 The original European version had the overture played in dimmed lighting  before the curtains opened on the screen. However, Fine Line Features  president Mark Ordesky (qv) informed director Lars von Trier (qv) that  such an opening was unfeasible in U.S. theaters, since most American theaters  dont have curtains and have electronic projection booths overseen by  inexperienced staffers. Thus, von Trier filmed a visual accompaniment to go  along with the overture in the U.S. release: a collage of paintings by Per  Kirkeby, the artist/husband of producer Vibeke Windeløv (qv).