``Melancholia'' A sweet apocalypse, like cream on top of cream.

ultimate happy ending

``Melancholia'' is full of powerful visuals that stick in your mind, but the most memorable one is the image of Justin floating in a stream holding a bouquet. This fantastic image was inspired by Ophelia , a masterpiece published in 1852 by John Everett Millais, a representative painter of the Pre-Raphaelite school. Ophelia is a character from Shakespeare's play Hamlet. She fell into a state of confusion due to a series of misfortunes, and when she fell from a willow tree into a river, she did not realize the gravity of the situation and slowly sank to the bottom of the water, humming an old song.

Freud once defined the drive toward death using the word thanatos, or destrudeau. Both Justin and Ophelia are possessed by a death drive, and they fall into the abyss as if being eaten away. But unlike Ophelia, who dies alone, Justine shares her death with all humanity. It's "relief" for her.

The first chapter, ``Justin,'' depicts her grand wedding. However, even though Justin is a bride himself, he cannot find a place in the wedding ceremony. For those who cannot adapt to society, a system based on social norms is nothing but emptiness. The more Justine's older sister Claire treats her, the more Justin escapes into the inner world he has built.

"Melancholia" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

The second chapter, "Claire," depicts the collision with the giant planet Melancholia. A collective funeral for all of humanity, where the blue shining planet completely swallows the Earth and reduces all living things to ashes. In contrast to Claire, who is frantic, Justin faces his final moments with a clear expression. Melancholia is a story that begins with an empty wedding (for Justin) and ends with a funeral where (Justin alone) is saved.

Of course, that's arrogant. That's selfish. But it's extremely painful. ``Melancholia'' is, above all, a film made to heal Lars von Trier himself.

"This movie is like cream on top of sweet cream."

For him, the climax of this work is probably the happiest ending.

(*1)IndieWire

(*2)the guardian

(*3) “Eureka Lars von Trier Special Issue” (Seidosha)

(*Four)Interview Magazine

Text: Rui Takeshima

A pop culture writer who wants to be kicked by Hit Girl. Host of the web magazine "POP MASTER".

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(c) Photofest / Getty Images