My list, for now: 1. Winter Light 2. Hour of the Wolf 3. Persona 4. Wild Strawberries 5. Shame 6. The Seventh Seal 7. Through a Glass Darkly 8. Summer With Monika 9. Cries and Whispers 10. Fanny and Alexander
I went through all of Bergman's movies about 15yrs ago! Every single one over a period of about 3 or 4 months. It was a wonderful situation to experience this man's creativity! Top 10 director of all- time!
1.The Seventh Seal, 2.Persona, 3.Summer With Monica, 4.Fanny And Alexander, 5.Scenes From A Marriage, 6.Autumn Sonata, 7.Cries And Whisper, 8.Wild strawberries, 9.Winter Light, 10, The Silence. I watched over 25 films of bergman. Autumn Sonata was my first bergman film. To me he is one of the greatest director of all time. He is my favorite director of all time. I started watching his films after watching your old video about him. Thank you so much❤️☺️
I actually started with Crisis, one of his early films. But I think for people who wants to start on Bergman the best film is Wild Strawberries. It reminds me of Kurosawa's Ikiru (and imo, the best film to watch if you're starting on Kurosawa). And probably, Scenes From a Marriage, because the story is accessible and it's easy for people to relate to it. My favourite Bergman though remains unchanged, it's a tie between Cries and Whispers and Autumn Sonata.
What a coincidence that I (finally) started watching Bergman last week and then you've made this video. Perfect timing. I began my Bergman journey with 'Persona' and was basically freaking out at a) how amazing it was and b) that it was made in 1965!?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Still wrapping my head around that one. Thanks for making this, it will def be a resource to me.
Great video! I actually saw your Fanny and Alexander appreciation video the other day, just before I watched the movie for a second time after a very long time. Thanks to your observations I could enjoy the movie so much more. In fact I had it shot up to the no. 1 position as well. I was even happier to learn that there is a longer version, which I'm watching at the moment. I love Bergman's movies, especially those that make you want to be part of them. I haven't really got a top 10, but Autumn sonata is in there, as is Scenes from a marriage, Cries and whispers, and After the rehearsal. Not so much the earlier 'remote island' type of films. I came into Bergman via Liv Ullmann, whom I loved in Scenes from a marriage. But I found that after so many films with her in, it is apparently possible to get enough of a good thing, so I've gone off her a bit. You highlighted Max von Sydow as one of Bergman's returning actors. Myself I absolutely love Erland Josephson. I would give my right arm to be an Alexander and sit on Erland's lap forever, just listening to that warm Swedish voice. 🙂
Thank you Josh. Love your videos. My top three Bergman films include Wild Strawberries because it touches on so many themes that define who we are at given points in our lives; the passing of time, dreams, memories, youth, aging, and relationships. The Seventh Seal for its philosophical approach and Persona for the psychological exploration of the self.
Did anybody else have the shock and horror realization moment after number 3 when you realized one of Persona, Fanny and Alexander, or The Seventh Seal wasn't going to make the list, or was it just me?
Agree about F&A. Although it is very grim at times, it is also Bergman's happiest movie. Love the Christmas with all the relatives, you can feel the warmth there, and Gun Wållgren as the grandmother is absolutely fantastic.
Thanks for this great video, I need to see all these. Overall, in terms of productivity, visual beauty, the depth with which the most universal themes are addressed, not to mention the humanity of his characters, it seems difficult to think of anyone who surpasses Bergman. I'm in the midst of the TV series Fanny and Alexander and am amazed at pretty much everything about it. I've also seen Seventh Seal, which might be my pick for the greatest film ever--gorgeous b&w cinematography, incredible mise-en-scene, nobel prize-worthy writing, perfect performances, the most universal themes. I'm seeing why masters like Kubrick and Tarkovsky practically worshipped this guy.
one mark of a master is that future artists imitate, look to, and pay tribute to him. This is certainly the case with Bergman, as you will keep seeing contemporary movies mentioning his work, usually in the form of visual quotes.
I did feel some Tarkovsky while watching Bergman, true ... prob some Andrei Rublev from Seventh Seal and some Stalker from Wild Strawberries ... even felt some later Hitchcock might be influenced by Wild Strawberries in a few scenes. Kubrick I'm not sure, but yes, must be something there.
Surprisingly, this is a pretty easy list for me to make: HMs: _Smiles of a Summer Night_ (1955); _The Silence_ (1963); _Hour of the Wolf_ (1968); _Shame_ (1968) 10. _The Virgin Spring_ (1960) 9. _Winter Light_ (1963) 8. _Through a Glass Darkly_ (1961) 7. _Cries and Whispers_ (1972) 6. _Wild Strawberries_ (1957) 5. _Autumn Sonata_ (1978) 4. _Scenes from a Marriage_ (1974) 3. _Fanny and Alexander_ (1982) 2. _Persona_ (1966) 1. _The Seventh Seal_ (1957) The man was an absolute genius and master of cinema and one of the very best to ever do it! (Absolutely in the Top 5 directors of all-time.)
Once you got to Wild Strawberries, I had to like your video. Bergman is a world unto himself: his dialogue in not real, but it is compelling. I love everything I've ever seen of his. Cinema is successful when it makes you examine your own life. And for me, his films always inspire me.
