Comments on Strange Culture: Foreign into Fall: Part II

You continue to pick some really fantastic films h...

2007-08-31T08:36:08.158-06:00

You continue to pick some really fantastic films here.
Cries and Whispers is actually my favorite Bergman film, so I wasn't surprised at all at its many nominations. Sorry to be the black sheep here. It has such an overwhelming sense of the visual, which is used almost as a language in itself. And the story develops almost like a spiritual opera. I felt it was unbelievably moving, but you know, film-watching is always so dependent on the state of the viewer while watching it. God may have prepped my life so I would resonate with it.
If you at all cared for Bergman, you should check out The Seveth Seal, The Virgin Spring and Through a Glass Darkly."

I'm with you on Cries and Whispers. I love Bergman...

2007-08-30T23:15:48.167-06:00

I'm with you on Cries and Whispers. I love Bergman, but I've watched it twice and found it as dull each time. I also recently watched Au Hasard Balthazar, which I liked a lot but really couldn't think of much to write about it, though I thought I could title the review "Jackass the Art Movie"

@ lorna...the film certainly is artful, so I imagi...

2007-08-29T15:38:45.844-06:00

@ lorna...the film certainly is artful, so I imagine with that atmosphere cries and whispers was great fun.

@ the cubicle reverend, step it up then...if any of these sound interesting, watch it.

@ mercurie, isn't that the point of a fairytale...to hide significant things. I agree, I definitly like Wild Strawberries much better as well as the 7th seal.

@ brooke cloudbuster...sounds like you and mercurie agree...this is probably not Bergman's best...but yes, Ullmann was great!

Saw Cries and Whispers last week... it moved me to...

2007-08-29T15:36:02.387-06:00

Saw Cries and Whispers last week... it moved me to tears.

Cries and Whispers, while a very good film, tends ...

2007-08-29T03:49:21.116-06:00

Cries and Whispers, while a very good film, tends to pale in comparison to the heights of Bergman's films. I still enjoyed it a lot, though. Particularly Liv Ullmann, who manages to never give a bad performance.

You listed two of my all time favs. I have always...

2007-08-28T11:26:02.938-06:00

You listed two of my all time favs. I have always loved Beauty and the Beast. You wouldn't think someone could get something substantial out of a fairy tale, but Cocteau did it--visual poetry at its best. And while I prefer The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries, Cries and Whispers is one of my favourite Bergman films. He certainly had the touch for characters who were ambivalent about their faith, particularly in times of crisis.

Man, I am so out of touch when it comes to foreign...

2007-08-28T06:24:31.716-06:00

Man, I am so out of touch when it comes to foreign films. I really need to start stepping up on this.

I remember Cries and Whispers as incredibly moving...

2007-08-28T00:22:19.838-06:00

I remember Cries and Whispers as incredibly moving, and I know I identified with the dying sister, although now I can't remember why.
I actually saw it when it came to art theatres in Canada in 1973, so it may be that I was just impressed with myself....