The Big Picture It's no news Lars von Trier is a provocative filmmaker who enjoys making the public squirm, and all of his movies have stories of people walking out of theaters in disgust. In the case of The House That Jack Built, more than a hundred people left the film's premiere at Cannes, disturbed by the graphic images von Trier crafted for his serial killer story.
Release Date October 17, 2018 Director Lars von Trier Cast Matt Dillon , Bruno Ganz , Uma Thurman , Siobhan Fallon , Sofie Gråbøl , Riley Keough Runtime 152 Minutes What Is ‘The House That Jack Built’ About? The House That Jack Built stars Matt Dillon as the titular Jack, a wealthy serial killer known in the trades as “Mister Sophistication.
‘The House That Jack Built’s Controversial Scenes Are Supposed To Make You Uncomfortable Cinema, and especially horror, is no stranger to explicit violence. Since the release of Eli Roth’s Hostel, torture horror has experienced a rise in popularity, and the entirety of the French Extremity movement is determined to push the boundaries of how unnerving a film experience can be. So, at first glance, The House That Jack Built doesn’t have that much more violence than other similar movies.
Lars von Trier Discusses the Purpose of Violence in ‘The House That Jack Built’ Close During their journey through the underworld, Jack and Verge get entangled in a deep philosophical debate about the nature of the killer’s actions. As a guide to lost souls, Verge is used to people repenting and asking for forgiveness when it’s already too late. Jack, however, doesn't regret his actions.