My usual goto for "number 1 Bergman film" has always been Persona....but I recently rewatched Wild Strawberries - first time in over 20 years - and it profoundly moved me. Maybe because I have aged in the meantime, and can relate better to the professor's thoughts about his mortality than the younger version of me from 20 years ago. Right now, I would put Wild Strawberries at the top of my list.
I've only seen four Bergman movies one of them is Fanny & Alexander and as soon as I seen it, I *knew* nothing would top it, it'll always be my number 1 Bergman and the 5 hour all the way.
I’ve only seen 8 Bergman films so far, so I have a long way to go, but of the ones I’ve seen I ofc really liked Persona and Fanny and Alexander, however the one that truly hit me was Wild Strawberries. It was a wonderful existential experience with a masterclass performance from the legendary Victor Sjöström
I’ve only seen The Seventh Seal but I would like to get more into Bergman so this video was very helpful. Entertaining, concise and insightful. I will see these 10 films and decide after that whether I want to pursue his entire filmography or not. Thanks!
I then saw "The Passion of Anna" again, decades later at the wonderful Film Forum in lower Manhattan . . . this time with the great Ullman in attendance for a post-screening interview.
Winter Light, The Silence, Persona, Hour of the Wolf, The Virgin Spring, Cries and Whispers, Scenes of a Marriage(television version), Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries, The Magician.
My introduction to Bergman was in a film class at Ramapo College of New Jersey in 1977. The film was "The Passion of Anna" with the great Liv Ullman. I was hooked! Dunno if I could limit a worthy list to ten.
10. Winter Light 9. Through a Glass Darkly 8. Smiles of a Summer Night 7. The Virgin Spring 6. Summer with Monika 5. Wild Strawberries 4. Scenes from a Marriage 3. Autumn Sonata 2. The Seventh Seal 1. Fanny and Alexander As you can see, my top three and yours are the exact same. I agree that The Seventh Seal and Fanny and Alexander are masterpieces, and Autumn Sonata is an excellent film as well. Unfortunately, there is a large gap in my affinity between those three films and the rest of them. It's not that I don't like those films, but I always feel limited in my ability to completely appreciate them in the way that many others do. Of these films, the only one I've never heard you talk about is Smiles of a Summer Night, which is ostensibly a comedy, but I only laughed at one line early on. It was while watching that one that I realized much of Bergman's filmography is centered on infidelity, which he seems to have an almost cavalier attitude toward, which isn't surprising, given his relationship history. I finished watching Scenes from a Marriage this past weekend and was baffled by the characters' acceptance, even encouragement, of it. I noticed the same thing while rewatching some Godard and Truffaut films last year. Is this just a post-Christian Europe thing, or is it something specific to a sort of bohemian artist/liberal intellectual group of individuals to which those filmmakers belong? I certainly haven't encountered those types of people in America, not even on social media, where many have no problem expressing opinions that are outside the norm. I received the Bergman box set a couple of months ago and have been making my way through the viewing guide they provided, although so far, it's mostly just been his early films, and any sort of thematic connections seem tenuous. It looks as though the eras of his filmography are mixed up a bit more from here on, and I'm really looking forward to watching Hour of the Wolf, The Magic Flute, and Cries and Whispers. I'll keep my eyes out for some of the others you've recommended.
the order of that boxset is by thematic content, isn't it? If you work through Bergman chronologically, it takes (or it took me) about ten films to see several patterns emerge, finally. The "infidelity" theme ends up tied up with ultimate-faith concerns, as in Winter Light and Virgin Spring. That's when it becomes interesting to me. Same, I suppose, even with Fanny and Alexander.
@@LearningaboutMovies Yes, it is. From what I've seen, the first seven years or so of Bergman's filmography don't seem to have a strong voice behind them. I remember watching the earliest ones and being reminded of domestic dramas from that era in Hollywood. One of the accompanying essays confirmed that this was the strategy of Swedish film studios at that time to make films that were accessible and familiar, and thus profitable. Summer with Monika seems to be the first "Bergman" Bergman film, one in which he began exploring the kinds of characters and ideas that he would spend the rest of his career on. There might be flashes of his style and thoughts in earlier films, but that was the first one that seemed to be entirely his own vision.
@@nl3064 Yes, I watched everything in the box set, and all three films I mentioned looking forward to ended up in my top ten: 10. Scenes from a Marriage 9. The Passion of Anna 8. Saraband 7. Shame 6. The Magic Flute 5. Hour of the Wolf 4. Autumn Sonata 3. Cries and Whispers 2. The Seventh Seal 1. Fanny and Alexander
Really like the video! I still need to watch more Bergman, but everything I've seen I've loved. Sawdust and Tinsel was a surprise inclusion but I have no issue with it. I usually suggest Virgin Spring or Summer with Monika as a good entry point. I didn't like Shame that much, and Seventh Seal grew on me. Wild Strawberries and Persona are both in my top 20 movies all time. I'm so so bad at watching long movies, but I'm getting better, so I'll get to Fanny and Alexander one of these days! I have seen the mini-series version of Scenes from a Marriage and love it as well.
