cautionary biblical allegory

His austere, spiritually rigorous films like Vampyr and Ordet use biblical imagery and moral questioning to explore faith, temptation, and divine judgment.

Works like There Will Be Blood and Inherent Vice employ Old Testament parallels and cautionary narratives about human corruption, greed, and spiritual emptiness.

His films blend Marxist critique with biblical allegory to warn against societal decay, as seen in Salò and his Gospel adaptations that challenge religious and political orthodoxy.