MovieChat Forums > Viskningar och rop (1973) Discussion > Red symbolism

Red symbolism

posted 19 years ago by petra_arkanian-1
13 replies | jump to latest

I have watched this movie several times, and am still confused as to what the colour red is supposed to represent.
I have a few ideas… Maria as a character represents the colour red. In her flashbacks she only wears red, and her shawl is red, along with her hair, etc. etc.
Yet, this does not explain why all the walls are painted such an intense shade of the colour. Nor does it explain why, instead of fading to black, Bergman chooses to fade to red.
It could also be representing blood, as when the other sister cuts herself, the blood there is very intense, the same shade as the walls.

Any ideas? I'm quite lost. There is obviously a large amount of symbolism in this movie, but I seem to be missing what is trying to be told.

Thanks,
petra

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] katielaakso 19 years ago

Here is a quote that may help with the reason why red is so prevalent in the film:

All my films can be thought in terms of black and white, except for Cries and Whispers. In the screenplay, I say that I have thought of the color red as the interior of the soul. When I was a child, I saw the soul as a shadowy dragon, blue as smoke, hovering like an enormous winged creature, half bird, half fish. But inside the dragon, everything was red.
– Ingmar Bergman (1)

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] katielaakso 19 years ago

http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/03/25/cries_and_whispers.html

[–] my1999 19 years ago

Here is a quote that may help with the reason why red is so prevalent in the film:

All my films can be thought in terms of black and white, except for Cries and Whispers. In the screenplay, I say that I have thought of the color red as the interior of the soul. When I was a child, I saw the soul as a shadowy dragon, blue as smoke, hovering like an enormous winged creature, half bird, half fish. But inside the dragon, everything was red. – Ingmar Bergman (1)

Thank you.In Autumn Sonata (1978), also is fills various types to be red or to approach the red warm color.

[–] Devil_In_A_New_Dress 19 years ago

Gus Van Sant actually does that in alot of his movies.

[–] Matowynn 19 years ago

Here is a quote I found from Bergman about his use of the color red in the film:

Ever since my childhood I have pictured the inside of the soul
as a moist membrane in shades of red.

Ingmar Bergman

[–] film_buff12 19 years ago

Someone may have answered this already, but rent the Criterion Collection version. The use of red is made clear.

"Ah, ya's fancy pants, alla ya's"
"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

[–] my1999 19 years ago

Red is striking, is the human innermost feelings and thought awakening.

[–] a-j-powell 15 years ago

there is no symbolism in Bergman's films. the entire image is a symbol but multi-faceted and ever-shifting (as opposed to direct and opaque in meaning) in accordance with the viewer's percpetion.

[–] A_Fistful_of_Pennies 15 years ago

Red is a strong color that conjures up feelings. Love, hate, anger, etc. Most of the strongest feelings are associated with the color red. Also blood, that which flows through us and gives us life, our essence, is red.

So I think red can be associated with strong feelings, and life itself.

[–] PixieInChains 8 years ago

Bergman's "metaphors" become overly and excruciatingly tedious - he tries to play 'psychiatrist' in all of his movies and has no appreciation for viewers who would just rather watch a straightforward story.

[–] AlexeiKaramazov 8 years ago

^^

Glad you cleared that one up for us!

While appreciating the use of red is this film, I was less consciously trying to observe its use than something more overtly highlighting the color, like Kieslowski's Red.