The Bergman films I enjoyed most were Summer Interlude, Summer with Monika and Cries and Whispers, and Hour of the Wolf. These three would also be in my top. Somehow it's a subjective feeling.Other films like "The Silence" are not watchable for me, for example
Great Video! I’m from Sweden and here is my top 10: 1 The Seventh Seal 2 Persona 3 Hour of the Wolf 4 Shame 5 The Virgin Spring 6 Wild Strawberries 7 The Magician 8 Automn Sonata 9 Sccenes from a Marriage 10 Fanny & Alexander
Last night I watched From the Life of the Marionettes. I was shocked at how powerful it was because I never hear it get mentioned. Extremely bleak, gritty, and sparse. In a way, I see it as Psycho remade by Bergman. It has one of Begman's greatest monologues, in my opinion (Tim in front of the mirror). On the other hand, I have never been able to love The Seventh Seal as much. I have seen it twice at different points in my life and I'm not sure why it doesn't quite do it for me. Maybe it isn't my cup of tea either (or maybe the allegory is too on the nose compared to his other works). I wish Tim Roth's character in Bergman Island (a very good film) would have gone into more detail about why he "can't stand it" (The Seventh Seal). Number one for me is Winter Light.
Some gretaer movies he didn't mentioned 1 the passion of anna which i think is bergman's greatest movie 2 shame 2 greatest bergman's movie in my opinion
10 the Magician 9 the Silence 8 the Virgin Spring 7 Through a Glass Darkly 6 the Seventh Seal 5 Cries and Whispers 4 Summer with Monika 3 Wild Strawberries 2 Persona 1 Fanny and Alexander
10. Through a Glass Darkly 9. The Virgin Spring 8. Winter Light 7. Cries and Whispers 6. Autumn Sonatta 5. Fanny and Alexander 4. Persona 3. Wild Strawberries 2. The Seventh Seal 1. Scenes from a Marrige
I've recently started to explore Bergman (I am Swedish and don't generally like Swedish films) and I am totally hooked. I've watched 6 so far, but I guess there are plenty more to go ;D
I'm halfway through the Criterion Collection boxset, and so far one of the most angry, powerful movies is From the Life of the Marionettes. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but you can see Bergman's anger at the Swedish government's tax action against him indirectly reflected in this wrought movie. The story is set in Germany (where he fled after the tax action) and in it he destroys the marriage of some secondary characters from one of his earlier movies ( "Scenes from a Marriage", set in Sweden) through mental illness and murder. Worth watching with that in mind.
Just a few words about his fascination with mental illness. In my favorite book about Bergman, Bilder (Images) from 1987, he tells a little story behind most of his films. When he wrote Winter Light, he voluntarily lived in a psychiatric clinic (he did that occasionally) and was helped by the quiet surroundings to find inspiration. He also found it therapeutic for his recovery to visit many medieval churches together with his cinematographer Sven Nykvist before they shot the film. I certainly hope this isn't your closure of the topic Ingmar Bergman.
thank you for this. There's at least one more Bergman video in the hopper, "Fanny and Alexander." I forget if there are more; I'm working 3-4 months ahead of schedule.
I'm so greatful to Ingmar Bergman and his actors. His films has meant so much to me throughout the years; they are soul cleansing. With all the RUBBISH going on in Sweden nowadays, it is also comforting to be reminded that my country nevertheless has a great cultural heritage, of wich Ingmar Bergman is a very important part. My favourites: 1) Fanny and Alexander 2) The Seventh Seal 3) Winter Light 4) Wild Strawberries 5) Through a Glass Darkly
great stuff; i haven't given bergman a chance in a long time, always found him a little stuffy and telegraphed, prob in my own impatience, but i appreciate your opinions and insights, and one has to be aware of his influence and humanism
Don't know if you'll read this, but I discovered your YT channel about 1 1/2yrs ago! Watched a bunch of your vids for 2 days, then forgot about you! The last couple of months, I've tried typing in 'intellectual movie reviews' or simply 'movie channels' and a couple of variations- nothing! Then, lo-and- behold, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' comes on a local educational channel, and I decide to look-up some material on the Coen brothers; in the process, I came across your YT channel by accident typing something completely unrelated in the search bar! Then, boom! Your videos are much more substantive and thought-provoking than those that try to get it 'right!' Much deeper analysis than that of these absolutely shallow insects playing 'house!' Your analysis is the best! I'm not going to put tenants in harms-way or give anyone some responsibility that was meant for an Achilles-like Being! To use a Bukowski title to one of his poems, "War All the Time!" If me and you
I read all of the comments still. Thank you for returning. I think the channel has improved since 18 months ago, at least production-wise. A full list of what's been produced on the channel is here: joshmatthews.org/what-makes-this-movie-great-list-of-videos/
@@LearningaboutMovies Thx! I just noticed some of my comment included a message for someone else, which is why it didn't make sense. You do a great job and I plan on commenting periodically now that I found you again. I'm a big movie junky, so it will be great to pass some things your way every now and then. Take care!
I did wonder about your last two sentences! Yes, send in recommendations please. You'll see a lot of commenters do that on the monthly livestream, which is a great resource for recommendations.
Hmm people keep saying that Bergman can be a bit cold (like Haneke) bur I have never felt so, I have always found his films and characters deeply resonating and relatable. My top Bergman films are Fanny and Alexander(the 5+ hour cut), Persona, Winter Light, Wild Strawberries and Seventh Seal A lesser Bergman film I enjoy is A ship to India, a bit melodramatic (almost American style IMO) with some great camerawork.
I loved the 3 hour movie version of Fanny and Alexander. Should I go for the 5 hour TV version. Same with Scenes from a Marriage. I watched The Seventh Seal when I was very young. Did not like it then. Must rewatch. Wild Strawberries was uplifting. Persona was enigmatic in a good way.
