# The Element of Crime (1984)

> An exiled detective follows a dead killer’s trail through a hypnotic, decaying Europe where investigative method becomes indistinguishable from obsession.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/4416

## Facts

- Runtime: 104 min
- Genres: Crime, Drama, Science Fiction
- Director: Lars von Trier
- Cast: Michael Elphick, Esmond Knight, Me Me Lai, Jerold Wells, Ahmed El Shenawi, Astrid Henning-Jensen, Janos Hersko, Stig Larsson
- TMDB rating: 6.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087280/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: labyrinthine
- Violence: moderate
- Mood: eerie, paranoid, oppressive, late night cinephile viewing, rainy day

## Synopsis

A haunting journey into the mind of a detective grappling with the past and the present.

## Movies like The Element of Crime

- [The Absent One (2014)](https://ember.film/movie/145022)
- [Hot Spot (2026)](https://ember.film/movie/578875)
- [Insomnia (1997)](https://ember.film/movie/15895)
- [Epidemic (1987)](https://ember.film/movie/18142)
- [Boundless (2024)](https://ember.film/movie/1035703)
- [Fear X (2003)](https://ember.film/movie/23614)
- [Dark City (1998)](https://ember.film/movie/1790)
- [Kafka (1991)](https://ember.film/movie/1616)
- [Special Unit - The First Murder (2025)](https://ember.film/movie/7377771)
- [Nightwatch (1994)](https://ember.film/movie/3567)

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