|
|
Post by rudeboy on Apr 15, 2017 23:36:11 GMT
Top ten (today, not necessarily tomorrow) would be:
The Virgin Spring
Hour of the Wolf
Fanny & Alexander
Cries & Whispers
The Seventh Seal
Summer with Monika
Wild Strawberries
The Silence
Through a Glass Darkly
The Magic Flute
Most in need of a re-watch: Persona and Shame, both of which underwhelmed me.
|
|
|
|
Post by london777 on Apr 16, 2017 15:03:15 GMT
I have just noticed one oddity. For 36 years from 1946 he directed 37 features (as well as extensive TV and theater work), maintaining a very high level. Even his weaker efforts (Brink of Life, Autumn Sonata, The Serpent's Egg) are well worth watching. His last theatrical feature was Fanny and Alexander (1982). How many other great directors "sign off" with one of their best efforts? But the oddity was that he then kept on going with a host of TV movies and documentaries for another 26 years, longer than most directors' entire careers. I think drama just gushed out of him like music gushed out of Mozart.
Another remarkable thing is that he does not have a great range. All of his films are variations on two topics, our love for (or lack of love for) other people and our love of God. (Though maybe that should be one and the same topic).
I am probably the most deep-dyed atheist on this board, so is it strange that he is my favorite director, bar none?
|
|
|
|
Post by spiderwort on Apr 16, 2017 15:15:18 GMT
I have just noticed one oddity. For 36 years from 1946 he directed 37 features (as well as extensive TV and theater work), maintaining a very high level. A non-stop artist from beginning to end. And I suspect, as I've alluded to before, that your atheism belies a bit of curiosity about the quest for something more. I see this in Bergman, too, a kind of, for lack of a better word, ambivalence. I'm glad to know he's you're favorite director, and it's easy for me to understand why. Elia Kazan once told me that "ambivalence" was by far the most interesting quality in any dramatic character. I suspect that may also be true in life. |
|
|
|
Post by london777 on Apr 16, 2017 15:55:39 GMT
Elia Kazan once told me that "ambivalence" was by far the most interesting quality in any dramatic character. I suspect that may also be true in life. You rotten old name-dropper, spiderwort! How many of us can casually drop "Elia Kazan once told me" into our posts?  He was right about ambivalence in drama. But ambivalence in real life can cause heart-ache, even disaster. |
|
|
|
Post by spiderwort on Apr 16, 2017 16:28:40 GMT
You rotten old name-dropper, spiderwort! Oh, I know! I was in college, inspired by him to become a director, and he was kind enough to meet with me when I was in New York once. I mentioned him in this case, because I felt it was necessary to make my point, given that Kazan used ambivalence as a tool in all his work (and I suspect Bergman often did, too). That said, I agree with you about ambivalence in real life: it can cause heart-ache and disaster, for sure. I that know from personal experience. DECIDE, I say! That's the way to happiness. |
|
|
|
Post by gadolinium on Apr 16, 2017 18:56:11 GMT
His early movies - Hour of the Wolf
His late movies - Fanny and Alexander
|
|
|
|
Post by rudeboy on Apr 17, 2017 2:30:25 GMT
Thanks, Rudeboy. Of yours, I haven't seen The Magic Flute, Hour of the Wolf, or Summer with Monika. All on my yet to see list. I haven't seen Persona since it was released, so I'm probably due for a re-watch, too. I haven't seen Shame either, but it sounds quite interesting, so I do want to see that one. Another that I liked a lot, but don't think is quite in the same category of so many of the others is Autumn Sonata. But I may need to give that one a re-watch, too. And I meant to put The Silence on my original list, but it slipped my mind. Btw, the first Bergman film I saw was Through a Glass Darkly in 1961 when I was in 13 or 14, and I knew then that I was in the presence of an extraordinary artist. I recommend Summer with Monika and Hour of the Wolf very highly. The former is enchanting and romantic - until a certain point in the narrative, that is - and one of my favourites despite being one of his less frequently mentioned films. Hour of the Wolf is a one-of-a-kind, spooky masterpiece, genuinely unsettling and hard to shake. The Magic Flute is more divisive, I would say, and being made for TV and stage bound is less visually potent than some of his films, but I found it thrilling - and the music, of course, is divine. I like Automat Sonata quite a lot. The two lead performances are extraordinary - it narrowly missed my top ten, but could easily be promoted upon a rewatch. |
|
|
|
Post by london777 on Apr 17, 2017 2:56:25 GMT
I like Automat Sonata quite a lot. The two lead performances are extraordinary.Yes, we only ever the see the hand of one of the leads.  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2017 18:27:05 GMT
My two favorites of his are Persona and Winter Light.