Yes to the 5-hour version. Better, I think. Same with "Scenes." Rewatch "Seventh Seal" and see if it takes. Strikes me as more a "middle-aged" movie, just given where the characters are at. I am not saying the young won't get it, but it helps to have life experience, so that you have a clue where the knight and the actors are at.
I saw both cuts of F&A and found the 3 hour cut better. The boring subplots never seem to end in the uncut version. But the uncut Scenes From A Marriage is far superior to the theatrical cut.
I agree with Fanny and Alexander and Seventh Seal as the top two films. I first saw The Seventh Seal in 1968 as a 16 year old, and was strongly influenced by it. Fanny and Alexander is just a great movie.
Persona is not one of my favorite Bergman films so I don’t mind it not being in the top 10. But Shame needs to be right near the top. That is an amazing film. People who lived through the wars in Former Yugoslavia in the 1990s could really relate to that one, or the people currently living under Russian occupation in Ukraine right now.
1 Cries and whispers, 2 The Seventh seal, 3 Wild Strawberries, 4 The Silence, 5 Winter light, 6 Fanny and Alexander, 7 Scenes from a marriage, 8 Through a glass darkly, 9 Persona, 10 The Virgin Spring, 11 Smiles of a summer night,, 12 Autumn Sonata, 13 Summer with Monika, 14 Sawdust and Tinsel, 15 Shame, 16 The Magician, 17 The Passion of Anna, 18 Hour of the wolf, 19 Saraband, 20 Face to face
I have a Tarantino boxset which you can see in my latest videos sitting behind me. Not sure when I will get to it as Malick, Fellini, and Cassavetes are in my current queue, with Michael Mann interrupting it!
Rating art is, of course, not a completion. I like all the movie in your list, but I'd add: Winter Light Persona Cries and Whispers Scenes from a Marriage
two best things about rankings are 1) seeing what others like, and 2) getting recommendations. I hope that if #1 is not helpful or interesting, #2 always will be. yes, those movies are really ones that many/most would put near the top of their lists.
I find that many Bergman movies, such as Autumn Sonata, Wild Strawberries, Shame, Persona, Fanny and Alexander and others, have a theme of narcissistic abuse being explored. I don’t think this subject had much information about it in Bergman’s time, especially compared to now. However, the more I understand about that topic, the more I feel Bergman is exploring this theme. Anyone else feel this way?
you are probably right, as Bergman seems to be leading developments in psychology before they happen. Would be fascinating to look at the DSM and its updates as Bergman moves through his career. That is a grad school paper for anybody reading this.
Lists like this are always fun to watch - even if I disagree with your take on Persona. 😁 I'm wondering what you thought of Shame. While it didn't address some of the universal questions that are tackled in films like the Seventh Seal, I found it quite moving. I haven't seen enough Bergman to know how it stacks up with his entire filmography, so I would be interested to learn your assessment.
I disagree with all lists ever, except my own! Shame is quite good, I thought, and it's stuck with me. A surprising science-fiction movie, if you want to see it that way. The only time the Island scenario in Bergman is invaded and interrupted by an outside force (that's greater than a single individual/stranger). He rarely went to that, the overtly political. I think it's clear that Tarkovsky picked up on this and extended it in his last movie, "The Sacrifice."
I believe shame is supposed to be a dream. Especially in the final scene when she is explaining a dream abd ends with there is something im supposed to remember. It's the fact that she is actually dreaming!
did you know, apparently, Sylvia Plath watched 'Brink of Life' and got so inspired that she wrote a radio play- 'Three Women'- one of her lesser known works smh
I am taking my time with Bergman. Persona and Seventh Seal are held in such great that i felt too dumb for them. Wild Strawberries are fenomental tho. Are you interested in seeing Hbo's rewriting of Scenes from a Marriage? First episode comes out this weekend. I will definetly see the long Bergman version and then see how they updated it for the modern times. I dont have any expectations, because I dont care about Bergman that much yet. Im just curious of the result.
I had no idea HBO was rewriting it. It usually seems more productive to me to create something inspired by such a work than simply redoing it. Baumbach's Marriage Story is a good example. thanks for this comment. I didn't care for Bergman much years ago, and in truth he's far from my favorite. It's more respect than love on my part, and I wonder if in the future he will gain as much esteem from philosophers as he's had in the past few decades.
I would wait until Criterion has a 50% sale and then buy their Bergman set of 40 or so movies. If you can afford the $120 for it. That would be a better deal than the Faith Trilogy, and you would get the faith trilogy while getting everything else. Again, I am not sponsored by Criterion, own no stock, and get nothing at all for shilling them.
@@LearningaboutMovies we got the Bergman set for a friend last year, still haven’t gotten around to borrowing anything from it. I was just thinking about having some Bergman in my collection since I have $50 to spare during the b&n sale.
