Autumn Sonata by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Non-English

One of the only color films of Bergman I have managed to land my hands on Autumn Sonata is a masterpiece in its own right. Although more celebrated for its performances by Ingrid Bergman & Liv Ulman, Bergman has to be credited with his almost flawless handling of the delicate relationship shared between a mother and a daughter.

Ingrid's character has been busy all her life, pursuing a career as a celebrated pianist she in turn has forgone her personal life and her children - Eva and Helena. Through the film Bergman pokes, prods and annihilates their personal space by creating a new one. He uses this new space to analyse and dissect their interpersonal relationship. From the start it's the mother who is in a dominant position but eventually it gives way to the daughter finally getting a hold on things and finally managing to get her mother to acknowledge the pain they underwent as kids. Helena on the other hand is a spastic child who is now almost incapable of communicating, only with the help of her sister, Eva can she actually put forth her emotions and comments.

The characters he creates and particularly the joy of what color can do for a film is brilliant exposed by Bergman. The lighting in the scene where there's a projector, when there's a warm glaze of sunlight coming from outside do you realize how important the lighting and how much color holds. The reds in Bergman's films are definitely always spoken about and for once I got to see a taste of this power.

Most of all Autumn Sonata - with it's powerful music of Chopin & Bach lend a very interesting comparison to the characters he creates on screen. His framing, relying heavily on his close ups but now capturing 2 central characters is almost undeniably brilliant of his work. Even though it's been made in 1978 it still, in my mind, belongs to the early 50's of European Cinema.

Recommendation level: 5/5 - Eventually the film is quite relentless but for his vastly different way of handling female relationships - Bergman gets a 5 on this! Note that unless you're used to Bergman you will find this 92 minute film to be quite boring. My personal copy!

Summer with Monika by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Non-English

Bergman's take on young love and the relationship that blossoms after it has 2 uncompromising and amazing close ups. Perhaps the best in films seen till date, the first being when Monika is about to embark on an affair with a man she despised at some point and the second is when Harry fondly remembers his love by looking at a mirror. Really brilliant scenes.

The film deals with the young love between Monika and Harry and how in one summer their loves change forever, she gets pregnant and eventually wants to seek something completely new. She wants to be free and doesn't want to take up a role as a home-maker, Harry on the other hand gets consumed by his desire to provide for the child and her that he ends up neglecting the very same reason why he fell in love with her - her free spiritdness.

I have already mentioned the close ups to look for, but beyond all of this there's more! Bergman completely enchanted by Stockholm really locks his horns on the city and the people about it, in a very spectacular manner he manages to portray his love for the city and at the same time manage to be like the outsider in his own city. A truly marvellous perspective. Also watch out for Harriet Andersson, her portrayl of Monika is really amazing, but credit to Bergman to really make a film which has bold scenes and has such a strong protagnoist who keeps getting torn between her responsibilites and her wish to be free. Lars Ekborg is very resilient and there's a sense of disinterest but responsibility within him, his childhood probably leaves a much larger impact on him than Monika's also troubled childhood.

Everything else is top notch, so nothing left to be added. Oh yeah it was also very bold for it's times and bla bla, just wiki that shit you will know more.

Recommendation level: 4/5 - Picked it up from Palador's collection so that's pretty alright. Go watch it if you can!

Summer Interlude by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Non-English

I simply had to make sure I get more of Bergman's films and the rewards are really there. Summer Interlude made in 1951 is probably one of the earliest attempts at reminiscing about the past and more importantly about living old memories through the present and potentially the future.

Bergman isn't attacking God and his Father in this film as much as he would want to, he does towards the end but he's completely absorbed in putting the young love across to the viewers, he's so consumed by the lustful glances of the Erland, he's so embittered by the sudden loss of a life and most importantly he carries forth the emotion he creates perfectly right till the end.

To the plot - Marie falls in love with a young man whom she remembers fondly in her memories, through the film we come to know about their romance and the subsequent departure of his from her life. Erland is the uncle who "prepares" Marie to build walls and not let people come close. Eventually after becoming very successful as a ballerina she finally comes across her first love's memories and tries to cope with his loss almost a decade after he departs.

The acting is really good, so is the camera work (close ups) but the vision that Bergman holds as usual comes through completely.

Recommendation level: 4/5 - This film is really good and well unless you really appreciate Bergman I think a lot of people will get phased out. Very simple on the surface but very complex to comprehend at last.

