chris3
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Post by chris3 on Oct 11, 2018 3:58:19 GMT
So this was a movie I've always been embarrassed for having never seen. In fact, the only Bergman films I had seen were The Seventh Seal and Persona, both of which are great. Anyway, I watched it tonight on a projector, and I'm SO glad I saw this on a big screen for my first viewing. MASTERPIECE, hands down. Just stunning. Easily the best film I've seen all year. I'm still buzzing from it. Some of the greatest cinematography of all time. The way the claustrophobic settings and extreme closeups convey the intensely personal, painfully intimate themes is absolutely masterful. The visuals are ravishing, yet the tone is somehow both severely austere and achingly compassionate, sometimes at the exact same time. I'm frankly overwhelmed. The scene where Agnes comes back from the dead (and the subsequent differing reactions from Karin, Maria, and Anna) is probably one of my favorite moments in movie history. My mind is still swimming with the themes, so any analysis I can muster will surely seem asinine. I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on it. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 4:08:49 GMT
Of the 15-16 Bergman movies I've seen, this one's actually my least favorite - definitely not bad, I just couldn't really get into it for some reason. Some beautiful moments, still. Glad you liked it so much.
I'd 1000% recommend Wild Strawberries and Fanny and Alexander since you've loved the ones you've seen so far, both are in my Top 20 of all time.
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Post by ingmarhepburn on Oct 11, 2018 4:22:06 GMT
It's perfect in every way. It's the film that got me into Bergman, and it's now among my 10 favorite movies of all-time. Seeing it for the first time was like witnessing a miracle. The cinematograhy is all-time great, with many images resembling paintings; the voice-off narration and the background classical music gives it a strong lyrical touch; and the performances of the three actresses are so vivid, you can almost feel their pain. Bergman has a lot of great films, but none as good as this one.
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Post by Joaquim on Oct 11, 2018 4:31:41 GMT
My thoughts are about the same as redhawk’s. I’ve seen much less Bergmans than that (5-7 I think) and it’s my least favorite and also the only one I rate lower than 8/10. Still good though. 7/10, but will admit it needs a rewatch.
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Post by Tommen_Saperstein on Oct 11, 2018 5:55:38 GMT
I'll never forget that scene with Ingrid Thulin...  Seriously though, as loved as C&W is I don't think Thulin's chilling performance is talked about enough. It's one of the best bitch performances ever. |
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Post by The_Cake_of_Roth on Oct 11, 2018 6:40:06 GMT
Not sure I'd call it my favorite Bergman, but it would definitely be among his top 3 for me. Shattering piece of work.
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Post by pendragon on Oct 11, 2018 6:51:59 GMT
Seriously though, as loved as C&W is I don't think Thulin's chilling performance is talked about enough. It's one of the best bitch performances ever. Seconding this. I agonized over whether to give my win to Thulin or Ullmann, but the dinner scene made me give it to Thulin. They're both amazing, though. |
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Post by pacinoyes on Oct 11, 2018 8:51:01 GMT
I prefer him before this period and this film, in the 60s (Virgin Spring, Shame, Hour Of The Wolf) because afterwards he becomes almost oppressive in a way - but being a genius its a devastating kind of oppressive so its one of his great works anyway.
The howls of pain are quite jarring when contrasted to the colors - the red and whites and you could go nuts finding all sorts of cues from that stylistic device. The whole color palette and those (terrifying) howls of pain and sounds - either clear or faint echoes (almost through time across the rooms) were new to his work - it looks like an entirely new director in a way since all his previous great films were in black and white.
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Post by JangoB on Oct 11, 2018 11:41:25 GMT
It's a total, TOTAL masterpiece of a film, and the one Bergman that for me just keeps getting better and better with time. It's as if this film planted some sort of a seed within me when I first watched it and this seed just keeps growing with each new day. It's a perfect work of art.
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Post by stabcaesar on Oct 11, 2018 11:51:33 GMT
It's fabulous.
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chris3
Badass
I just ordered a slice of pumpkin pie...
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Post by chris3 on Oct 15, 2018 3:42:57 GMT
So I'm officially obsessed. Rewatched The Seventh Seal (masterpiece) and then immediately watched Wild Strawberries, which was so much more emotional than I anticipated. All four Bergman films I've seen so far have been absolute masterpieces that have spoken to me in ways very few films have in the past. 2018 has f**ked me up due to a painful breakup from a long-term relationship, and these movies have really helped out for a) showcasing that the things I'm feeling are very universal, which helps my loneliness, and b) the fact that my ex would've never appreciated films of this nature.
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