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The Magic Lantern
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">“When a film is not a document, it is a dream. . . . At the editing table, when I run the strip of film through, frame by frame, I still feel that dizzy sense of magic of my childhood.” Bergman, who has conveyed this heady sense of wonder and vision to moviegoers for decades, traces his lifelong love affair with film in his br...more
Paperback, 314 pages
Published
May 15th 2007
by University Of Chicago Press
(first published January 1st 1994)
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vote·harvesting (vōt·′här·və·stiŋ) v. 1. writing brief, generally worthless Goodreads reviews, usually of one's back-catalogue, in order to increase one's (net) vote yield; 2. producing many (usually short, irrelevant) reviews with little regard for quality. n. 1. the act of vote·harvesting. See also vote harvest; e.g., He can expect to see a large cumulative vote harvest from his one-sentence reviews of all those Little Golden Books.
Although my specific recollections of this book ar...more
Although my specific recollections of this book ar...more
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I have no recollection of the moment I started watching and liking (that came in time, though) Bergman, since none of my friends and acquaintances had any taste in his films whatsoever. There must have been different listopias with his films, like '100 films to watch in a lifetime' or stuff like that.
Anyway, what struck me in Bergman’s several films I’ve seen so far ('Persona' being by far my favorite) was the deep sense of simplicity, the austere and grave atmosphere. Most of them being B...more
Anyway, what struck me in Bergman’s several films I’ve seen so far ('Persona' being by far my favorite) was the deep sense of simplicity, the austere and grave atmosphere. Most of them being B...more
I don't know if I was upset at myself or Bergman for being so disappointed with this memoir. I expected to read more about his actual artistic output, a la Tarkovsky's Sculpting in Time.
What's most infuriating I realise now after having finished the book: he wants to seem very honest and open in his writing, making reference to this childhood ordeal or that crumbling personal relationship, but I perceive no such openness as a reader, only an attempt at it. It could be the translation. The...more
What's most infuriating I realise now after having finished the book: he wants to seem very honest and open in his writing, making reference to this childhood ordeal or that crumbling personal relationship, but I perceive no such openness as a reader, only an attempt at it. It could be the translation. The...more
Really hard to rate, I would've loved to give it a 3,5 really but since it doesn't really reach a 4 at any time I'm forced to limit my rating to three.
This is however mostly based on the litterary quality. It's purpousely made very blunt and sometimes goes into excrutiating detail on things like his bowel movements. This isn't all bad because sometimes it illustrates a good point about his personality.
Litterary it's not very impressive in my view. It's entertaining in th...more
This is however mostly based on the litterary quality. It's purpousely made very blunt and sometimes goes into excrutiating detail on things like his bowel movements. This isn't all bad because sometimes it illustrates a good point about his personality.
Litterary it's not very impressive in my view. It's entertaining in th...more
All autobiographers ineluctably identify themselves as a narcissists simply by virtue of having written an autobiography. Bergman additionally identifies himself as a derelict father, a gallivanting husband, a teenage Nazi sympathizer, a nervous shitter, "Bergman," a provincial genius, an anxious oedipal wreck. I was generally abraded by the voice (after all, it could only be the voice of a narcissist), disappointed by his stated refusal to write about his friends (which seemed curious...more
I tapped out of this book a few chapters in because I found myself either skipping pages at a time or sleeping. I had higher hopes of this because it took me a little while to track it down in the public library system, and because it has a cool title and because Bergman is supposedly an amazing filmmaker but then I tried to watch a few of his films and fell asleep too, and just didn't really have the time for. Not usually like me but maybe i just have to be at a different point in my life to ...more
Pretty engaging reminiscences from one of the greatest directors in film history—though he kinda phoned-in the last 60 pages. Ever wondered what physical ailments the great Ingmar Bergman suffered from? Insomnia and IBS. And now you know.