Years ago I practically wore out my original Fanny & Alexander VCR tapes. When the uncut full Swedish television version came out I was very excited but then shocked to find I HATED it. Everything mysterious and subtle in the original film is bloated with explanation, long monologues etc. I must assert that the FILM as released by Bergman and every shot edited and approved by him IS Fanny and Alexander and the bloated wearying indulgence of the TV 'version' that never ends is not.
yes. Bergman made 40 plus movies, so they didn't all get a mention here. There's a Bergman list of mine over on letterboxd; I can't remember where this one falls.
am i the only one here to defend scenes from a marriage? really no one here even mentioned it? for me its better than seventh seal. i would put it with persona and wild strawberries as the top 3. and i think that through a glass darkly is overrated comparing to bergman's potential
Thanks for the video but please Fanny and Alexander is the worst, moore famous in USA than in Europe. The cast is wrong without Ingrid Thulin or Liv Ullmann. The stupid uncle is unbearable. The silence, Cries and whispers and Persona are much better! Ok for the others...
I love good movies, but after a patient viewing of several films reputed to be some of his best offerings, I found Bergman a major disappointment. I know others think they see great profundity in them, but I think they're mistaking vagueness and strangeness for true depth. I didn't DISlike some of his stuff (Wild Strawberries, Through a Glass Darkly, one or two others), but they certainly didn't rise to the soaring heights claimed for them by many. No offense intended toward anyone.
Could not disagree more strongly with your sentiment. In my experience, any of his movies that seemed to suffer from “vagueness” or “strangeness” or “lacked depth” only seemed so because I lacked the life experience to understand them at the time. No offense intended.
@@Thegoldenlab606 None taken, Philip, though in all honesty I could not say the same. I am not a young man and my life has been, if nothing else, one of deep and complex (and painful) experience. It's a major part of what makes my personal conclusion about Bergman an authentic one. Cheers.
My list, for now:
1. Winter Light
2. Hour of the Wolf
3. Persona
4. Wild Strawberries
5. Shame
6. The Seventh Seal
7. Through a Glass Darkly
8. Summer With Monika
9. Cries and Whispers
10. Fanny and Alexander
I watch Fannie and Alexander every Christmas season. I've loved this movie for at least 30 years.
This is my favorite video of yours - concise, well-documented, explained and put into cinematic and “real world” context. Congrats!
thank you very much.
I went through all of Bergman's movies about 15yrs ago! Every single one over a period of about 3 or 4 months. It was a wonderful situation to experience this man's creativity! Top 10 director of all- time!
it's a really great exercise, going through a filmography chronologically, which I highly recommend.
1.The Seventh Seal, 2.Persona, 3.Summer With Monica, 4.Fanny And Alexander, 5.Scenes From A Marriage, 6.Autumn Sonata, 7.Cries And Whisper, 8.Wild strawberries, 9.Winter Light, 10, The Silence. I watched over 25 films of bergman. Autumn Sonata was my first bergman film. To me he is one of the greatest director of all time. He is my favorite director of all time. I started watching his films after watching your old video about him. Thank you so much❤️☺️
you're welcome. Great list!
I like you and am glad I'm not alone in my love of Summer with Monika.
@@dannygillespie6614 ☺️🤗
I actually started with Crisis, one of his early films. But I think for people who wants to start on Bergman the best film is Wild Strawberries. It reminds me of Kurosawa's Ikiru (and imo, the best film to watch if you're starting on Kurosawa). And probably, Scenes From a Marriage, because the story is accessible and it's easy for people to relate to it.
My favourite Bergman though remains unchanged, it's a tie between Cries and Whispers and Autumn Sonata.
What a coincidence that I (finally) started watching Bergman last week and then you've made this video. Perfect timing. I began my Bergman journey with 'Persona' and was basically freaking out at a) how amazing it was and b) that it was made in 1965!?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Still wrapping my head around that one. Thanks for making this, it will def be a resource to me.
if you like Persona, you should try (if you haven't) Godard and the Japanese New Wave. Glad the timing here worked out!
Great video! I actually saw your Fanny and Alexander appreciation video the other day, just before I watched the movie for a second time after a very long time. Thanks to your observations I could enjoy the movie so much more. In fact I had it shot up to the no. 1 position as well. I was even happier to learn that there is a longer version, which I'm watching at the moment. I love Bergman's movies, especially those that make you want to be part of them. I haven't really got a top 10, but Autumn sonata is in there, as is Scenes from a marriage, Cries and whispers, and After the rehearsal. Not so much the earlier 'remote island' type of films.
I came into Bergman via Liv Ullmann, whom I loved in Scenes from a marriage. But I found that after so many films with her in, it is apparently possible to get enough of a good thing, so I've gone off her a bit. You highlighted Max von Sydow as one of Bergman's returning actors. Myself I absolutely love Erland Josephson. I would give my right arm to be an Alexander and sit on Erland's lap forever, just listening to that warm Swedish voice.
🙂
Thank you Josh. Love your videos. My top three Bergman films include Wild Strawberries because it touches on so many themes that define who we are at given points in our lives; the passing of time, dreams, memories, youth, aging, and relationships. The Seventh Seal for its philosophical approach and Persona for the psychological exploration of the self.
thank you Bill.
Did anybody else have the shock and horror realization moment after number 3 when you realized one of Persona, Fanny and Alexander, or The Seventh Seal wasn't going to make the list, or was it just me?
I should learn from this for future videos!
Agree about F&A. Although it is very grim at times, it is also Bergman's happiest movie. Love the Christmas with all the relatives, you can feel the warmth there, and Gun Wållgren as the grandmother is absolutely fantastic.
yes!
