One of the most important figures of the modern cinema, Ingmar Bergman became a genre unto himself. His primary concerns were man’s relationship to his deity, the fragility of the human psyche, and the struggle between material and spiritual values. Within these frameworks, Bergman crafted a body of work celebrated for its technical and textual innovations, as well as its willingness to confront the most intractable questions of faith and existence. Bergman remains one of the most profound and influential artists the film medium has yet produced.
Don’t miss this week’s movies:
The Seventh Seal
Upon his return from the Crusades, Antonius Blok, a Swedish knight, is confronted by the Plague and Death himself. In an attempt to save his life he challenges Death to a game of Chess. While the knight’s future is in the end doomed, his game of Thoughful Russian Roullette creates one of the most visually memorable narratives in film history.
(Sweden, 1957, 96 min, dir. Ingmar Bergman, with Max von Sydow & Gunnar Bjornstrand, Swedish with English subtitles)
Smiles of a Summer Night
Set on a country estate at the turn of the century, it features eight people who, during the course of one evening, change partners several times and engage in multiple romantic trysts.
(Sweden, 1955, B&W, 108 mins, dir. Ingmar Bergman, with Ulla Jacobsson & Eva Dahlbeck)
Wild Strawberries
After living a life marked by coldness, an aging professor is forced to confront the emptiness of his existence.
(Sweden, 1957, B&W, 90 mins, dir. Ingmar Bergman, with Victor Sjorstrom & Ingrid Thulin, Swedish with English subtitles)
Visit World Cinema Saturdays on UCSD-TV to see what’s playing in the weeks ahead.