an ordeal of gruesomeness and tiresomeness, quite as exasperating as I feared, but leading to what I have to admit is a spectacular horror finale. Review later #Cannes2018 #Cannes71 #Cannes
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) May 14, 2018
#LarsVonTrier @Festival_Cannes with #TheHouseThatJackBuilt is Two and a half hours of #Hell
— Baz Bamigboye (@BazBam) May 14, 2018
Talked to someone who walked out of the Lars von Trier film at Cannes: “He mutilates Riley Keough, he mutilates children… and we are all there in formal dress expected to watch it?”
— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) May 14, 2018
IFC Films will debut “The House That Jack Built” in U.S. theaters this fall.
Additional reporting by Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
