Comments on: Ingmar Bergman, the hero of my youth, dies http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/ Just another Pajamasmedia.com weblog Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:34:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ricpic http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88962 ricpic Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:26:07 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88962 Bergman films: full of deep meaning when viewed in ones youth; full of unbearable pomposity when viewed in ones mature years. Bergman films: full of deep meaning when viewed in ones youth; full of unbearable pomposity when viewed in ones mature years.

]]> By: Peter G. http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88961 Peter G. Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:09:26 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88961 The 50s films, in general, seem to me to be his best, with Sawdust and Tinsel and Wild Strawberries topping the list. Things get problematic with the 60s films, though Persona is strange enough to make it worth watching (and possibly re-watching). Some of the 70s films strike me as pretentious, lugubrious, and forgettable, though Fanny and Alexander (1982?) was a great summation to his career. Very strange that Antonioni has now died within a day of Bergman. The 50s films, in general, seem to me to be his best, with Sawdust and Tinsel and Wild Strawberries topping the list. Things get problematic with the 60s films, though Persona is strange enough to make it worth watching (and possibly re-watching). Some of the 70s films strike me as pretentious, lugubrious, and forgettable, though Fanny and Alexander (1982?) was a great summation to his career.

Very strange that Antonioni has now died within a day of Bergman.

]]> By: Esbiem http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88960 Esbiem Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:53:40 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88960 For me, Bergman was to film what Pollock was to painting, liberating and eye-opening; one joyful the other dour, breaking the bonds of conventional expression as dictated by the Manhatten and L.A. elites. For me, Bergman was to film what Pollock was to painting, liberating and eye-opening; one joyful the other dour, breaking the bonds of conventional expression as dictated by the Manhatten and L.A. elites.

]]> By: shockcorridor http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88959 shockcorridor Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:40:01 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88959 Hour of the Wolf, Through a Glass Darkly, Fanny and Alexander, Persona, and my all-time favorite The Virgin Spring Hour of the Wolf, Through a Glass Darkly, Fanny and Alexander, Persona, and my all-time favorite The Virgin Spring

]]> By: freetotem http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88958 freetotem Mon, 30 Jul 2007 23:20:17 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88958 I saw The Seventh Seal again recently. Maybe I've seen too many Woody Allen parodies, but it seemed melodramatic and overwrought to me. I always liked Fannie and Alexander, despite its sentimentality, and The Magic Flute, which among other virtues contained what is still the finest performance of the Ice Queen's spine-tingling aria I have ever heard, recorded or live. I thought Scenes From a Marriage was great at the time, but haven't seen it in ages. I wonder if it holds up today? I saw The Seventh Seal again recently. Maybe I’ve seen too many Woody Allen parodies, but it seemed melodramatic and overwrought to me. I always liked Fannie and Alexander, despite its sentimentality, and The Magic Flute, which among other virtues contained what is still the finest performance of the Ice Queen’s spine-tingling aria I have ever heard, recorded or live. I thought Scenes From a Marriage was great at the time, but haven’t seen it in ages. I wonder if it holds up today?

]]> By: scribe10 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88957 scribe10 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 22:59:24 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88957 Here is what Begman said about his Nazi past: "Bergman Reveals His Nazi Leanings As A Youth 8 September 1999 (StudioBriefing) Eighty-one-year-old director Ingmar Bergman is being quoted in a Swedish tabloid, Expressen, that he was a Nazi sympathizer and admirer of Adolf Hitler in his youth. According to the tabloid, Bergman has given an interview to writer Maria-Pia Boethius for a book, Honor and Conscience, which questions whether Sweden was actually neutral during World War II. In that interview, Bergman reportedly stated that when he first visited Germany in 1936, "The Nazism I had seen seemed fun and youthful" -- even, apparently, when he watched his brother and friends attack the house of a Jew, painting the walls with swastikas. His attitude changed only after the war ended, he confessed. "When the doors to the concentration camps were thrown open, at first I did not want to believe my eyes. When the truth came out it was a hideous shock for me. In a brutal and violent way I was suddenly ripped of my innocence." " http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000005/news Here is what Begman said about his Nazi past:

