Element of Crime: Dystopian Noir That Stuck With Me

Okay, so I finally got around to watching The Element of Crime (1984) and HOLY MOLY. I knew it was supposed to be kinda out there, but damn. That yellowish filter they used for basically the entire movie? Totally sets the mood, like you're wading through some kind of nightmare. I'm not gonna lie, I had to look up who the director was, because the whole feel of the movie is insane. (Turns out its Lars von Trier, which makes total sense). Fisher, the ex-detective dude, trying to crack the case by getting into the mindset of the killer... that's some serious "you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain" territory, right there. And his using Osbourne's methodology of mapping crimes to find the geographic profile of the murderer, what a plot! There's this one scene, I think when Fisher's following the list or something, when the film is so saturated with yellow that it just feels utterly oppressive. When Fisher is with the one little girl and the two are in the car, it is such a tense ride! The whole film is a visual feast, even if that feast is, y'know, kind of disturbing. It's not a perfect film, for sure. At times it felt a little too abstract, like I was missing something big. But the atmosphere, the performances (especially Michael Elphick as Fisher, he just nails that world-weary detective vibe)... it all adds up to something pretty unforgettable. It's one of those movies that burrows into your brain. The ending is a complete mindf*ck. What was even real?. Also, I swear I saw a review one time that claims Trier intended to destroy the negative. If anyone has info, let me know! Anyway, if you're into super dark, thought-provoking stuff, give it a shot. Just be prepared to feel a little grossed out and confused... in a good way? Maybe? "I see a darkness in your eyes..." – it definitely applies here.