The marketing for “Nymphomaniac” has been a cheeky onslaught of provocative imagery, some tied to shots of orgasmic bliss interpreted by the stars of the film. It’s been amusing, yet the reality of the endeavor (an epic study broken down into two parts) is decidedly grim, possibly confusing those on the prowl for an offering of adult cinema as interpreted by director Lars Von Trier. “Nymphomaniac: Volume I” is the first half of the journey, and it’s filled with dire situations of compulsion and punishment. Even when the helmer makes minor attempts to pull the premise out of a coffin, the general tone of the work remains in a state of emergency. Demanding a less lustful mindset from the viewer, the effort emerges as an artfully designed exploration of grief and gullibility, pockmarked with Von Trier fetishes and wild metaphors. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com