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Four Screenplays of Ingmar Bergman: Smiles of a Summer Night/The Seventh Seal/Wild Strawberries/The Magician
Book by Bergman, Ingmar
380 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
18 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
Ingmar Bergman
164 books601 followersErnst 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 in cinematic history.
He directed 62 films, most of which he wrote, and directed over 170 plays. Some of his internationally known favorite actors were Liv Ullmann, Bibi Andersson, and Max von Sydow. Most of his films were set in the stark landscape of his native Sweden, and major themes were often bleak, dealing with death, illness, betrayal, and insanity.
Bergman was active for more than 60 years, but his career was seriously threatened in 1976 when he suspended a number of pending productions, closed his studios, and went into self-imposed exile in Germany for eight years following a botched criminal investigation for alleged income tax evasion.
He directed 62 films, most of which he wrote, and directed over 170 plays. Some of his internationally known favorite actors were Liv Ullmann, Bibi Andersson, and Max von Sydow. Most of his films were set in the stark landscape of his native Sweden, and major themes were often bleak, dealing with death, illness, betrayal, and insanity.
Bergman was active for more than 60 years, but his career was seriously threatened in 1976 when he suspended a number of pending productions, closed his studios, and went into self-imposed exile in Germany for eight years following a botched criminal investigation for alleged income tax evasion.
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May 28, 2016
"People ask what are my intentions with my films — my aims. It is a difficult and dangerous question, and I usually give an evasive answer: I try to tell the truth about the human condition, the truth as I see it. This answer seems to satisfy everyone, but it is not quite correct. I prefer to describe what I would like my aim to be. There is an old story of how the cathedral of Chartres was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Then thousands of people came from all points of the compass, like a giant procession of ants, and together they began to rebuild the cathedral on its old site. They worked until the building was completed — master builders, artists, labourers, clowns, noblemen, priests, burghers. But they all remained anonymous, and no one knows to this day who built the cathedral of Chartres.
Regardless of my own beliefs and my own doubts, which are unimportant in this connection, it is my opinion that art lost its basic creative drive the moment it was separated from worship. It severed an umbilical cord and now lives its own sterile life, generating and degenerating itself. In former days the artist remained unknown and his work was to the glory of God. He lived and died without being more or less important than other artisans; 'eternal values,' 'immortality' and 'masterpiece' were terms not applicable in his case. The ability to create was a gift. In such a world flourished invulnerable assurance and natural humility. Today the individual has become the highest form and the greatest bane of artistic creation.
The smallest wound or pain of the ego is examined under a microscope as if it were of eternal importance. The artist considers his isolation, his subjectivity, his individualism almost holy. Thus we finally gather in one large pen, where we stand and bleat about our loneliness without listening to each other and without realizing that we are smothering each other to death. The individualists stare into each other's eyes and yet deny the existence of each other.
We walk in circles, so limited by our own anxieties that we can no longer distinguish between true and false, between the gangster's whim and the purest ideal. Thus if I am asked what I would like the general purpose of my films to be, I would reply that I want to be one of the artists in the cathedral on the great plain. I want to make a dragon's head, an angel, a devil — or perhaps a saint — out of stone. It does not matter which; it is the sense of satisfaction that counts.
Regardless of whether I believe or not, whether I am a Christian or not, I would play my part in the collective building of the cathedral."
Regardless of my own beliefs and my own doubts, which are unimportant in this connection, it is my opinion that art lost its basic creative drive the moment it was separated from worship. It severed an umbilical cord and now lives its own sterile life, generating and degenerating itself. In former days the artist remained unknown and his work was to the glory of God. He lived and died without being more or less important than other artisans; 'eternal values,' 'immortality' and 'masterpiece' were terms not applicable in his case. The ability to create was a gift. In such a world flourished invulnerable assurance and natural humility. Today the individual has become the highest form and the greatest bane of artistic creation.
The smallest wound or pain of the ego is examined under a microscope as if it were of eternal importance. The artist considers his isolation, his subjectivity, his individualism almost holy. Thus we finally gather in one large pen, where we stand and bleat about our loneliness without listening to each other and without realizing that we are smothering each other to death. The individualists stare into each other's eyes and yet deny the existence of each other.
