Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on May 12, 2011 at 19:15:35

"Persona," there is a name game: Von Sydow's and Ullmann's characters both are previously married to characters with the same names as they.
This is the third of Bergman's so-called, "island" films, and indeed, Von Sydow portrays a man living on a sparsely populated island who, by his own admission, is not interested in human relationships, anymore. But who could resist Liv Ullman--- or Bibi!? Soon, he's enmeshed in both of their lives, entering into the circle of one of their husband's, a successful architect. Meanwhile, as the affairs ebb and flow, a mysterious series of brutal animal massacres and tortures take place upon the island. The graphic nature of these barbarities are interspersed with evening news shots of Vietnam atrocities, lending an other-worldly feeling to the inner turmoil and emotional self-torture so common to Bergman's creations.
Bergman is a genius who created his own world, one that isn't strictly surreal so much as hyper-real: not only do subconscious feelings find form, all forms are strikingly, blindingly rendered. The Scandinavian calm of the actors perfectly works against the emotional turmoil through which they struggle. Like all great artists, Bergman is a powerful force: it's impossible NOT to have strong feelings about his work. As much as any creator, he is either loved or hated. Because of his influence, however, he cannot be dismissed or overlooked.