Ingmar Bergman, Cinematic Philosopher: Reflections on His Creativity

by Irving Singer

Known for their repeating motifs and signature tropes, the films of Ingmar Bergman also contain extensive variation and development. In these reflections on Bergman's artistry and thought, Irving Singer discerns distinctive themes in Bergman's filmmaking, from first intimations in the early work to consummate resolutions in the later movies. Singer demonstrates that while Bergman's output is not philosophy on celluloid, it attains an expressive and purely aesthetic truthfulness that can be considered philosophical in a broader sense. Through analysis of both narrative and filmic effects, Singer probes Bergman's mythmaking and his reliance upon the magic inherent in his cinematic techniques. Singer traces throughout the evolution of Bergman's ideas about life and death, and about the possibility of happiness and interpersonal love. In the overtly self-referential films that he wrote or directed ( The Best Intentions , Fanny and Alexander , Sunday's Children ) as well as the less obviously autobiographical ones (including Wild Strawberries , The Seventh Seal , and the triad that begins with Through a Glass Darkly ) Bergman investigates problems in his existence and frequently reverts to childhood memories. In such movies as Smiles of a Summer Night, Scenes from a Marriage , and Saraband , Bergman draws upon his mature experience and depicts the troubled relationships between men who are often weak and women who are made to suffer by the damaged men with whom they live. In Persona , Cries and Whispers , and other works, his experiments with the camera are uniquely masterful. Inspecting the panorama of Bergman's art, Singer shows how the endless search for human contact motivates the content of his films and reflects Bergman's profound perspective on the world.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that there were only a few passages I found entirely worth reading. Singer spends too much of his time explaining and basically telling every detail of each of Bergman's films before then making one comment about what that particular scene 'shows' about Bergman. I think In regards to movies maybe a brief line about the section of the film you are referring to to reiterate what point it is you are making then, other than this, expect the reader to go away and do their homework (watching the films themselves.)

The things I wanted to read about rather than Bergman's philosophies on life were in fact his philosophies on film, the making of film, and his thoughts on his own films. But rather the majority of what we got in this book was Bergman's philosophy on life and religion. It's almost as if Singer was searching for life meaning for himself and Bergman was his idol and so therefore it was natural for him to want to mimic his own thoughts and life upon Bergman's to make a case for his own world views. I think a little bit of life views/ religious views is ok, but not so much that that is all we read about.

I thought that The only section worthwhile reading in regards to film is the introduction and then the section on childhood and memory basically the first chapter which has SOME areas of discussion around what film can do. Albeit you do have to search for these moments.

I thought that the Epilogue was unnecessary to say the very least as literally all it contained was a description of his movies and in no way really talked about Bergman. I was hopeful originally that the Epilogue would be the thing that makes statements about how Bergman said what he was trying to say, and his thoughts on filming, or at the very least a breakdown of what was discussed and the relevance and some kind of conclusion to it all. But no. The book just ended.

Overall average.

[Georgia Roybal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book at a yard sale thinking it was a biographical book. Instead, it is an in-depth examination of the philosophical bases of Bergman's films. I have only seen scenes from his movies here and there so I am not familiar with his body of work. That said, the analysis is heavily philosophical. I enjoyed the thought-provoking philosophical analysis. Thus, I will be looking to enjoy some of his films soon. This book is best read by those familiar with Bergman's films.

[Peter Ruark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a worthwhile read for fans of Bergman. My one complaint is how it is structured: prologue, a 72-page chapter followed by a 62-page chapter followed by a 40-page chapter followed by an epilogue. It would be much more reader-friendly if the chapters were broken up into subsections. That said, as an ardent fan of Bergman, I find Singer’s analyses quite fascinating. He does not set out to analyze each film one by one, but instead finds the common themes running through the films (i.e. the first chapter is called "Magic, Myth and the Return to Childhood") and discusses their development through various parts of the Bergman canon.

For some, the ideal book would go in chronological order through each of Bergman's films, with each film (or group of films) getting its own chapter. There are books like that, but this is not one of them. This is not an "introduction to Bergman" so to speak, and is probably more appealing to the seasoned Bergman fan than to the novice.

The book has prompted me to re-watch some of the films, nearly all of which are available to stream on the Criterion Channel.

[Dan Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardly a complete survey, but filled with sharp insights.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read! If you're an Ingmar Bergman fan like I am (and I'm pretty obsessed), this is a must read.

[Joni · Rating 2 out of 5]

the art of obscuring a master. repetitive and without fibre