We walk in circles, so limited by our own anxieties that we can no longer distinguish between true and false, between the gangster's whim and the purest ideal. Thus if I am asked what I would like the general purpose of my films to be, I would reply that I want to be one of the artists in the cathedral on the great plain. I want to make a dragon's head, an angel, a devil — or perhaps a saint — out of stone. It does not matter which; it is the sense of satisfaction that counts.
Regardless of whether I believe or not, whether I am a Christian or not, I would play my part in the collective building of the cathedral."
January 4, 2023
اولین تجربه فیلمنامهخوانیم بود و بسی راضیم.~
February 10, 2014
I'm not precisely certain when I purchased this, but it was around the time of high school graduation and quite possibly at the bookstore in Piper's Alley in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Bergman was all the rage among many of my friends. Discovering that one could actually purchase translated scripts of his films came as a great revelation as did the discovery that there were many printed materials about cinema and even publishers who specialized in such products.
In addition to occasionally seeing Bergman with my family on Chicago's Public Television station, I also had several opportunities to accompany friends who had access to cars to watch examples of his work at the old Playboy Theatre downtown, north of the river. The theatre was great for us kids, constrained as we were by enforced curfews in our hometown. While nothing was going on out in suburbia, the theatre opened very late, ran highbrow films exclusively and provided coffee in the lobby free of charge. It all felt so very intellectual and grownup.
In addition to occasionally seeing Bergman with my family on Chicago's Public Television station, I also had several opportunities to accompany friends who had access to cars to watch examples of his work at the old Playboy Theatre downtown, north of the river. The theatre was great for us kids, constrained as we were by enforced curfews in our hometown. While nothing was going on out in suburbia, the theatre opened very late, ran highbrow films exclusively and provided coffee in the lobby free of charge. It all felt so very intellectual and grownup.
December 30, 2017
ایمان یه جور عذابه،می دونستی؟مثل این می مونه که کسی رو تو تاریکی دوست داری،ولی هیچ وقت سرو کله اش پیدا نمی شه،دیگه مهم نیس چقدر اسمشو بلند صدا کنی.
کسی که بدبخت به دنیا اومده باشه،به سختی می تونه از بدبختی های بیشتر رنج ببره. درس نیست؟
شکم کوچک من دنیای منه،سرم ابدیتمه و دستام دوتا خورشید درخشان.پاهام آونگ های ملعون زمان و پاهای چرکم دو نقطه ی شروع باشکوه برای فلسفه ام. همه چیز دقیقا به ارزش یک بادگلوست،تنها تفاوتش اینه که یه بادگلو اغلب رضایت بخش تره.
کسی که بدبخت به دنیا اومده باشه،به سختی می تونه از بدبختی های بیشتر رنج ببره. درس نیست؟
شکم کوچک من دنیای منه،سرم ابدیتمه و دستام دوتا خورشید درخشان.پاهام آونگ های ملعون زمان و پاهای چرکم دو نقطه ی شروع باشکوه برای فلسفه ام. همه چیز دقیقا به ارزش یک بادگلوست،تنها تفاوتش اینه که یه بادگلو اغلب رضایت بخش تره.
July 1, 2025
جادوگر (چهره)، اثر اینگمار برگمان، همچون معجون مرموزیست که در تاریکی ترکیب شده: اندکی شک، اندکی خرافه، مقداری علم، و حجم عظیمی از تردیدهای وجودی. فیلمی که بیش از آنکه روایتگر باشد، پردهایست برای نمایش بحرانهای عمیق انسان مدرن در برابر قدرت، حقیقت، و چهرهی دروغینی که هر روز به دنیا نشان میدهد.
ماجرای ظاهری ساده است: گروهی نمایشی به رهبری «ولگر» (مکس فون سیدو) وارد شهری میشوند تا نمایش جادوییشان را اجرا کنند. اما مقامات رسمی – بهویژه دکتر ورگرن – قصد دارند حقیقت پشت پردهٔ این «جادو» را افشا کنند. آنچه آغاز میشود، نه یک تقابل میان عقل و خرافه، بلکه نزاعیست پیچیده میان ظاهر و واقعیت، قدرت و ترس، زبان و سکوت.
