In the realm of modern auteurs, Yorgos Lanthimos stands apart. Enigmatic upon first glance, his filmography finds the details in the broadness of existential commentary. It is no wonder, then, that Lanthimos’ pictures focus on human connection, singularity, and societal conditioning.
In a video essay by Tim Nicholas, three of Lanthimos’ films — “Dogtooth,” “Alps,” and “The Lobster” — are explored for their embrace of dance, movement, freedom, and intimacy. Having begun his career by filming experimental plays, bodily movement has left an indelible print upon the director’s dystopian-esque work. In “Dogtooth,” intimacy and dance are explored as means of freedom and garnering self-awareness. The final dance scene in of the film bears discrete contrast to what audiences would have previously seen, a juxtaposition of constrained movements and freeing bodily expression, among other nuances.
Lanthimos’ “Alps” bears a distinct difference to its predecessor. As opposed to finding a means to gain freedom in an unreal world, the lead character looks to achieve a similar goal by accessing a fabricated world. Finally, “The Lobster” offers a dystopian world in which human connection is necessary in order to survive.
Lanthimos offers a cruel absurdity to his films, and his latest film, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” pushes his thematic interests even further.