Fanny and Alexander (1982) - Review
Once, I stood gazing at a portrait by Rembrandt. Not a print, but the actual canvas he painted. I had seen prints of his work and recognized that he was an accomplished artist. I knew that his work was considered groundbreaking, especially his portraiture, but standing in front of the actual painting went beyond intellectual, or even emotional, appreciation. It was as close to a religious experience as I've ever been. I knew deep in my soul that I was witness to perfection. I had the same experience watching Fanny and Alexander unfold on screen.
Since it's the first film I've seen by Ingmar Bergman, I'm sure I missed a lot that I might have seen otherwise. The direction and cinematography were sublime... beyond sublime. It didn't surprise me to find out that Bergman and cinematographer Sven Nykvist had worked together numerous times. The lighting is perfect. Bergman somehow makes it feel like his characters are not just part of the story, but one with the storyteller and his audience.
I wish I had a better vocabulary to describe the experience. If there's a heaven and someone wants it captured on film, Bergman (with Nyquist) is the one to do it.
(out of 5)
No comments:
Post a Comment