The Five Obstructions
The Five Obstructions

The Five Obstructions

6.9(159 votes)
2003
1h 30m
Documentary

In 1967, experimental filmmaker Jorgen Leth created a striking short film, The Perfect Human, starring a man and women sitting in a box while a narrator poses questions about their relationship and humanity. Years later, Danish director Lars von Trier made a deal with Leth to remake his film five times, each under a different set of circumstances and with von Trier's strictly prescribed rules. As Leth completes each challenge, von Trier creates increasingly further elaborate stipulations.

Production

Panic Productions, Wajnbrosse Productions, Almaz Film Productions, Zentropa Entertainments

Cast

Jørgen Leth

Jørgen Leth

Voice-over (from Det perfekte menneske) / Self - Director / +

Lars von Trier

Lars von Trier

Self / Obstructor (segment "The Conversations")

Claus Nissen

Claus Nissen

The Perfect Man (from Det perfekte menneske) (archive footage)

Majken Algren Nielsen

Majken Algren Nielsen

The Perfect Woman (from Det perfekte menneske) (archive footage)

Daniel Hernandez Rodriguez

Daniel Hernandez Rodriguez

The Perfect Man (segment "Cuba")

Jacqueline Arenal

Jacqueline Arenal

The Perfect Woman (segment "Cuba")

Vivian Rosa

Vivian Rosa

(segment "Cuba")

Patrick Bauchau

Patrick Bauchau

The Perfect Man / Voice-over (Brussels) / Speaker (Cartoon)

Alexandra Vandernoot

Alexandra Vandernoot

The Perfect Woman (segment "Brussels")

Marie Dejaer

Marie Dejaer

Maid (segment "Brussels")

More Like This

Plan 9 From Syracuse
The Making of King Arthur
Anônimo e incomum
Heirs of the Beast
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen
DIALOGUE
An Evening with Kevin Smith
Alex & José
Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box
Heckler
The Water Is Finally Blue: The Untold Story of Robert Altman's O.C. and Stiggs
6-18-67