In Visions and Victims: Art Melodrama in the Films of Carl Th. Dreyer, by Amanda Doxtater, individuals interested in both film studies and Scandinavian studies can indulge in this examination of Danish film director Carl Th. Dreyer. Among his most notable works are The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Day of Wrath (1943), Ordet (1955), and more. His work with Nordisk Film helped him experiment with and cultivate a filmmaking style which eventually gave way to his departure from Nordisk to pursue filmmaking as a higher art. Soon, he became an auteur and focused on the creation of austere art films.
Doxater offers an interesting examination of Dreyer’s time with Nordisk in addition to examining his contributions to melodrama. Here, she discusses the ambiguity, stylization, and emotional expressivity so closely connected with melodrama. Additionally, her exploration of Dreyer’s artistic concerns in his later work–such as depictions of psychological duress and a struggle for authenticity–can even be spotted in his early Nordisk projects.
Hometowns to Hollywood 