Autumn Sonata
Fanny and Alexander
Scenes of a Marriage
Wild Strawberries
Through A Glass Darkly
The Silence
The Seventh Seal
Shame
Cries and Whispers is still on my watch-list.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2017 18:33:06 GMT
Make this thread a poll.
|
|
|
|
Post by wmcclain on Apr 17, 2017 18:35:01 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by wmcclain on Apr 17, 2017 18:35:56 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2017 18:43:58 GMT
@volver Oh, volver, I strongly recommend Cries and Whispers; an amazing film, imo. I'll certainly watch it soon, I have to go through my Visconti marathon, first. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2017 18:54:41 GMT
I don't know how to do that, but it's okay with me if you do. I appreciate that. I dunno either. |
|
|
|
Post by wmcclain on Apr 17, 2017 18:58:11 GMT
Shame (1968)I've wanted very much to see this, wm, but it's always eluded me. Your review is enticing. As for THE MAGICIAN, I haven't seen it either, and I'm sure it would be interesting because it's Bergman, but it doesn't really sound that provocative to me - except that it's based on a Chesterson play; that's a surprise, indeed. Thanks as always for the pictures and your reviews. Thanks as always. I should say these are not necessarily favorites, just the only Bergman I've had time to write up since I started putting capsule reviews online. |
|
|
|
Post by rudeboy on Apr 17, 2017 23:47:34 GMT
I like Automat Sonata quite a lot. The two lead performances are extraordinary.Yes, we only ever the see the hand of one of the leads. LOL - I keep on walking into these...! Good one. |
|
|
|
Post by teleadm on Apr 21, 2017 20:00:52 GMT
Most would agree he's one of the world's greatest directors with a style unique to his very personal vision. I haven't seen all his film, but I've seen a lot of them. My favorites: The Seventh Seal (1957) Cries and Whispers (1982) Fanny and Alexander (1972) Through a Glass Darkly (1961) Persona (1966) Winter Light (1963) Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) Wild Strawberries (1957) The Virgin Spring (1960) Yours? As a swede myself I have tried to avoid this subject, but I still wanna point out two movies The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries! Those 2 movies is top 50. I certanly hope you don't think all swedes are gloomy like a bergman pic |
|
|
|
Post by london777 on Apr 21, 2017 20:29:11 GMT
Most would agree he's one of the world's greatest directors with a style unique to his very personal vision. I haven't seen all his film, but I've seen a lot of them. My favorites: The Seventh Seal (1957) Cries and Whispers (1982) Fanny and Alexander (1972) Through a Glass Darkly (1961) Persona (1966) Winter Light (1963) Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) Wild Strawberries (1957) The Virgin Spring (1960) Yours? As a swede myself I have tried to avoid this subject, but I still wanna point out two movies The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries! Those 2 movies is top 50. I certanly hope you don't think all swedes are gloomy like a bergman pic I lived with a Swedish girlfriend in London in the early-'60s. I had to send her back home to Kalmar. She was too jolly for me. Wild Strawberries is my absolute top film from all decades and nations, and The Seventh Seal is well up there too. He may or may not have made deeper, more subtle, or more innovative films since, but it was that pair which rocked the film world when they appeared. |
|
|
|
Post by teleadm on Apr 21, 2017 21:07:13 GMT
As a swede myself I have tried to avoid this subject, but I still wanna point out two movies The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries! Those 2 movies is top 50. I certanly hope you don't think all swedes are gloomy like a bergman pic Of course, not! Bergman was a great artist with a rather gloomy vision, it would seem. But Smiles of a Summer Night definitely shows me a different side of him, so nothing is definitive when it comes to the creative spirit. I don't know any other Swedish directors (I don't think I do anyway), but I assume they come with all kinds of personal visions. That's how art works.Besides beeing a movie director Bergman had a huge hit on theatres with The Merry Widow by Lehar, because of tax problems in 1970s he fled and in Hollywood he wanted to make a film version of Merry Widow, Barbra Streisand said Yes, He even went to one of her parties, He wanted Paul Newman (an actor Bergman was a big fan off) as Danilo, they offered him Sylvester Stallone instead..... |
|
|
|
Post by london777 on Apr 21, 2017 21:11:27 GMT
I don't know any other Swedish directors Really, spiderwort? I am sure you have seen work by many of the following (I have just picked one or two movies each. You may have seen different films by them):
Tomas Alfredson Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) Let the Right One In (2008) Roy Andersson
Songs from the Second Floor (2000) Lasse Hallström
The Shipping News (2001) Chocolat (2000) The Cider House Rules (1999) What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) Gustaf Molander
Ordet (1943) Lukas Moodysson
Mammoth (2009) Together (2000) Alf Sjöberg
Hets (1944) Miss Julie (1951) The Island (1966) Victor Sjöström
Victor Sjöström is the undisputed father of Swedish film, ranking as one of the masters of world cinema. Mauritz Stiller
Second only to Sjöström and the career-long mentor of Greta Garbo Vilgot Sjöman
I Am Curious (Blue) (1968) I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967) Bo Widerberg
Elvira Madigan (1967) Raven's End (1963) Mai Zetterling
Doctor Glas (1968) The Girls (1968)
|
|
