Political messages aside, social commentary aside, Dogville is original. It's also very difficult.

Notoriously travel phobic director Lars Von Trier has never been to the Rocky Mountains. In fact he's never been to America. So the idea of him making a film about the intricate workings of a place he's never visited seems ludicrous.

Until you see how he's done it.

Von Trier set up a studio in Sweden where the actors and crew worked for 16 days. The studio had a black floor with chalk white outlines drawn on it to depict the streets and houses of the town.

There are hardly any props and the actors do it the 'method' way. To all intents and purposes this is a play.

So how a host of such huge names agreed to take part in such an experiment is anyone's guess.

John Hurt narrates, in a Postman Pat style. The storybook effect creates an innocent atmosphere, and when matters turn sinister, the film becomes even more shocking because of the juxtapositions.

Nicole Kidman plays Grace, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who arrives in town on the run from gangsters. They offer her a hiding place and in return she offers them her services.

At first she helps the townspeople around their houses, until they decide she owes them a little more than that. Grace is chained up and kept as a slave, for menial and sexual purposes.

Her knight in shining armour is played by Paul Bettany, and the cast also includes Chloe Sevigny, Patricia Clarkson, James Caan and Lauren Bacall.

The rest cannot be described, only seen to be believed.

Natalie Stone