It's a bit hard to get much of a christmas feeling in the south of France, so what better than to re-watch Ingemar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander, his part Scandinavian melancholia, part magic realism tale of a family in the early part of the previous century and a summing up of the director's oeuvre (Look, Ma, I used the word oeuvre!).There are some funny differences between Norwegians and Swedes. Swedes like to sing drinking songs, something that Norwegians never do. And they often refer to each other in the third person when talking. Each time I watch this film I tell myself I should check out more of Bergman's earlier black and white films, but they have a reputation of being dark and depressing, so I never do. And where do I start? The Seventh Seal? Everything comes together for this film: The composition of the images, Sven Nykvist's cinematography, all the actors, even the two kids! and the script. A masterpiece, and the extended tv version is even better. Favourite parts: the escape, the puppet, the mummy, the scene with Ismael and Gustav's speach.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a masterpiece. The full-length TV-version was shown on danish television over four evenings at Christmas in 1982. I was 10 years old and totally freaked out by the scenes with the ghosts and the mummy and especially the fat aunt in the bed. Not to mention the burned bishop! I didn't have a good night's sleep until way into 1983! Years later I saw the shorter movie version and was very disappointed, a lot was missing. I have seen the TV-version again a few times over the last couple of years, and. My favourite part - the introduction during Christmas eve alone - as I recall it's a good hour long - is a great movie by itself. I would recommend this to anyone. As I write this I could easily put it on and enjoy this funny, grotesque, spooky and plain beautiful work of a true master. But, back to work!
ReplyDelete"Fanny et Alexandre", absolument indépassable. Aussi bien, oui, c'est possible (mon panthéon n'est pas exclusif), mieux, non. C'est au cinéma ce que "Guerre et Paix" est à la littérature, ou "Jimmy Corrigan" à la bande dessinée, un MONDE. Ce qu'il y a de particulièrement formidable dans les trois œuvres que je cite, c'est qu'elles se développent (amplement) à partir de l'intime (la famille). Mais on peut aimer autant de toutes petites formes pour elles-mêmes et non incluses dans une grande architecture.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me how great this movie is - will need to pick it up on DVD over the Xmas holidays. I used to rent lots of Bergman movies from the library to help me learn Swedish and have to confess that some of his films bore me to tears. If you are interested in black and white Bergman check out Summer With Monika (Sommaren med Monika) from 1953 - it's one of my favourite Bergman films and totally not depressing or boring (although being Bergman there are no happy endings). I could imagine it in pictoral cats and dogs form!
ReplyDeleteYes, Summer With Monika is one of the films I'm interested in seeing. Also, Smiles of a Summer Night.
ReplyDelete