ولگر، جادوگر خاموش، با چشمان خیره و لبان بستهاش، نه یک انسان، بلکه تمثالیست از همان چهرهای که همه ما به دوش میکشیم: چهرهای که جهان از ما میخواهد، و نه لزوماً آنچه هستیم. سکوت او، پر سر و صداترین بخش فیلم است. در دنیای پرمدعای پزشکان، مأموران و عقلگرایان، او انتخاب میکند ساکت باشد. و در این سکوت، برگمان کاری میکند که تنها از او برمیآید: ما را وامیدارد که زیر چهرهها را ببینیم. زیر ماسک، زیر کلمات، زیر عقل.
قدرت در این فیلم، هم هجو میشود و هم به سخره گرفته میشود. مقامات شهری که خود را وارثان روشنگری میدانند، در برابر بازیهای جادویی، به مضحکهای از ترس و درماندگی تبدیل میشوند. برگمان با ظرافت، نشان میدهد که ترس از جادو، نه بهخاطر «دروغ» بودنش، بلکه از اینروست که حقیقتهایی را میگوید که قدرت نمیخواهد شنیده شود.
فیلم در لایهای دیگر، بیوقفه دربارهی خود هنر هم تأمل میکند. ولگر و همراهانش نه فقط جادوگر، بلکه بازیگر، شعبدهباز، و هنرمند هستند. و جامعه، هم مشتاق تماشای آنهاست، هم در پی تحقیرشان. این تنش، تشبیه کاملیست از رابطهٔ میان هنرمند و نظام: تو را میطلبند چون نیاز به خیال دارند، و طردت میکنند چون از حقیقتی که پنهان کردهای میترسند.
صحنههای فیلم – با نورپردازی وهمآلود و قاببندیهای ایستا – گویی از کابوس آمدهاند. سکوتها، سایهها، و موسیقی وهمآلود، در کنار بازی مرموز مکس فون سیدو، فضایی خلق میکنند که نه واقعیست و نه تماماً خیالی. برگمان با نبوغی که در آثار بزرگش مثل مهر هفتم یا فریادها و نجواها دیدهایم، اینبار در ژانری متفاوت، همان تمها را پی میگیرد: مرگ، هویت، و حقیقت.
جادوگر (چهره) نه برای سرگرمکردن ساخته شده، نه برای قانعکردن. فیلمیست برای دیدن، پرسیدن، و رهاشدن در تاریکی. آنجا که دیگر نمیدانی چه چیزی واقعیست، اما هنوز میخواهی ادامه بدهی. مثل کسی که در آینه به چهرهی خودش خیره میشود و ناگهان میفهمد، سالهاست دارد نقش بازی میکند.
و شاید برگمان، در تمام فیلم، همین را میپرسد:
اگر آنچه جهان از ما میخواهد، فقط یک چهره باشد،
پس خودِ ما کجای این تصویر ایستادهایم؟
ماجرای ظاهری ساده است: گروهی نمایشی به رهبری «ولگر» (مکس فون سیدو) وارد شهری میشوند تا نمایش جادوییشان را اجرا کنند. اما مقامات رسمی – بهویژه دکتر ورگرن – قصد دارند حقیقت پشت پردهٔ این «جادو» را افشا کنند. آنچه آغاز میشود، نه یک تقابل میان عقل و خرافه، بلکه نزاعیست پیچیده میان ظاهر و واقعیت، قدرت و ترس، زبان و سکوت.
ولگر، جادوگر خاموش، با چشمان خیره و لبان بستهاش، نه یک انسان، بلکه تمثالیست از همان چهرهای که همه ما به دوش میکشیم: چهرهای که جهان از ما میخواهد، و نه لزوماً آنچه هستیم. سکوت او، پر سر و صداترین بخش فیلم است. در دنیای پرمدعای پزشکان، مأموران و عقلگرایان، او انتخاب میکند ساکت باشد. و در این سکوت، برگمان کاری میکند که تنها از او برمیآید: ما را وامیدارد که زیر چهرهها را ببینیم. زیر ماسک، زیر کلمات، زیر عقل.
