another happy bergman film ~

[lookingland]

ingmar bergman's The Virgin Spring was the forerunner of wes craven's The Last House on the Left. if you're not familiar with the american variation on the film, let me just say that even though craven upped the sickening violence of the original story, bergman's original is still pretty horrible to watch.

unlike craven's, though, bergman's film really wrestles with the themes of revenge and justice and faith. i squirmed a lot watching this one, but found it a very powerful exploration of how one God-loving family copes with outrageous brutality and their own horror-stricken grief. most affecting is max von sydow's final lamentation to God, which isn't the angry father's condemnation that you would expect.

wonderfully even-handed ~ even though it is based on a morality tale from a medieval ballad, it's not heavy handed at all.

they just don't make 'em like this anymore.

Comments

[sb77.livejournal.com]

Looks intresting!

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

do you know bergman's work at all? i'd say it was on par ~ i enjoyed it, though it was rather dark (as bergman is).

: D

[akirad.livejournal.com]

I absolutely loved that movie. I remember I had an English Lit. essay to write for the next day (i'm a last-minute sort of guy) and during a break I switche on the TV and this was starting. When I got up the movie was over and it was like 1AM. Never got the essay finshed of course.

The next morning in class the teacher asked me why my essay wasn't done and I fessed-up and said it was because I'd started watching the Virgin Spring and couldnt stop. She just nodded knowingly and said it was fine, then gave me a another day to finish it!

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

that's a great story ~ ! and lucky you!

and it's certainly the kind of movie you can't stop once you start!

: D

[lastremnant.livejournal.com]

you have me curious...what's the film about? Is it based on the middle ages?

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

yeah, it's roughly medieval in setting. if you don't know bergman's work it would be a pretty accessible introduction. the story is pretty straight forward.

basic premise: spoiled young virgin oversleeps when she's supposed to take candles to the church. her parents send her right out and calamity ensues when she meets some goat herders on the road.

to tell more than that would basically give it all away.

: D

[lastremnant.livejournal.com]

Didn't Bergman do Joan of Arc (silent film) and the Seventh Seal?

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

Bresson did The Trial of Joan of Arc and Dreyer did The Passion of Joan of Arc.

but yeah, bergman did The Seventh Seal.

: D