Dogme Uncut: Lars Von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, and the Gang That Took on Hollywood

Dogme films follow a strict set of rules: they employ natural lighting and hand-held cameras; they don't use special effects, soundtracks or movie sets. Launched by Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier in 1995, the movement flew in the face of Hollywood slickness and shook up the filmmaking world. Film journalist and historian Stevenson, who's lived in Denmark for the past 10 years, explores the genre, its films and its filmmakers, covering relatively big Dogme films, such as Italian for Beginners and The Celebration, as well as lesser-known ones, like Security, Colorado. Stevenson addresses the debates surrounding Dogme (""there is a scuffle taking place amongst cineastes, a brawl between partisans,"" he writes), focusing on the Danish perspective. Yet he also covers the involvement of American filmmakers, like Harmony Korine, since many of them used Dogme""to get people interested in working on their low-budget and in some cases very unorthodox film projects."" Stevenson presents an uncluttered and jargon-free assessment of an important movement in independent film, making this an excellent choice for foreign film buffs and aficionados.