قدرت در این فیلم، هم هجو میشود و هم به سخره گرفته میشود. مقامات شهری که خود را وارثان روشنگری میدانند، در برابر بازیهای جادویی، به مضحکهای از ترس و درماندگی تبدیل میشوند. برگمان با ظرافت، نشان میدهد که ترس از جادو، نه بهخاطر «دروغ» بودنش، بلکه از اینروست که حقیقتهایی را میگوید که قدرت نمیخواهد شنیده شود.
فیلم در لایهای دیگر، بیوقفه دربارهی خود هنر هم تأمل میکند. ولگر و همراهانش نه فقط جادوگر، بلکه بازیگر، شعبدهباز، و هنرمند هستند. و جامعه، هم مشتاق تماشای آنهاست، هم در پی تحقیرشان. این تنش، تشبیه کاملیست از رابطهٔ میان هنرمند و نظام: تو را میطلبند چون نیاز به خیال دارند، و طردت میکنند چون از حقیقتی که پنهان کردهای میترسند.
صحنههای فیلم – با نورپردازی وهمآلود و قاببندیهای ایستا – گویی از کابوس آمدهاند. سکوتها، سایهها، و موسیقی وهمآلود، در کنار بازی مرموز مکس فون سیدو، فضایی خلق میکنند که نه واقعیست و نه تماماً خیالی. برگمان با نبوغی که در آثار بزرگش مثل مهر هفتم یا فریادها و نجواها دیدهایم، اینبار در ژانری متفاوت، همان تمها را پی میگیرد: مرگ، هویت، و حقیقت.
جادوگر (چهره) نه برای سرگرمکردن ساخته شده، نه برای قانعکردن. فیلمیست برای دیدن، پرسیدن، و رهاشدن در تاریکی. آنجا که دیگر نمیدانی چه چیزی واقعیست، اما هنوز میخواهی ادامه بدهی. مثل کسی که در آینه به چهرهی خودش خیره میشود و ناگهان میفهمد، سالهاست دارد نقش بازی میکند.
و شاید برگمان، در تمام فیلم، همین را میپرسد:
اگر آنچه جهان از ما میخواهد، فقط یک چهره باشد،
پس خودِ ما کجای این تصویر ایستادهایم؟
August 25, 2021
توی کتاب ما سه تا فیلمنانه از برگمان با تحلیلشون و یه مصاحبه از برگمان رو میخونیم
در مورد فیلمنامه بگم که ترجمه بدی نداشت، ولی یه قسمتی از توت فرنگی های وحشی دیالوگ هارو جا به جا نوشته بود.
نقد و تحلیل ها هم خیلی ساده و کوتاه و معمولی بود.
ولی مصاحبه با برگمان که اخر کتاب هم هست چرت ترین بخش کتاب بود.
مصاحبه کننده خیلی ناشی و هول شده از برگمان سوال میپرسید تا جایی که برگمان بهش برخورد و یه توهین ریزی به طرف کرد. و در ادامه مصاحبه گفتگوی جالبی شکل نگرفت و فقط سوالایی از فیلم هاش و چیزای معمولی میپرسید.
جالبترین جا توی مصاحبه جایی بود که مصاحبه کننده خیلی تصادف در مورد مریضی دخترش و زنش به برگمان میگه و برگمان یهو کنجکاو میشه و چند صفحه فقط در مورد مریضی زن و بچه ش حرف میزنن
در مورد فیلمنامه بگم که ترجمه بدی نداشت، ولی یه قسمتی از توت فرنگی های وحشی دیالوگ هارو جا به جا نوشته بود.
نقد و تحلیل ها هم خیلی ساده و کوتاه و معمولی بود.
ولی مصاحبه با برگمان که اخر کتاب هم هست چرت ترین بخش کتاب بود.
مصاحبه کننده خیلی ناشی و هول شده از برگمان سوال میپرسید تا جایی که برگمان بهش برخورد و یه توهین ریزی به طرف کرد. و در ادامه مصاحبه گفتگوی جالبی شکل نگرفت و فقط سوالایی از فیلم هاش و چیزای معمولی میپرسید.
