Badmovies.org Forum

It bothers me a bit that many people won't give the films of old Ingmar a chance, perhaps because they've gotten the reputation as being somehow too dense or "arty" to just enjoy as movies.
Fact is, many of his films can pack an emotional wallop and disturb you in ways that a dozen Freddy Kruegers can only dream of --
I just had occasion to watch "Through a Glass Darkly" for the first time -- certainly not as famous as some of his other films, but abrupt and risk-taking nonetheless.
If you're not very familiar with his work, try "The Magician" or "The Seventh Seal" at first, then move on to something like "Cries and Whispers" --
Roger Corman was his American distributor for decades, and really saved him from  bankruptcy at one point by being willing to distribute "Cries and Whispers" when nobody else would touch it.  Gotta hand it to our Roger . . .
peter johnson/denny crane

Virgin Springs is the only Bergman movie I've seen, it was pretty good, I only saw it cause I heard Last House on the Left was a re-make of it.

Bergman uses elements of horror and psychological terror in his films, and for someone who spends so much time doubting the existence of God, has a strong supernatural thread through his work as well --
Some of it, like "Smiles of a Summers' Night", can work as a straight ghost story.
"Virgin Spring" I liked, but tend to think of as a minor work, though you are introduced to some of his actors -- Like Scorscese, Bergman tends to work with the same people from film to film, both actors and crew.
I know I've seen "The Seventh Seal" over 2 dozen times, easily, and can still find new things about it to admire.  Definitely one of his major works.
peter johnson/denny crane

I read Virgin Springs was his least favorite, I need to check out Seventh Seal.

No, I didn't realise that "Virgin Spring" was his least favorite -- That makes sense, though, as he wrote so many of his original screenplays from original ideas, and "Virgin Spring" is just a retelling of a Swedish folk-legend.
peter j./denny c.

THE SEVENTH SEAL is the only one that I've seen. Looks like all his work was done in Sweden.

(http://www.pumpkinsoft.de/covershots/1403.jpg)

Yeah, Bergman is no Werner Herzog -- Herzog went abroad many times to some of the most inhospitable jungle areas of the world, but Bergman did all of his films in his native Sweden, which is sort of like Woody Allen doing almost all of his films in Manhattan.
Bergman never felt a need to travel abroad, as he feels that all of humanity is its own microcosm:  That is, human behaviour is such a universal that how people behave in Stockholm is how they behave in rural Alabama or The Sahara.
* * *
Okay, Scott, now that you've seen "Seal", see "The Magician" or "Persona" or "Cries and Whispers" -- dese vill blow yer mind-o
peter bergman/denny bergman

I would have to recommend De Düva to any Bergman fans.  I caught it at The Chicago Intenational Film Festival in '04,  but it appears to be online here http://bergmanorama.com.temp.omnis.com/multimedia.htm (http://bergmanorama.com.temp.omnis.com/multimedia.htm).

Seen it many times/Love it --
The very young Madeline Kahn ("Young Frankenstein", "Blazing Etc.") looking in the broken mirror . . .
Another film full of Bergman parody is Bob & Doug McKenzie's "Strange Brew" -- the beer is named after the castle in "7th Seal", Max Von Sydow(!?) plays the bad guy, etc. etc.
peter j./denny c.

"Wild Strawberries" is my favourite film ever made, when I sit down calmly and think about it. It's beautifully made and written, acted almost to perfection, and has moments of the most heart-breaking drama and the gentlest comedy. I'd have zero reservation calling it one of the 20th century's greatest works of art and I'd recommend to everyone here to watch.

I've heard of WILD STRAWBERRIES many times, but have yet to see it. Sounds interesting.

"Wild Strawberries" works on the presumption that experiences of youth and experiences of maturity are Universal --
In order for the film to work, you have to accept that you've met these people before in your own life, and that what follows could be your own microcosm.
It is my wife's favorite Bergman film -- though I tend toward things like "Hour of The Wolf"
peter wolf/denny despair

Just finished watching Autumn Sonata, which was a chuckle extravaganza.  Team this movie with 'Night Mother and you've got yourself a double-bill sure to cheer.

Anyway, I went ahead and gave Sonata the full five stars, even though a movie consisting almost entirely of a real time conversation between a mother and daughter is not generally my cup of tea.

(Not many people know this, but Ingmar and Ingrid Bergman were actually born as Siamese twins.  Joined at the hip and sharing a kidney, they were separated at the age of two by a Viennese doctor in the first successful operation of its sort.  It's true; you can look it up.  Try Wikipedia.)

I'll have to watch Wild Strawberries again when I get the chance.

Oh, Yes!!
That Wacky Bergman clan!!
But for real laughs, try the slapstick comedy of "Cries And Whispers"!!
 . . . Easily the single film that I have compared to being hit by a Howitzer . . .
peter johnson/denny crane

I own Saraband, but have yet to watch it. Is it any good?