From the 50's or before Bergman eventually became a master film-maker though I am certainly not all together delighted with his work as I'm going through his canon of films. We all know his incredible journey went through several stages, which is natural, as one grows. But some of his films of the late 50;s, 60's even into the 70's are a real cross and depressing as hell, so hard to sit through as he concentrates much on illness and death, much which is wrong with society and marriage in particular in very, very long films that become extremely tedious. For example, I must say SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE drove me mad as did the story of the four sisters, one extremely ill, starring Liv Ullman yet again, whose title escapes me at the moment. The apex of Bergman's incredible career which went through what I called many stages eventually gets to FANNY AND ALEXANDER which Best Foreign Film Oscar and shows a more personal side of Bergman he rarely showed, much like FELLINI did in an abstract way in 81/2 and particularly the luminous AMARCORD both of which won Oscar Best Foreign Film. Fanny and Alexander is long but extraordinarily beautiful bringing us all back to childhoods that SEEMED like enchanted tales but concentrating as well on a rich household with outside difficulties, particularly one. The film is long but not at all torturous. It not only captures a family but an era when Christmas and other holidays were such a joy. The film is shot so beautifully with the most gorgeous colour palette and, best of all, an ensemble cast which is stunningly extraordinary, very great performances from both young and old and the in between age. This is a must see film for contemporary society, a great revelation for me watching it recently; but the masses today are only interested in the dumbest, the lamest of horrifically bad films. If you do view Fanny and Alexander just keep in mind that there is more to the film than meets the eye on seeing this art decoration that sweeps you into another world, a world in which everything seems perfect.
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