Thanks for this great video, I need to see all these. Overall, in terms of productivity, visual beauty, the depth with which the most universal themes are addressed, not to mention the humanity of his characters, it seems difficult to think of anyone who surpasses Bergman. I'm in the midst of the TV series Fanny and Alexander and am amazed at pretty much everything about it. I've also seen Seventh Seal, which might be my pick for the greatest film ever--gorgeous b&w cinematography, incredible mise-en-scene, nobel prize-worthy writing, perfect performances, the most universal themes. I'm seeing why masters like Kubrick and Tarkovsky practically worshipped this guy.
one mark of a master is that future artists imitate, look to, and pay tribute to him. This is certainly the case with Bergman, as you will keep seeing contemporary movies mentioning his work, usually in the form of visual quotes.
I did feel some Tarkovsky while watching Bergman, true ... prob some Andrei Rublev from Seventh Seal and some Stalker from Wild Strawberries ... even felt some later Hitchcock might be influenced by Wild Strawberries in a few scenes. Kubrick I'm not sure, but yes, must be something there.
Surprisingly, this is a pretty easy list for me to make:
HMs: _Smiles of a Summer Night_ (1955); _The Silence_ (1963); _Hour of the Wolf_ (1968); _Shame_ (1968)
10. _The Virgin Spring_ (1960)
9. _Winter Light_ (1963)
8. _Through a Glass Darkly_ (1961)
7. _Cries and Whispers_ (1972)
6. _Wild Strawberries_ (1957)
5. _Autumn Sonata_ (1978)
4. _Scenes from a Marriage_ (1974)
3. _Fanny and Alexander_ (1982)
2. _Persona_ (1966)
1. _The Seventh Seal_ (1957)
The man was an absolute genius and master of cinema and one of the very best to ever do it! (Absolutely in the Top 5 directors of all-time.)
Once you got to Wild Strawberries, I had to like your video. Bergman is a world unto himself: his dialogue in not real, but it is compelling. I love everything I've ever seen of his. Cinema is successful when it makes you examine your own life. And for me, his films always inspire me.
My usual goto for "number 1 Bergman film" has always been Persona....but I recently rewatched Wild Strawberries - first time in over 20 years - and it profoundly moved me. Maybe because I have aged in the meantime, and can relate better to the professor's thoughts about his mortality than the younger version of me from 20 years ago. Right now, I would put Wild Strawberries at the top of my list.
I think this will be a common reaction to the movie -- easier to identity with the main character the closer we get to his age.
So glad I subscribed to you!
glad you are here. thank you.
I've only seen four Bergman movies one of them is Fanny & Alexander and as soon as I seen it, I *knew* nothing would top it, it'll always be my number 1 Bergman and the 5 hour all the way.
I’ve only seen 8 Bergman films so far, so I have a long way to go, but of the ones I’ve seen I ofc really liked Persona and Fanny and Alexander, however the one that truly hit me was Wild Strawberries. It was a wonderful existential experience with a masterclass performance from the legendary Victor Sjöström
Wild Strawberries my favorite on 2nd viewing after many years ... in the middle of the 5.5 hrs of Franny & Alexander currently.
@@clumsydad7158 Have u managed to finish it yet?
@@teamrainbow7674 I'm doing the final, Ep 5 tonight, which is about 1.5 hrs.
I’ve only seen The Seventh Seal but I would like to get more into Bergman so this video was very helpful. Entertaining, concise and insightful. I will see these 10 films and decide after that whether I want to pursue his entire filmography or not. Thanks!
you're welcome.
I then saw "The Passion of Anna" again, decades later at the wonderful Film Forum in lower Manhattan . . . this time with the great Ullman in attendance for a post-screening interview.
Winter Light, The Silence, Persona, Hour of the Wolf, The Virgin Spring, Cries and Whispers, Scenes of a Marriage(television version), Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries, The Magician.
ah, thank you.
My introduction to Bergman was in a film class at Ramapo College of New Jersey in 1977. The film was "The Passion of Anna" with the great Liv Ullman. I was hooked! Dunno if I could limit a worthy list to ten.
10. Winter Light
9. Through a Glass Darkly
8. Smiles of a Summer Night
7. The Virgin Spring
6. Summer with Monika
5. Wild Strawberries
4. Scenes from a Marriage
3. Autumn Sonata
2. The Seventh Seal
1. Fanny and Alexander
As you can see, my top three and yours are the exact same. I agree that The Seventh Seal and Fanny and Alexander are masterpieces, and Autumn Sonata is an excellent film as well. Unfortunately, there is a large gap in my affinity between those three films and the rest of them. It's not that I don't like those films, but I always feel limited in my ability to completely appreciate them in the way that many others do. Of these films, the only one I've never heard you talk about is Smiles of a Summer Night, which is ostensibly a comedy, but I only laughed at one line early on. It was while watching that one that I realized much of Bergman's filmography is centered on infidelity, which he seems to have an almost cavalier attitude toward, which isn't surprising, given his relationship history. I finished watching Scenes from a Marriage this past weekend and was baffled by the characters' acceptance, even encouragement, of it. I noticed the same thing while rewatching some Godard and Truffaut films last year. Is this just a post-Christian Europe thing, or is it something specific to a sort of bohemian artist/liberal intellectual group of individuals to which those filmmakers belong? I certainly haven't encountered those types of people in America, not even on social media, where many have no problem expressing opinions that are outside the norm.
