Kino
Published writer
Posts: 1,200
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Post by Kino on Apr 10, 2008 22:04:25 GMT
I'll give it a try, but in short, Liv Ullmann is the best actress in my book. This might be of interest: Faithless directed by Ullmann and written by Bergman. A psychodrama that one would expect from a pairing. Used to really like it, but on a rewatch not so much. Great performance by Lena Endre, though. re: the other recommendations My pleasure. Though I do realize it's irritating when all I do is recommend stuff. LOL.
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Capo
Administrator
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Post by Capo on Apr 11, 2008 22:40:44 GMT
I'd always recommend Manhattan before Annie Hall, but a preference is only a preference, and the two are masterpieces, anyway. Svsg, you've got to see Wild Strawberries; Allen borrowed from it, for Annie Hall, the technique of having characters walking through their own memories (Cronenberg does it in Spider, too). Tarkovsky had it in his top ten, too, don't forget. Unsettling opening dream sequence, too (up their with the opening of 8½; EDIT: DVC posted a link to this scene above). Also, I've been (thanks to people on here) trying to get away from obsessions on cinematic uniqueness; I think it's beneficial to one's appreciation of the medium to allow for more forms. ( This thread is very interesting in how it's developed. Wish Kino's old posts were still on there, though.) There are a whole number of ways in which to make a film, and thus we should allow for that. I like Luhrmann's camp, highly-stylised films as much as I do Loach's social realist dramas. The decision not to edit and cut is still made within the realms of the cinematic vocabulary; the lengthy talking heads of Scenes from a Marriage are shot too intimately to be obviously carded as "theatrical". Another reason you should check out Cassavetes's Opening Night, too: watching that may spark the problematic distinction between the two mediums. A lot of that film is literally filmed theatre, but it's also very cinematic (for starters, it's a film; but Cassavetes uses many cinematic tricks). EDIT: for the same reasons as seeing Opening Night, you should watch Bergman's own After the Rehersal. It's brilliant. (I've just looked at my current rankings and ratings on page 1, and bumped a few up a star; ideally, I'd like to see them all over again, and really get to grips with them critically.)
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Post by bobbyreed on Aug 12, 2008 6:08:08 GMT
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Capo
Administrator
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Post by Capo on Aug 12, 2008 12:32:21 GMT
Jesus, if you've got good eyes you can just about read the entire thing. Thanks!
Taschen's books vary. I was reading Luigi Ficacci's Francis Bacon one the other month, and had to put it down. It was all very hyperbolic.
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Post by Michael on Oct 24, 2008 8:08:42 GMT
1. Persona (1966) ***** 2. The Seventh Seal (1957) ***
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Post by Anasazie on Oct 24, 2008 11:46:06 GMT
1. The Silence (1963) [blue]9/10[/blue] 2. The Virgin Spring (1960) [blue]9/10[/blue] 3. Scenes from a Marriage (1973) [blue]9/10[/blue] 4. Hour of the Wolf (1968) [blue]8/10[/blue] 5. Dreams (1955) [blue]8/10[/blue] 6. Winter Light (1963) [blue]8/10[/blue] 7. Persona (1966) [blue]8/10[/blue] 8. Sawdust and Tinsel (1953) [blue]7/10[/blue] 9. The Seventh Seal (1957) [blue]7/10[/blue] 10. Fanny & Alexander (1982) [blue]6/10[/blue] 11. Through a Glass Darkly (1961) [blue]6/10[/blue] 12. Autumn Sonata (1978) 6/10 13. Wild Strawberries (1957) [blue]6/10[/blue] 14. Saraband (2003) [blue]5/10[/blue] 15. Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) [blue]5/10[/blue] 16. Document Fanny & Alexander (1986) [blue]5/10[/blue] 17. The Devil's Eye (1960) [blue]4/10[/blue] 18. The Serpent's Egg (1977) [blue]3/10[/blue] 19. A Lesson in Love (1954) 3/10 20. Cries & Whispers (1972) [blue]2/10[/blue] 21. Now About These Women (1964) [blue]1/10[/blue]
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Oct 28, 2008 15:55:39 GMT
I have recently rewatched "Through a Glass Darkly", and it is now among my favorite Bergman films. Without spoiling anything, the climax of the film is perfect, with an increasing build up as well. Four characters on an isolated island, beautiful cinematography, genuinely creepy vibe, etc. All things that Bergman would perfect later in his career, but it's brilliant here as well.
