"Ingmar Bergman's films utterly depressing" -- Ingmar Bergman

Those are coming up soon in my Bergman box. I haven't seen them in about 15 years, but I remember them all being brutally bleak.

they all seem to be focused on the acknowledgement of the silence of god, and the choices that the characters then have about how to live their lives: Through a Glass Darkly ultimately concluding that god is love amid the scenes of hopelessness; Winter Light, in which rational discussions of love for and belief in god and belief in human relationships reveal them to be problematic, with some hope ultimately offered for faith; The Silence, even further diminishing our confidence in faith but also maybe elevating it, offering of a huge ray of light with the character of Johan1

Ended up skipping over Persona, Hour of the Wolf, The Passion of Anna, and Cries and Whispers for the moment and watching Scenes from a Marriage, the theatrical version. The first time I saw it was as a teenager. It feels now like it was of its time, in a good way

Gotta do the long version, it's so good

thinking I should, maybe will wait until I work my way through the rest of his films though. It does bring up for me the question of whether to watch the mini-series version or theatrical version of Fanny and Alexander

seeing this again a lot of its appeal is in the attractiveness of the two main characters, and I can now better relate to their worry about the reality of love, about the possibility of not having loved or been loved enough

It definitely hit me harder on my recent viewing than the previous one some 15 years ago. A big part of it is just their wonderful acting and all the long, long takes.

I prefer the theatrical F&A, it flows better, but both are worth watching.

I probably say it a couple times a year on this board, but you NEED to watch the full cut of F&A.

criterion channel does have both

really looking forward to seeing Persona again

Cries and Whisper is intense, it feels like a culmination of his surreal psychosexual dramas

I like Ebert’s description that the camera darts and falls back as if stunned, then in other scenes doesn’t look away when you want it to, focusing on the close-up with extreme impassivity

not sure what I think of Face to Face as a film, but Liv Ullmann is an incredible force in it

“love surrounds everything, even death” is a good resolution

it is kind of amazing that he allows dream scenes to take over big segments of his films

Face to Face is second tier Bergman. I have trouble remembering it beyond Ullmann reaction shots (as ever).

it feels like a lot of his characters even if they are tragic are willing/trying to support others

I love that about his films

The Serpent's Egg definitely seems like lesser Bergman

It's the one film of his I couldn't be bothered to finish.

Wild Strawberries is still my favorite of all of Bergman’s films. It is expansive and kind-hearted. It worries about the regrets we all have over the instances of rejection and distance that take place in the course of our lives but in the end it understands that compassion overrides everything. It is amazing that he made this when he was 39 years old

I've realized I've been wrong about Autumn Sonata because I've denied how closely it cuts to the bone. I know way too many mothers and daughters in this same cycle of rage and affection.

― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, June 4, 2019

There has always been praise for Ingrid Bergman in Autumn Sonata, but seeing it now Liv Ullmann’s performance seems as great. They are both particularly good in their scenes with each other

Pretty surprised by Dreams, a masterpiece by anyone else. I know Godard was a big fan (he either reviewed it in full or in passing, but he cited it a lot in his early criticism), anyway I'm pretty sure he lifted the opening shot of Alphaville from the train sequence in Dreams. Solidly second tier Bergman imo—a movie that lingers like a dream and feels just as elusive and emotionally obscure.

Dreams is one of the Bergman films I’ve missed, along with Sawdust and Tinsel

The first half of Fanny and Alexander is lovely and heartwarming, even when the events progress into sadness. The increasing cruelty of life in the Vergérus household in the second half is distressing but is made endurable because of Alexander’s optimism and bravery, and because the story is eventually overtaken by mystical events and by the return of Emilie, Fanny, and Alexander to the family

Dreams doesn't appear to be streaming or on US disc

It's in the big ol' box

(aside from a massive Criterion IB collection, that is -- no stand-alone) xp

Dreams is on the Criterion Channel, as is Sawdust and Tinsel, I'm looking forward to seeing them

The Devil's Eye is much better than his later attempt at comedy All These Women. not great, but very good

I wonder what he made of his daughter Anna's acting career?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Bergman

Bergman mostly appeared as a performer in several British sex comedies during the late 1970s including the title role in Penelope Pulls It Off (1975), Adventures of a Taxi Driver (1976), Intimate Games (1976), Come Play with Me (1977) and What's Up Superdoc! (1978)

"Anna Bergman's films utterly depressing" -- Ingmar Bergman

"as told to an ILX reporter."

"Shut UP, dad!"

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81bTOhaRUZL._SL1500_.jpg

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

So I finally knuckled down and watched The Seventh Seal. This film is such a piece of world cultural heritage it's really beyond criticism. But the above quote couldn't be more poignant, given the fires in Australia and Brazil, and other prominent climate changes. I suppose I really ought to take this to a politics thread.

Starting scenes from a marriage , my first bergman

was my first bergman too

Theatrical or mini-series version?

TV version of course

Are you watching his films in descending order of length? Fanny and Alexander next then.

I was going to ask what to watch next …

Here’s my review 2/3 way through
First third strong, delicious writing
Second third weaker. Where are the daughters?

I watched The Magic Flute today, found it hard to stay engaged with but was pleasant background

Second third weaker. Where are the daughters?

Otm.

i'm three episodes into the HBO scenes from a marriage remake, and i like how the daughter is actually a presence in the story, as opposed to being completely ignored in the original. not finding much interesting about it beyond that, though

Bergman Island begins as a droll, faintly precious Hong Sang-soo flick before going in an unexpected, delightful direction. Mia Hansen-Løve wrote and directed.

Pulled Dreams out of the box last night and really enjoyed it, as good as his early/"second tier" stuff gets. But I will always remember it for the little button at the end of Eva Dahlbeck's last scene with her lover, which got a huge LOL from me, maybe the single best joke in his filmography imho.

I like the film a lot, can't remember the joke

Just a perfectly staged & timed black-comic gag after an intense dramatic scene. (Hope I got the spoiler tag right bc I dont want to ruin it for folks.)

http://i.imgur.com/cAIEp5U.jpg

Ah, thanks!

to me the miniseries is just the guy from Star Wars and the lady from zero dark thirty having relationship problems no thanks

Damn I do want to catch the reissue of Cries and Whispers.

The new BFI trailer for it is excellent, but really pushes the horror movie angle (which of course it is and isn't, like so many Bergmans):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pbh0oTQXmE