I received the Bergman box set a couple of months ago and have been making my way through the viewing guide they provided, although so far, it's mostly just been his early films, and any sort of thematic connections seem tenuous. It looks as though the eras of his filmography are mixed up a bit more from here on, and I'm really looking forward to watching Hour of the Wolf, The Magic Flute, and Cries and Whispers. I'll keep my eyes out for some of the others you've recommended.
the order of that boxset is by thematic content, isn't it? If you work through Bergman chronologically, it takes (or it took me) about ten films to see several patterns emerge, finally.
The "infidelity" theme ends up tied up with ultimate-faith concerns, as in Winter Light and Virgin Spring. That's when it becomes interesting to me. Same, I suppose, even with Fanny and Alexander.
@@LearningaboutMovies Yes, it is. From what I've seen, the first seven years or so of Bergman's filmography don't seem to have a strong voice behind them. I remember watching the earliest ones and being reminded of domestic dramas from that era in Hollywood. One of the accompanying essays confirmed that this was the strategy of Swedish film studios at that time to make films that were accessible and familiar, and thus profitable. Summer with Monika seems to be the first "Bergman" Bergman film, one in which he began exploring the kinds of characters and ideas that he would spend the rest of his career on. There might be flashes of his style and thoughts in earlier films, but that was the first one that seemed to be entirely his own vision.
Have you gotten around to watching Cries and Whispers and Hour of the Wolf?
@@nl3064 Yes, I watched everything in the box set, and all three films I mentioned looking forward to ended up in my top ten:
10. Scenes from a Marriage
9. The Passion of Anna
8. Saraband
7. Shame
6. The Magic Flute
5. Hour of the Wolf
4. Autumn Sonata
3. Cries and Whispers
2. The Seventh Seal
1. Fanny and Alexander
Great video as always. Looking forward to your next director deep-dive!
thank you.
Really like the video! I still need to watch more Bergman, but everything I've seen I've loved. Sawdust and Tinsel was a surprise inclusion but I have no issue with it.
I usually suggest Virgin Spring or Summer with Monika as a good entry point. I didn't like Shame that much, and Seventh Seal grew on me. Wild Strawberries and Persona are both in my top 20 movies all time. I'm so so bad at watching long movies, but I'm getting better, so I'll get to Fanny and Alexander one of these days! I have seen the mini-series version of Scenes from a Marriage and love it as well.
thank you. great comment.
Great video 👍 Persona is also not one of favorites 😁😅
1. Shame
2. The Seventh Seal
3. Wild Strawberries
4. Hour of Wolf
5. Summer Interlude
thank you very much.
Autumn Sonata and The Seventh Seal are the only Bergman movies I have seen. I'll definitely check out the others
The Bergman films I enjoyed most were Summer Interlude, Summer with Monika and Cries and Whispers, and Hour of the Wolf. These three would also be in my top. Somehow it's a subjective feeling.Other films like "The Silence" are not watchable for me, for example
#1 Wild Strawberries
#2 Seventh Seal
#3 Saraband
#4 Cries and Whispers
Great Video! I’m from Sweden and here is my top 10:
1 The Seventh Seal
2 Persona
3 Hour of the Wolf
4 Shame
5 The Virgin Spring
6 Wild Strawberries
7 The Magician
8 Automn Sonata
9 Sccenes from a Marriage
10 Fanny & Alexander
thank you
Last night I watched From the Life of the Marionettes. I was shocked at how powerful it was because I never hear it get mentioned. Extremely bleak, gritty, and sparse. In a way, I see it as Psycho remade by Bergman. It has one of Begman's greatest monologues, in my opinion (Tim in front of the mirror). On the other hand, I have never been able to love The Seventh Seal as much. I have seen it twice at different points in my life and I'm not sure why it doesn't quite do it for me. Maybe it isn't my cup of tea either (or maybe the allegory is too on the nose compared to his other works). I wish Tim Roth's character in Bergman Island (a very good film) would have gone into more detail about why he "can't stand it" (The Seventh Seal). Number one for me is Winter Light.
Some gretaer movies he didn't mentioned
1 the passion of anna which i think is bergman's greatest movie
2 shame 2 greatest bergman's movie in my opinion
10 the Magician
9 the Silence
8 the Virgin Spring
7 Through a Glass Darkly
6 the Seventh Seal
5 Cries and Whispers
4 Summer with Monika
3 Wild Strawberries
2 Persona
1 Fanny and Alexander
thank you.
Just watched Persona and Autumn Sonata back to back. Looking forward to watching others kn this list, Thank you!
you're welcome! glad you appreciated them.
10. Through a Glass Darkly
9. The Virgin Spring
8. Winter Light
7. Cries and Whispers
6. Autumn Sonatta
5. Fanny and Alexander
4. Persona
3. Wild Strawberries
2. The Seventh Seal
1. Scenes from a Marrige
I've recently started to explore Bergman (I am Swedish and don't generally like Swedish films) and I am totally hooked. I've watched 6 so far, but I guess there are plenty more to go ;D
I'm halfway through the Criterion Collection boxset, and so far one of the most angry, powerful movies is From the Life of the Marionettes. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but you can see Bergman's anger at the Swedish government's tax action against him indirectly reflected in this wrought movie. The story is set in Germany (where he fled after the tax action) and in it he destroys the marriage of some secondary characters from one of his earlier movies ( "Scenes from a Marriage", set in Sweden) through mental illness and murder. Worth watching with that in mind.
thank you.