جالبترین جا توی مصاحبه جایی بود که مصاحبه کننده خیلی تصادف در مورد مریضی دخترش و زنش به برگمان میگه و برگمان یهو کنجکاو میشه و چند صفحه فقط در مورد مریضی زن و بچه ش حرف میزنن
July 26, 2023
My dear friend Ella gifted me this for Christmas of our first year of college. Bergman is one of my favorite filmmakers
June 29, 2025
The Magician aka Ansiktet, written and directed by Ingmar Bergman
10 out of 10
Ingmar Bergman might be the only genius that has been able to make so many masterpieces, from Fanny and Alexander (which had been for quite a while the best film ever for this viewer, and it is still in the top 10) to The Seventh Seal, from Virgin Spring to Cries & Whispers – the list is long and some links to the notes on these films will be posted below…
The Magician is one of a brilliant series and the magnum opus has Albert Emanuel Vogler aka the actor – titan Max von Sydow, who travels with his wife, Manda Vogler aka fantastic Ingrid Thulin, and some other companions and members of the “Vogler’s Magnetic Health Theater’ and offers to entertain the public in the towns they pass through, but they are escorted and taken to the residence of the Consul Egerman aka another of the regular, fabulous actors that appear in the chefs d’oeuvre of spectacular Ingmar Bergman, Erland Josephson, where they face the local authorities.
Warned about their arrival, the Consul, Dr. Vergerus, minister of Health played by another legend, Gunnar Bjornstrand, and the Police Superintendent Starbeck question the theater company and their Porte parole is voluble, florid, Mephistopheles Tubal, who claims that though the powers of Ansiktet are impressive, Doctor Vogel is dumb and does not speak, therefore Tubal would answer any questions…
In short, the consul and the rest of the locals explain that the visitors would have to perform in front of them, Doctor Vergerus in particular would analyze the show to see what is wrong within, and for this purpose they would stay at the residence of the Consul, they will eat there, but when Tubal is pushing for the main rooms, he is told by Egerman that they will eat in the kitchen, prompting the speaker of the troupe to express the wish to move into town…this is not possible, for the artists are apparently in some kind of house arrest…
A Series of Unfortunate Events would follow, with Doctor Vergerus being influenced by Albert Vogel, though he claims he does not feel anything, only to visit his rooms later and come across…his wife, for the one who had initially claimed to be Mr. Aman, wearing men’s clothes and some makeup, is in fact Manda Vogler…
Meanwhile, Tubal would offer the ‘love potion’ which Aphrodite herself has prepared and employees of the house are keen to buy some, though he first says that the magic product is only accessible to princesses, it is so luxuriant, sacramental, splendorous and effective…
Charmed and attracted by Sofia Garp, the head cook, Tubal changes the offer and for something like thirteen krona for the bottle and twenty for two, he would offer the rare concoction, which he gets from the old granny Vogler, the woman that may have some supernatural powers, though she says at one point that there is only some rat poison left, which the Machiavelli Tubal sells for love solution anyway…
In front of the special audience, Ansiktet and his team perform some well-known tricks, like the levitation of a body from the ground, which is exposed by the Superintendent when he pulls the curtains apart and we see one assistant lifting the body with ‘invisible’ ropes, but this interference in the hidden side of the show would be paid by the foolish simpleton.
A man would be tied with invisible chains and this time, there is something they do, be that ‘magic’ or just a strong will and an overpowering of the mind of a weaker character, but one climax would be reached when the wife of the police representative, Henrietta Starbeck, comes in front of the Magician and when asked, she spills all the possible beans…that the children do not have the Superintendent as their father, except perhaps the stupid ones, and many awful, embarrassing, humiliating revelations that stun all present, especially the cuckold, diminished if not destroyed spouse…Mrs. Starbeck will have no idea about what she has just said under hypnosis…
Albert Vogler apparently dies, though he has before his departure a confrontation with Doctor Vergerus, when the latter is in the room where Manda Vogler and her husband would spend the night and he now sees that she is a woman dressed as a man, who is forced to explain this cover, saying they had been wanted…indeed, we would learn that in one instance, another rich potentate falls for her and when Vogler defends the honor of his spouse and kicks the aristocrat, they end up in jail for two months, at the end of which, the noble would free them and furthermore, he would recommend them to the Royal family of Sweden, where they may still perform in the near future…
The Magician is a sublime motion picture for the complex manner in which it addresses the main theme, though it is evidently a tour de force in every single department, acting, costumes…everything else, that of Magic, which is presented with the easy tricks that are used to confuse, distract the attention of the public, but there is also the component that is the opposite of charlatanism and the power of the mind of Ansiktet is evident and immense, many of the things that happen are the consequence of the mindset, the force of suggestion and…the indefinable, the…Magic.
