Wacky singer/actress Bjork could only forget fierce on-set disputes with director Lars Von Trier while shooting Dancer in the Sky by escaping to co-star Vincent Paterson’s hotel room, and dancing to
loud techno music.
The Icelandic pop star features with Catherine Deneuve, Jole Grey and Paterson in the musical movie. But Bjork fell out with the infamous Danish director on a daily basis, when the pair failed to agree on how she should play her role.
Paterson says, "for me, working with Lars was amazing because it
was like being with a band of traveling gypsies. Just hanging out
and eating, sleeping and partying together. It was like a love
fest.
"Bjork found it difficult, but I was in an amazing place with her
because she had the haven of my room to come to and dance. Music is
Bjork's life and I gave her a place of peace.
"She could come back to my room and find herself immediately and
negate the trials of the day and get back to who Bjork is about.
She listened to loads of bizarre techno stuff. I don't know if that
is so peaceful, but that is where she was."
And when the movie finished shooting Bjork treated her co-stars
to a night of techno by DJing at the post filming party.
Patterson adds, "That night she treated us by being the DJ. It
was the loudest stuff I have ever heard in my life but she wanted
to do it."
Meanwhile, the pop star would readily make another movie despite her bad experiences on Dancer in the Dark; but only if she believed the project would change the world.
The pop star found the experience of acting so distressing that
she vowed never to repeat the experience. But, although Bjork is
desperate to get back into the recording studio, she admits if the
project was good enough she may act again.
Bjork says, "I keep pretending I know what is going to happen
next and then I never do. I am pretty obsessed with feeling
creative. If it is people who are up for jumping off cliffs and
changing the world then I am like, 'Right, let's go!'
"I don't even care if it is me making the coffee or whatever as
long as it's a group of people that are up for changing the world,
that is what gets me. So if people send me scripts, I shouldn't say
it, but maybe. I have put the bad side behind me.
"Right now though I can’t wait to get back to my studio and do
some recording. I think the record shops need better CD's."
However, Dancer in the Dark, has upset US audiences so much cinema bosses are offering them their money back.
The disturbing musical, which stars eccentric Icelandic pop star
Bjork, won the highest honors at this year's Cannes Film Festival; but reviews have been so mixed that the makers will
refund patrons' ticket prices in Britain if they really hate the
film.
A leading American magazine ran two reviews of the film: One
called it "triumphant,” the other called it "a crock” – Sofia Hemphill (WENN, Los Angeles).
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
