MovieChat Forums > Såsom i en spegel (1961) Discussion > Why is this genius?

Why is this genius?

posted 10 years ago by jv-181-346883
4 replies | jump to latest

I know that the fact of liking (adoring) Bergman make someone look smart and deep but I don't get it. For me this story may be deep and it would have made a good play but I haven't seen one shot where the point of view of the camera expressed some directing. It was very talkative to me and the editing was quiet flat too... When I think that Alfred Hitchcock (who has ever been looked down during his life time) released "Psycho" one year before this.

I know that those directors are very different and hardly comparable but still if you put the story away and just look at the way the director shot it I don't understand where is the genius of Bergman.

Can someone please explain me?

And please, there's no need to insult me or to get angry, I'm not saying Bergman is a bad director I just don't get it and would be happy if I could appreciate him :)

[–] tbchico7 9 years ago

Hey. I just watched this last night for the first time. First Bergman. The directing/camerawork wasn't fancy or complicated, but I found in its simplicity beauty. I liked the longshots that would slowly follow the characters as they moved. The shots of the waters and beaches were wonderful, and a particular shot I loved was when Karin woke up next to Martin and only a bit of her face and eye were shown in the light. That to me is brilliant directing.

I am Senor Velasco, I drink my milk with tabasco

[–] oknar1977 8 years ago

i guess looking back - classic films banned hard subjects - and thus - they were made unreal. all characters were two dimensional - even when facing difficult situations, they all acted and lacked in the same way - a man was masculine and strong, not showing emotions. woman were allowed to cry but not in histeric way. stories involved were dealt in unreal way - even film noir.
before i discovered bunuel and ingmar, i always wondered if current directors could time travel to 1950s and make todays kind of movies without facing jail term and censorship - what it would look like?

well thanks to those two directors - i know.
and that make this genius.

since their films are not shown or discussed much, they were left obscure and hidden from general public, including me. this makes a great discovery to me.

[–] ajmpro 7 years ago

Thanks for your explanation...I'm having the same Problems with Bergmann's movies as the OP. But what you said makes sense to me. It certainly makes me appreciate them more, but nevertheless, most of his movies are a drag for me. The only film I really enjoyed was "The seventh Seal".

[–] Maniac_In_Black 7 years ago

Have you seen wild strawberries? I recommend it if you havent .... I haven't seen The Virgin Spring but heard ir was good as well.