Wild Strawberries by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Non-English

Along with The Seventh Seal & The Magician, Wild Strawberries launched Bergman's international career. For the first time he moves away from his studio sets and emphasis on "sets" since Bergman is such a powerful theater personality. While there's also the intense debate about theater and film, Bergman undeniably takes the best of both worlds and mixes it very poignantly. In fact I'd like to add here that aside from being the master of the close up, he's one of the few film makers who has a brilliant understanding of the medium of Black and White.

The movie follows the much acclaimed Victor Sjöström, who despite retiring from cinema in real life makes a comeback to films for his friend Bergman. It tells the story of Victor's character Isak Borg who attempts to find redemption in his life after a horrific dream. The people he meets on a "road trip" he undertakes with his daughter in law manage to provide him with the tools of understanding humanity and more importantly understanding his relationship with himself.

Such strong performances by everyone especially Ingrid Thulin. Make this film a definite watch, Bergman is all about the metaphors and symbols, so people who like to use such crappy terms to describe film makers should be able to watch this film with no problems!

Recommendation level: 5/5 - this is a masterpiece and a must for any Cinema enthusiasts, don't get bored!

The Silence by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Non-English

I'd rate this as one of most bizarre works created by Bergman. That is not to say it's bad, it's very well executed. To finely understand the power of the close up that Bergman brings is to know the understanding Bergman is bringing to his reality. I won't go into that because it's not meant for a blog.

The key to understanding Bergman is to understand his close ups, it's to understand the utter Nihilistic properties his films bring. They aren't direct, heck they are just done by his control of his medium.

The plot follows 2 sisters (Anna & Ester) who are traveling back home with Anna's son (Johan). They have to stop for a few days as Ester's health deteriorates and she needs rest. From then on the film follows how the 3 characters interact with the locals in a language they aren't even familiar with.

Bergman's love for music is evident as there's Bach mentioned a few times, I'd even go so far as to compare Bergman's movies to symphonies where he is conducting his actors. That's for another day! There's also the duality of his characters which he went to later explore in films such as Persona. Here it's evident with each sister standing for certain traits in humanity.

Recommendation level: 5/5 - This movie was provocative for it's time, I can see why but the kind of experience it brings is fantastic. A brilliant end to his "Faith" trilogy.

Winter Light by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Non-English

The second film in his trilogy of Faith, Bergman here goes unabashedly about Jesus Christ, God and prominent moments of His life. The most prominent one and the one which is really revealing is when a lay person takes a really distopian take on the crucifixion.

There's once again plenty of references to Bergman's own personal state of mind and why he also struggles to come to grips with his own faith and his own childhood. Personally it's a really relentless and savage take on the Christian faith, it's also a change from Through a Glass Darkly's moment of Truth at the end of the film.

To what extent does mankind itself draw upon others until finally it destroys itself. There's more than just Existentialism being thrown around here, there's almost an abject sense of Nihilism represent in this film which grinds on as I said - relentlessly.

The performances are so strong that I'd like to personally mention Gunnar Björnstrand is absolutely strong in his role as the Pastor who pretty much has dissolved his personality and his 'humanity'. There have always been films that have tackled the crisis of the faith of Priests/Pastors also about the Catholic Church in itself but this is a remarkable achievement in this direction.

Recommendation level: 5/5 - Yeah, it is that excellent

Through a Glass Darkly by Ingmar Bergman

Category: Non-English

Bergman's religious baggage since his childhood have always lead him to question the very nature of what God is like. Throughout his career he has recurring characters in his movies who are out on a mission to find peace within themselves, perhaps through their family?

This film deals with the Schizophrenia of a popular writer's daughter and her struggle to deal with it, more importantly the meltdown it ushers in an already disintegrating family. While the film on the surface has no direct connotations, there's plenty of words about the bible and what perception we have of God. What perception people who are mentally unsound have of God - in this it's manifest as a Spider.

The movie has some strong performances and has a beautiful recurring theme by Bach which is a Cello in D minor (not completely sure about this!). The leet motif recurs just at the right time and provides a different depth to the characters and the situations they are thrust into. The implications of the mental prison/cube/cage and the physical limitations of the region they are in are also noteworthy!

Recommendation level: 4/5 - Really brilliant, the actors are so strong really, do pick this film it's a good watch for international cinema enthusiasts. I'll be following up tomorrow and the day after with more Bergman films so watch out!