“Bergman Reveals His Nazi Leanings As A Youth
8 September 1999 (StudioBriefing)
Eighty-one-year-old director Ingmar Bergman is being quoted in a Swedish tabloid, Expressen, that he was a Nazi sympathizer and admirer of Adolf Hitler in his youth. According to the tabloid, Bergman has given an interview to writer Maria-Pia Boethius for a book, Honor and Conscience, which questions whether Sweden was actually neutral during World War II. In that interview, Bergman reportedly stated that when he first visited Germany in 1936, “The Nazism I had seen seemed fun and youthful” — even, apparently, when he watched his brother and friends attack the house of a Jew, painting the walls with swastikas. His attitude changed only after the war ended, he confessed. “When the doors to the concentration camps were thrown open, at first I did not want to believe my eyes. When the truth came out it was a hideous shock for me. In a brutal and violent way I was suddenly ripped of my innocence.” ”

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000005/news

]]> By: scribe10 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88956 scribe10 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:22:10 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88956 I am sorry to ruin the glorious wake but I didn't like Bergman's portryal of Jews. Bergman in his your was a member of a Swedish Nazi group and his view of Jews was a bit to shall we say problematic for me. The on film he made with a Jewish character whose family survived the Holocaust showed him to be still indulginng in anti-Jewish fantasies. Another film about a Jewish brilliant musician was equally antisemitic. I am sorry to ruin the glorious wake but I didn’t like Bergman’s portryal of Jews.

Bergman in his your was a member of a Swedish Nazi group and his view of Jews was a bit to shall we say problematic for me.

The on film he made with a Jewish character whose family survived the Holocaust showed him to be still indulginng in anti-Jewish fantasies.

Another film about a Jewish brilliant musician was equally antisemitic.

]]> By: Brown Line http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88955 Brown Line Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:06:33 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88955 Favorite Bergman? Well, it may not be his greatest film, but I'm very fond of <i>The Magic Flute</i>. For me, the combination of Bergman and Mozart and that lovely 18th-century theater are pure magic. My favorite Bergman story, though, involves a double feature of <i>The Seventh Seal</i>, followed by <i>Wild Strawberries</i>. We saw <i>The Seventh Seal</i> first, and were, of course, deeply moved by Max von Sydow's performance as the Knight. Then, we saw the earlier film; and when von Sydow made his cameo as a gas-station attendant, complete with little paper hat, the audience cracked up. Two wonderful movies, but an unfortunately juxtaposition. <i>Requiscat in pacem</i>, Mr Bergman, and many thanks. Favorite Bergman? Well, it may not be his greatest film, but I’m very fond of The Magic Flute. For me, the combination of Bergman and Mozart and that lovely 18th-century theater are pure magic.

My favorite Bergman story, though, involves a double feature of The Seventh Seal, followed by Wild Strawberries. We saw The Seventh Seal first, and were, of course, deeply moved by Max von Sydow’s performance as the Knight. Then, we saw the earlier film; and when von Sydow made his cameo as a gas-station attendant, complete with little paper hat, the audience cracked up. Two wonderful movies, but an unfortunately juxtaposition.

Requiscat in pacem, Mr Bergman, and many thanks.

]]> By: Patrick Tyson http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88954 Patrick Tyson Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:03:01 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88954 <i>Smiles of a Summer Night</i> Smiles of a Summer Night

]]> By: SteveBrooklineMA http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88953 SteveBrooklineMA Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:35:38 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2007/07/30/ingmar-bergman-the-hero-of-my-youth-dies/#comment-88953 Sawdust and Tinsel. A very tough choice. Sawdust and Tinsel. A very tough choice.

]]>