While I'm at it, "A Passion" (or "The Passion of Anna") is CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED. Similar dealings of isolation among intellectuals on an island, with a subplot of some deranged madman slaughtering the livestock on the island. The use of color is perfection, the acting is excellent.....it constantly battles "Persona" and "Cries and Whispers" as my favorite Bergman. What happens when we come out of our shells to embrace the love of someone and the world around us? How long until we long for solitude again? What will we do to get it back? Easily the most personal connection I've ever had to a Bergman film.
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Post by quentincompson on Oct 28, 2008 19:06:30 GMT
1.Winter Light 9/10 2.Persona 9/10 3.Scenes from A Marriage 9/10 4.The Virgin Spring 8/10 5.Hour of the Wolf 8/10 6.The Silence 8/10 7.The Seventh Seal 7/10 8.Dreams 7/10 9.Through A Glass Darkly 7/10 10.Fanny and Alexander(3 hr) 7/10 11.Wild Strawberries 7/10 12.Cries and Whispers 5/10 13.Smiles of a Summer Night 5/10 14.Autumn Sonata 5/10
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Post by Michael on Oct 29, 2008 1:33:35 GMT
I watched Persona again last Wednesday. Bibi Andersson gives such an amazing performance.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Dec 5, 2008 1:25:33 GMT
Omar detailed thoughts on Autumn Sonata and Scenes from a marriage please! As you may know, I like them a lot and would love to hear your views. "Autumn Sonata" was a rare first viewing Bergman experience, because I watched it with a group of friends who were not quite expecting anything like it was. After watching so many Bergman films in a row, I felt like this one was less likely to stick with me, which is why I did not award it four stars. However, for Bergman perhaps, it is a routine masterpiece. The two lead performances are excellent, as is that of the sister. I like how the husband introduced the film and his role throughout, I liked the autumn like color scheme, and even the isolated interior setting works without feeling too stagy. The eerie ghostlike flashbacks feel like a warm up of sorts to the surreal aspects of "Fanny & Alexander". Excellent writing too, discussing the emotions between a mother and daughter, the problems they share, and suggesting the notion of whether or not the umbilical cord is ever actually removed. Great stuff indeed. I last saw "Scenes From a Marriage" probably about four years ago, when it first was released on DVD. I had forgotten what exactly it was like. Most of all, it is an excellent showcase for Bergman's use of closeups, with the actors faces and long winded (but brutally honest and often in-your-face) dialogue moving the film along. I watched the miniseries version, so these "scenes" are excellently placed throughout the worst half of these two people's relationship, giving amazing glimpses into their souls, being among the best studies of relationships and social psychology in film. And the two lead performances are tremendous.
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Post by svsg on Dec 5, 2008 19:14:34 GMT
Thanks Omar. Autumn Sonata is a hit or miss. Mostly rates pretty low in Bergman lists. SFAM is something you would like much better with time/age, I guess.
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Post by theundergroundman on Jan 12, 2009 0:32:59 GMT
1. The Silence (1963) - 9/10 2. Persona (1966) - 9/10 3. Winter Light (1962) - 8/10 4. The Virgin Spring (1960) - 8/10 5. Hour of the Wolf (1968) - 7/10 6. The Seventh Seal (1957) - 7/10 7. Wild Strawberries (1957) - 7/10 8. Cries and Whispers (1972) - 5/10
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Pherdy
Ghost writer
Posts: 596
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Post by Pherdy on Feb 25, 2009 13:29:53 GMT
Persona Tystnaden
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Post by svsg on Jul 12, 2009 18:35:36 GMT
Smiles of a summer night Seventh Seal Autumn Sonata Fanny and Alexander Scenes from a marriage Through a glass darkly Wonderful film, though I wonder how strong my memory of this film would be in future. The fact that he used just four characters in one location and also made a film with some depth, inspires me personally to think about film-making ideas in a small scale. The film touches upon quite a few themes that I would probably grasp only on a second viewing. Especially given the fact that Bergman treated this film as a part of a trilogy on God.
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