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Ingmar Bergman died today aged 89.

I became a fan when I saw "Wild Strawberries". In my opinion, Bergman's "Seventh Seal" is the best film ever made. The stark imagery is someting you just can't forget. The Knight playing chess on the shore with Death. The young hysterical girl who is to be burnt as a witch. The travelling players. The final silhouette Dance of Death. Mind blowing.

Then there is "Virgin Spring", "The Magician", "Smiles of a Summer Night" - just to name a few of the early films.

Tonight I intend to raise a glass of good red wine in honour of Ingmar Bergman, cinema genius.

She was one of the great actresses of our time without a doubt.

My sister asked me if they were related. She thought Ingrid was Ingmar's daughter. I don't know... will look it up.....

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No, no relation. Common Swedish name, apparently.

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Found some interesting personal stuff on Ingmar. He got married a lot, and had loads of kids. Grin.

One of the joys of bringing up the children was watching their reaction to his films and bringing scenes into conversations afterwards. I'd videotaped eight of them and they were quite an influence. I was missing Part 2 of the four-part Fanny and Alexander, there was much rejoicing when one of them came home eventually with the full DVD version.

another one bits the dust.

Seventh Seal, a remarkable film. An ingenious mind created that film.

I was lucky enough to find a hardback copy of several of the screen plays - including Seventh Seal (complete with illustrations from the films), and later I also found a battered paperback of Virgin Spring. Real treasures.

chonsigirl;671588 wrote: Seventh Seal, a remarkable film. An ingenious mind created that film.


Anyone interested can watch it online here. It makes my hair stand on end, I've no idea whether it still does that to anyone else.

Wow spot, thanks for the link.

Thankyou Spot.

It must be 20 years since I last saw Seventh Seal. Scenes of this are burnt into my memory and will haunt me forever. The Knight playing chess on the shore, the silhouetted dance of death at the end, the face of the little girl in the cage on her way to be burn as a witch....

I was trying this evening to think of a Hollywood film which had a similar effect. I haven't come up with one yet. Any suggestions?

This is a generalisation of course. But I think Hollywood somewhere along the line substituted special effects for atmosphere.

Antonioni has also just died. I remember being bowled over by Blow Up. He's not in the same league as Bergman, but a giant, nonetheless.