The Element of Crime
Forbrydelsens element
Synopsis
Fisher, an ex-detective, decides to take one final case when a mysterious serial killer claims the lives of several young girls. Fisher, unable to find the culprit, turns to Osbourne, a writer who was once respected for his contributions to the field of criminology. Fisher begins to use Osbourne's technique, which involves empathizing with serial killers; however, as the detective becomes increasingly engrossed in this method, things take a disturbing turn.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Element of Crime (Forbrydelsens Element) - Trailer 1984
Type: Trailer • Published 2011-03-24
Top Cast
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Michael Elphick
Fisher
Esmond Knight
Osborne
Me Me Lai
Kim
Jerold Wells
Kramer
Ahmed El Shenawi
Therapist
Astrid Henning-Jensen
House Keeper
Janos Hersko
Coroner
Stig Larsson
Coroner's Assistant
Harry Harper
Portier 1
Roman Moszkowicz
Portier 2
Lars von Trier
Schmuck of Ages
Frederik Casby
White Policeman
Duke Addabayo
Black Policeman
Jon Bang Carlsen
Angry Policeman
Leif Magnusson
Hotel Guest
Preben Lerdorff Rye
Grandfather
Camilla Overbye Roos
Lotto Girl 1
Maria Holkenfeldt-Behrendt
Lotto Girl 2
Release History & Theatrical Window
Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival
Festival / Special Debut
April 17, 1987
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 17, 1997
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Lars von Trier
- Screenplay & Story
- Lars von Trier, Niels Vørsel
- Original Score
- Bo Holten
- Original Title
- Forbrydelsens element
- Country of Origin
- Denmark
- Spoken Languages
- Arabic, English, German
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Production Studios
- Det Danske Filminstitut, Per Holst Filmproduktion, Asta Film
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier, Niels Vørsel
Bo Holten
Tom Elling
Tómas Gislason
Per Holst
Department Leadership Roster
Lars von Trier
Director
Tom Elling
Director of Photography
Lasse Spang Olsen
Stunt Coordinator
Lars von Trier
Screenplay
Niels Vørsel
Screenplay
Peter Høimark
Production Design
Tómas Gislason
Editor
Manon Rasmussen
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Element of Crime.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Element of Crime.
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Element of Crime
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Element of Crime about?
Fisher, an ex-detective, decides to take one final case when a mysterious serial killer claims the lives of several young girls. Fisher, unable to find the culprit, turns to Osbourne, a writer who was once respected for his contributions to the field of criminology. Fisher begins to use Osbourne's technique, which involves empathizing with serial killers; however, as the detective becomes increasingly engrossed in this method, things take a disturbing turn.
Who directed The Element of Crime?
The Element of Crime was directed by Lars von Trier.
Who stars in The Element of Crime?
The principal cast of The Element of Crime includes Michael Elphick, Esmond Knight, Me Me Lai, Jerold Wells, Ahmed El Shenawi.
When was The Element of Crime released and how long is it?
The Element of Crime was released in 1984 with a total runtime of 1h 44m.
Who composed the musical score for The Element of Crime?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Element of Crime was composed by Bo Holten.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Element of Crime?
The Element of Crime holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).