Series 1 - Early Bergman

[criterionmaster]

Before The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries established him as one of the great masters of cinema, Ingmar Bergman created a series of less well known, devastating psychological character studies, marked by intricate, layered narratives, gritty environments, and haunting visuals. These early films, which show the stirrings of the genius to come, remain the hidden treasures of a European cinema on the cusp of a golden age.

FIVE-DISC BOX SET FEATURES:

Torment (1944)

In Ingmar Bergman's first produced screenplay, the dark coming-of-age drama Torment, Widgren, a boarding-school senior, is terrorized by his sadistic Latin teacher. When he falls for Bertha, a troubled local girl, he finds himself caught up even further in a web of emotional mind games.

Crisis (1946)

Urban beauty-shop proprietress Miss Jenny arrives in an idyllic rural town one morning to whisk away her eighteen-year-old daughter, Nelly, whom she abandoned as a child, from the loving woman who had raised her. Once in Stockholm, Nelly receives a crash course in adult corruption and wrenching heartbreak.

Port of Call (1948)

Berit, a suicidal young woman living in a working-class port town, unexpectedly falls for Gösta, a sailor on leave. Haunted by a troubled past and held in a vice grip by her domineering mother, Berit begins to hope that her relationship with Gösta might save her from her own self-destruction.

Thirst (1949)

A couple traveling across a war-ravaged Europe. A disintegrating marriage. A ballet dancer's scarred past. Her friend's psychological agony. Elliptically told in flashbacks, Thirst shows people enslaved to memory and united in isolation.

To Joy (1949)

An orchestra violinist's dreams of becoming a celebrated soloist and fears of his own mediocrity get in the way of his marriage to the patient, caring Marta. Played out to the music of Beethoven, To Joy is a heartbreaking tale of one man's inability to overcome the demons standing in the way of his happiness.

[criterionmaster]

I was listening to commentary on the bad horror film, Terror in the Midnight Sun. Sweden's first and last Sci-Fi film produced there. And on the track it mentioned one of the actors in the film was also in Bergman's Torment. They said that whereas in the U.S. most "good" actors would never lower themselves to do a sci-fi/horror films, but in Sweden everyone had to do everything because there wasn't as many movies being made; so good actors jumped around from all different kinds of films.

I thought that was pretty cool. Also as a side-note, another of the actors in the film was in Monika.

But as for this set, I will blind-buy it first day. It looks so classy, and so good. Can't wait!

[captainofbeef]

I can't wait to buy at least one film from this set. If I like the one film, then i will just buy the whole box.

[criterionmaster]

I don't think they are available separately, are they? If not you could always just watch one of them after I buy it. I heard each month there will be a new box set from a certain director or something, with different number of films in each.

[captainofbeef]

Eh, I thought that you could buy them separately. Maybe I was mistaken. Oh well, I will just watch one of yours and see if I want to buy the whole box.

[criterionmaster]

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000M2E3GS/dvdbeaver-20/ref=nosim

There is the link to it in case anyone was wondering about the price.

[criterionmaster]

www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews28/early_bergman.htm

Very positive, me happy.

[criterionmaster]

Hi Criterion and Eclipse viewers,

This is just a quick reminder to get in your responses to our Eclipse trivia contest in by this Friday the 13th (good luck!).

What is the name of the actor who appears in four of the five titles in Eclipse?s Early Bergman set and is also the father of a future Oscar-nominated actress?

Answer the question correctly and be entered in a drawing to win the Criterion Bergman title of your choice! Send your entries to [e-mail].

And don't forget, Eclipse Series #1: Early Bergman is in stores now, and Eclipse Series #2: The Documentaries of Louis Malle is currently available for preorder.

On the Criterion side of things, our upcoming weekend is sure to be eclipsed by a mammoth marathon screening of Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz (all fifteen-and-a-half hours) at the Museum of Modern Art. All day Saturday and Sunday. If only we could pack lunches!

Happy viewing,
The Criterion Collection

End of article.

I tried to figure this out for seriously like an hour, it is like impossible. If anyone can find this out, please share (I don't even care if you share after the fact).

[wkw]

criterionmaster said:

On the Criterion side of things, our upcoming weekend is sure to be eclipsed by a mammoth marathon screening of Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz (all fifteen-and-a-half hours) at the Museum of Modern Art. All day Saturday and Sunday. If only we could pack lunches.

Damn, I live in NY and would hate to miss this, but I'm bogged down by schoolwork.

[criterionmaster]

wkw said:

criterionmaster said:

On the Criterion side of things, our upcoming weekend is sure to be eclipsed by a mammoth marathon screening of Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz (all fifteen-and-a-half hours) at the Museum of Modern Art. All day Saturday and Sunday. If only we could pack lunches.

Damn, I live in NY and would hate to miss this, but I'm bogged down by schoolwork.

Holy fuck, someone actually lives in that area and would be able to see it!? I would give anything to see it, I don't even know how I could make it through the film as a marathon, but I would love to have tried. I hate school so much. It is coming out on Criterion though, but still, big screen!