Barbro Kinnunen
added it
Finally finished this biography of one of our most famous swedes. I struggled to get a flow in my reading, but maybe it's because Bergman didn't seem to have a flow in is life. The book jumps as much in time and subjects as his mind did. It's great though to read and get an insight of what he was from his own words- so as one might understand from watching his movies- his life was not very light hearted and his inner and outer struggles is well described in this book. So- though slowly read- I s...more
As much as I love his movies, I just couldn't get through this book. It was interesting in many parts, but very dryly written and not entertaining or informative enough to be worth the dullness. Maybe someday I'll revisit it, but probably not for quite some time.
Amazing for addicts to know when and how the magician did his tricks
"Autobiography" couldn't get much better
mano manoj
added it
life story of a masterful life....
The first hundred pages or so, largely covering Bergman's childhood, are extremely interesting. The remaining 200 or so pages, unfortunately, were largely boring accounts of theatre productions. It should come as no surprise to anybody familiar with Bergman's films that he is a rather selfish, pompous, opinionated, and generally unpleasant individual (he readily admits as much throughout the autobiography). I wouldn't discourage a fan of his work from reading this, but would not generally recomm...more
I love Ingmar Bergman's films but am not so sure about his writing. He meanders from early years to his later period and back again which makes it a bit cumbersome to keep up with the chronology of his life. Which is a very interesting life indeed - he had a very long (and at times volatile) career in the theatre, he was a creative genius and workaholic which ultimately led to the break down of several of his marriages and relationships.
Edward Porter
added it
I quit around p. 150. Very tough read. It just wasn't engaging. I'm usually fine to push through books, but I have other books sitting in my to-read pile that drew me away. Maybe I'll finish it some other day.
une plongée dans les souvenirs d'Ingmar Bergman, qui s'étend avec détails sur son enfance, son éducation, les évènements de sa vie, le tout en lien avec la création de ses pièces et de ses films. De nombreux dialogues de ses films sont reliées à des moments de sa vie. un régal pour les fans de Bergman.
Bergman's films make him seem so superior. This autobiography cools his genius into common fundamentals while maintaining the magic that matters. There's a moment where he discusses a theatrical revelation whilst walking down the street that is relieving in its simplicity.
Bergman is (was) one brilliant, fucked up Swede! This autobiographical "lantern" shed a great light on his work for me. The translation was a little funky, but it didn't really detract --if anything, it made things even more strange and thought provoking.
Jan
added it
Well, it's worth reading about source of Bergman's imagination, but without at least brief knowledge ot his artwork it might be a bit confusing somehow. However good book and he was a kind of lunatic...:)
I don't think I can evaluate anything Ingmar Bergman does fairly, since I believe the man is a god. It is the best autobiography I have read to date, and he is a fascinating character
OMFG. Not just an amazing autobiography, what a work of art! An unbelievably honest look at the creative process in all its idiosyncratic wonder and destruction. Blew my mind.
Of course, if you really want to know about Bergman, you should see his films. But this book serves as a fine supplement to his work.
dzlivs davamtavre...girs am wignis wakitxva,girs...
avalin ketabi ke vaghti sale avvale daneshgah boodam az bergman khoondam va ba hameye sansori ke shodeh bood,kheili keif dad:)
Not exactly scintillating reading, but an interesting autobiography from one of the world's best filmmakers.
Humble, honest, and really funny at times.
I just wish there was more discussion of his movies.
I just wish there was more discussion of his movies.
چراغ جادو شرح زندگی اینگمار برگمان که خود روایت کرده است
Lovely. Reading it, I see the films.
His films are way better (duh).
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Ernst Ingmar Bergman was a nine-time Academy Award-nominated Swedish film, stage, and opera director. He depicted bleakness and despair as well as comedy and hope in his explorations of the human condition. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of modern cinema.
He directed 62 films, most of which he wrote, and directed over 170 plays. Some of his inter...more
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He directed 62 films, most of which he wrote, and directed over 170 plays. Some of his inter...more
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“I'm planning, you see, to try to confine myself to the truth. That's hard for an old, inveterate fantasy martyr and liar who has never hesitated to give truth the form he felt the occasion demanded. ”
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