Notes on other masterpieces by divine Ingmar Bergman are available here: http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/05/f...
http://realini.blogspot.com/2020/01/t...
http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/02/s...
And more at:
http://realini.blogspot.com/
10 out of 10
Ingmar Bergman might be the only genius that has been able to make so many masterpieces, from Fanny and Alexander (which had been for quite a while the best film ever for this viewer, and it is still in the top 10) to The Seventh Seal, from Virgin Spring to Cries & Whispers – the list is long and some links to the notes on these films will be posted below…
The Magician is one of a brilliant series and the magnum opus has Albert Emanuel Vogler aka the actor – titan Max von Sydow, who travels with his wife, Manda Vogler aka fantastic Ingrid Thulin, and some other companions and members of the “Vogler’s Magnetic Health Theater’ and offers to entertain the public in the towns they pass through, but they are escorted and taken to the residence of the Consul Egerman aka another of the regular, fabulous actors that appear in the chefs d’oeuvre of spectacular Ingmar Bergman, Erland Josephson, where they face the local authorities.
Warned about their arrival, the Consul, Dr. Vergerus, minister of Health played by another legend, Gunnar Bjornstrand, and the Police Superintendent Starbeck question the theater company and their Porte parole is voluble, florid, Mephistopheles Tubal, who claims that though the powers of Ansiktet are impressive, Doctor Vogel is dumb and does not speak, therefore Tubal would answer any questions…
In short, the consul and the rest of the locals explain that the visitors would have to perform in front of them, Doctor Vergerus in particular would analyze the show to see what is wrong within, and for this purpose they would stay at the residence of the Consul, they will eat there, but when Tubal is pushing for the main rooms, he is told by Egerman that they will eat in the kitchen, prompting the speaker of the troupe to express the wish to move into town…this is not possible, for the artists are apparently in some kind of house arrest…
A Series of Unfortunate Events would follow, with Doctor Vergerus being influenced by Albert Vogel, though he claims he does not feel anything, only to visit his rooms later and come across…his wife, for the one who had initially claimed to be Mr. Aman, wearing men’s clothes and some makeup, is in fact Manda Vogler…
Meanwhile, Tubal would offer the ‘love potion’ which Aphrodite herself has prepared and employees of the house are keen to buy some, though he first says that the magic product is only accessible to princesses, it is so luxuriant, sacramental, splendorous and effective…
Charmed and attracted by Sofia Garp, the head cook, Tubal changes the offer and for something like thirteen krona for the bottle and twenty for two, he would offer the rare concoction, which he gets from the old granny Vogler, the woman that may have some supernatural powers, though she says at one point that there is only some rat poison left, which the Machiavelli Tubal sells for love solution anyway…
In front of the special audience, Ansiktet and his team perform some well-known tricks, like the levitation of a body from the ground, which is exposed by the Superintendent when he pulls the curtains apart and we see one assistant lifting the body with ‘invisible’ ropes, but this interference in the hidden side of the show would be paid by the foolish simpleton.
