A film made up of nightmares, Bergman continues to master the realm of surrealism with a beautifully sinister Gothic feel to backdrop it all on. It's one of those films that makes you question what exactly are you watching, not only in image but also in tone. You began to wonder if Bergman is poking fun or if he's simply replicating how his nightmares (or some nightmares in general) tend to play out. When the full on "what the fuck" portion of the film unravels, you expect it to play out like The Shining, but instead it turns into a sort of cheap dark comedy freak show act. It's masterfully done with some of the best and most strange work done by Nykvist. Minimalistic in set design, overexposure, long dark blacks that fill the backgrounds, etc.
I had a faint idea of what the film was "about" as it ended because it seems there is a constant thread within some of Bergman's work (self loathing, questioning the point of art/the artist, ego, etc.), but after reading this review/analysis it sort of helped cement my thoughts on it. Plus, it has one of the best lines of any review ever:
While her husband chases his dick all the way to psychic oblivion, Alma is keyed into survival — she carries life within her — and in the end she doesn’t want to resemble her mate any more than Liv Ullmann wanted to resemble Ingmar Bergman.
Ingmar was a ballsy motherfucker who really wasn't afraid to craft entire projects criticizing (The Magician) or poking fun at art or brooding dark artists like himself. The guy was brilliantly funny in that dark sort of way.
ArmandFancypants wrote:A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Basically as close to perfect as a film is going to get. There isn't a wrong foot placed anywhere, the cast, direction, music, all chosen brilliantly and assembled with a great deal of care. It's such a gentle film dealing in such a brutal, arbitrary, and unforgiving world... I think the simple choice to use the Thames as the only thoroughfare somehow gives it that quality, that stillness, so much so that when More is refused by the boatmen you feel that's the point where his life is forfeit, and everything that comes after is just a fait accompli. It's the film that best embody's Zinnemann's wish to embody Hillel's quotation, truly his masterpiece in a career that is very well stacked indeed.
The amazing Robert Bolt. Glad we agree that this one is Zinnemann's best film and not High Noon.£
A film made up of nightmares, Bergman continues to master the realm of surrealism with a beautifully sinister Gothic feel to backdrop it all on. It's one of those films that makes you question what exactly are you watching, not only in image but also in tone. You began to wonder if Bergman is poking fun or if he's simply replicating how his nightmares (or some nightmares in general) tend to play out. When the full on "what the fuck" portion of the film unravels, you expect it to play out like The Shining, but instead it turns into a sort of cheap dark comedy freak show act. It's masterfully done with some of the best and most strange work done by Nykvist. Minimalistic in set design, overexposure, long dark blacks that fill the backgrounds, etc.
I had a faint idea of what the film was "about" as it ended because it seems there is a constant thread within some of Bergman's work (self loathing, questioning the point of art/the artist, ego, etc.), but after reading this review/analysis it sort of helped cement my thoughts on it. Plus, it has one of the best lines of any review ever:
While her husband chases his dick all the way to psychic oblivion, Alma is keyed into survival — she carries life within her — and in the end she doesn’t want to resemble her mate any more than Liv Ullmann wanted to resemble Ingmar Bergman.
Ingmar was a ballsy motherfucker who really wasn't afraid to craft entire projects criticizing (The Magician) or poking fun at art or brooding dark artists like himself. The guy was brilliantly funny in that dark sort of way.
Of all the Bergman stuff I've heard about (I've only seen Persona as of now) this is the one Ive wanted to see the most. I've been more curious about it than some of his other more well known films
Mulholland Dr owes it a debt. Bergman was a master surrealist who used all sorts of different influences like 40s horror and German Expressionism to really convey the psychological terrors into visuals. But his biggest influence was his own dreams and nightmares.
Kingsman The Secret Service (2014)
I was lucky enough to catch this while it was still in cinemas. It is a really good time. Matthew Vaughn is truly good at this comicbook movie thing yo.
ArmandFancypants wrote:A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Basically as close to perfect as a film is going to get. There isn't a wrong foot placed anywhere, the cast, direction, music, all chosen brilliantly and assembled with a great deal of care. It's such a gentle film dealing in such a brutal, arbitrary, and unforgiving world... I think the simple choice to use the Thames as the only thoroughfare somehow gives it that quality, that stillness, so much so that when More is refused by the boatmen you feel that's the point where his life is forfeit, and everything that comes after is just a fait accompli. It's the film that best embody's Zinnemann's wish to embody Hillel's quotation, truly his masterpiece in a career that is very well stacked indeed.
The amazing Robert Bolt. Glad we agree that this one is Zinnemann's best film and not High Noon.£
Well... they're actually very similar. And High Noon is amazing as well. But I think both The Search and The Nun's Story are also better than High Noon.
I'd rank what I've seen of him like this:
1. A Man for All Seasons
2. The Search
3. The Nun’s Story
4. High Noon
5. The Day of the Jackal
6. The Sundowners
7. From Here to Eternity
8. Act of Violence
9. Julia
10. Oklahoma!
ChristNolan wrote:Mulholland Dr owes it a debt. Bergman was a master surrealist who used all sorts of different influences like 40s horror and German Expressionism to really convey the psychological terrors into visuals. But his biggest influence was his own dreams and nightmares.
I remember when first seeing Persona I was mind blown for a while at the parallels between it and Mulholland Drive. It almost felt like MD was an unofficial spiritual sequel.