A man would be tied with invisible chains and this time, there is something they do, be that ‘magic’ or just a strong will and an overpowering of the mind of a weaker character, but one climax would be reached when the wife of the police representative, Henrietta Starbeck, comes in front of the Magician and when asked, she spills all the possible beans…that the children do not have the Superintendent as their father, except perhaps the stupid ones, and many awful, embarrassing, humiliating revelations that stun all present, especially the cuckold, diminished if not destroyed spouse…Mrs. Starbeck will have no idea about what she has just said under hypnosis…
Albert Vogler apparently dies, though he has before his departure a confrontation with Doctor Vergerus, when the latter is in the room where Manda Vogler and her husband would spend the night and he now sees that she is a woman dressed as a man, who is forced to explain this cover, saying they had been wanted…indeed, we would learn that in one instance, another rich potentate falls for her and when Vogler defends the honor of his spouse and kicks the aristocrat, they end up in jail for two months, at the end of which, the noble would free them and furthermore, he would recommend them to the Royal family of Sweden, where they may still perform in the near future…
The Magician is a sublime motion picture for the complex manner in which it addresses the main theme, though it is evidently a tour de force in every single department, acting, costumes…everything else, that of Magic, which is presented with the easy tricks that are used to confuse, distract the attention of the public, but there is also the component that is the opposite of charlatanism and the power of the mind of Ansiktet is evident and immense, many of the things that happen are the consequence of the mindset, the force of suggestion and…the indefinable, the…Magic.
Notes on other masterpieces by divine Ingmar Bergman are available here: http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/05/f...
http://realini.blogspot.com/2020/01/t...
http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/02/s...
And more at:
http://realini.blogspot.com/
July 14, 2009
This is one of those films/scripts that stays with you for the rest of your life. This dark parable is filled with arresting images: the knight and Death playing chess; the dance of death, and the traveling actors.
July 27, 2019
When this first edition was published in 1960, Ingmar Bergman had already been winning awards for his films mostly in Europe (e.g. at Cannes) for a few years, and rightfully so. He had an extraordinary string of films in the 1950’s (and of course beyond) which explored a wide range of topics, e.g. religion, life’s meaning, marriage, relationships, aging, and death, and did so in such a deeply personal and honest way. He did not shy away from showing the somber and dark aspects of life, but he was also lyrical and playful, particularly in his earlier films. This collection of screenplays includes Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), The Seventh Seal (1957), Wild Strawberries (1957), and The Magician (1958), as well as stills from the films and introductory material from Carl Anders Dymling, his producer, and Bergman himself. It’s quite simply a treasure to read, particularly those center two works, which are true masterpieces.
May 21, 2020
Masterpieces of cinema. Bergman is a brilliant screenwriter and thinks of space and film like a maestro would think think of notes and chord progressions. These four screenplays are quite possibly some of the best stories I'll ever read. From the gritty, dark Biblical overtones of finding meaning of life playing chess with the literal embodiment of death in the seventh seal to the nuanced take on a modern romance in the smiles of a summer night and the very atypical (to the medium) memoir style of wild strawberries I was sucked into the nooks and crannies of each of the stories and boy was I glad to just imagine myself as a fly on the wall where they take place. Of course I followed them up with watching the films and it was just such a visceral experience overall that I'm sure I've been turned into a lifelong fan of Ingram Bergman who will be condemned by all my friends for tirelessly recommending his work.
June 29, 2021
I’m not super into his comedies but its interesting to see the ways his existentialism comes out in them. Too bad I don’t also have the book of his next four screenplays after these because they only get better.
December 13, 2022
Smiles of a Summer Night-3 stars
The Seventh Seal-4 stars
Wild Strawberries-5 stars
The Magician-4 stars
The Seventh Seal-4 stars
Wild Strawberries-5 stars
The Magician-4 stars
May 29, 2007
What I have learned so far from this book (earlier edition):
On the beach at the beginning of The Seventh Seal, Antonius Block has bloodshot eyes!
On the beach at the beginning of The Seventh Seal, Antonius Block has bloodshot eyes!
September 24, 2007
از این مجموعه فیلم نامه های "مهر هفتم" و "توت فرنگی های وحشی" به فارسی برگردانده شده و چاپ و منتشر شده است. بقیه را به یاد ندارم به فارسی دیده باشم.
March 3, 2011
I love this. The introduction by Bergman's long-time producer, describing the Swedish commitment to theater and how that commitment transferred into film is especially interesting.
October 7, 2012
The best of Bergman, I believe!
February 22, 2013
A case study of excellent dialogue.
November 12, 2013
Every body must see these movies....It's a regulation....
December 2, 2013
All four of these film are amazing, so it was interesting to run them. I was intrigued to read the screenplay of "Wild Strawberries" since the structure is vastly different. Well worth my time.
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