Just a few words about his fascination with mental illness.
In my favorite book about Bergman, Bilder (Images) from 1987, he tells a little story behind most of his films. When he wrote Winter Light, he voluntarily lived in a psychiatric clinic (he did that occasionally) and was helped by the quiet surroundings to find inspiration. He also found it therapeutic for his recovery to visit many medieval churches together with his cinematographer Sven Nykvist before they shot the film.
I certainly hope this isn't your closure of the topic Ingmar Bergman.
thank you for this. There's at least one more Bergman video in the hopper, "Fanny and Alexander." I forget if there are more; I'm working 3-4 months ahead of schedule.
Indeed...a man to be spoken about over the centuries.
Cries and Whispers should have been up there!👌🏻
I think this will be a common view for sure. I really need to study it. Thank you.
Cries & Whispers is my favorite.
I like that you have a completely personal attitude to reviewing movies. Keep that :-)
thanks.
@@LearningaboutMovies I am one of those "Persona is ahead of all other Bergman" ... Great that you mentioned "The Hour Of The Wolf", an underrated one
I'm so greatful to Ingmar Bergman and his actors. His films has meant so much to me throughout the years; they are soul cleansing. With all the RUBBISH going on in Sweden nowadays, it is also comforting to be reminded that my country nevertheless has a great cultural heritage, of wich Ingmar Bergman is a very important part.
My favourites:
1) Fanny and Alexander
2) The Seventh Seal
3) Winter Light
4) Wild Strawberries
5) Through a Glass Darkly
thank you very much
great stuff; i haven't given bergman a chance in a long time, always found him a little stuffy and telegraphed, prob in my own impatience, but i appreciate your opinions and insights, and one has to be aware of his influence and humanism
there's got to be a set of 3-4 Bergman films that anybody would like. However, the set is likely to vary a lot for each person. I hope you find yours!
Don't know if you'll read this, but I discovered your YT channel about 1 1/2yrs ago! Watched a bunch of your vids for 2 days, then forgot about you! The last couple of months, I've tried typing in 'intellectual movie reviews' or simply 'movie channels' and a couple of variations- nothing! Then, lo-and- behold, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' comes on a local educational channel, and I decide to look-up some material on the Coen brothers; in the process, I came across your YT channel by accident typing something completely unrelated in the search bar! Then, boom!
Your videos are much more substantive and thought-provoking than those that try to get it 'right!' Much deeper analysis than that of these absolutely shallow insects playing 'house!' Your analysis is the best! I'm not going to put tenants in harms-way or give anyone some responsibility that was meant for an Achilles-like Being! To use a Bukowski title to one of his poems, "War All the Time!" If me and you
I read all of the comments still. Thank you for returning. I think the channel has improved since 18 months ago, at least production-wise.
A full list of what's been produced on the channel is here: joshmatthews.org/what-makes-this-movie-great-list-of-videos/
@@LearningaboutMovies Thx! I just noticed some of my comment included a message for someone else, which is why it didn't make sense. You do a great job and I plan on commenting periodically now that I found you again. I'm a big movie junky, so it will be great to pass some things your way every now and then. Take care!
I did wonder about your last two sentences! Yes, send in recommendations please. You'll see a lot of commenters do that on the monthly livestream, which is a great resource for recommendations.
Hmm people keep saying that Bergman can be a bit cold (like Haneke) bur I have never felt so, I have always found his films and characters deeply resonating and relatable. My top Bergman films are Fanny and Alexander(the 5+ hour cut), Persona, Winter Light, Wild Strawberries and Seventh Seal
A lesser Bergman film I enjoy is A ship to India, a bit melodramatic (almost American style IMO) with some great camerawork.
thank you.
Awesome list. For me it's Persona all the way, although it is definitely an outlier in his filmography.
yes, I suspect that's a common opinion, and it makes sense to me. Perhaps his most striking movie in a number of ways.
I loved the 3 hour movie version of Fanny and Alexander. Should I go for the 5 hour TV version. Same with Scenes from a Marriage.
I watched The Seventh Seal when I was very young. Did not like it then. Must rewatch.
Wild Strawberries was uplifting. Persona was enigmatic in a good way.
Yes to the 5-hour version. Better, I think. Same with "Scenes."
Rewatch "Seventh Seal" and see if it takes. Strikes me as more a "middle-aged" movie, just given where the characters are at. I am not saying the young won't get it, but it helps to have life experience, so that you have a clue where the knight and the actors are at.
I saw both cuts of F&A and found the 3 hour cut better. The boring subplots never seem to end in the uncut version. But the uncut Scenes From A Marriage is far superior to the theatrical cut.
5 hour version is better.
I agree with Fanny and Alexander and Seventh Seal as the top two films. I first saw The Seventh Seal in 1968 as a 16 year old, and was strongly influenced by it. Fanny and Alexander is just a great movie.
Bergman is a Titan. Thank you for this video. GREAT analysis.
thank you.
No Cries and Whispers?
right, the video is named "my top 10 favorites," and not anybody else's.
Wild Strawberries in top 3
Thanks! I’m about to check out his work. Is Seventh Seal and Persona good first movies by him to watch?
Por que el manantial de la doncella esta en el top 7? es magnifica
Persona is not one of my favorite Bergman films so I don’t mind it not being in the top 10. But Shame needs to be right near the top. That is an amazing film. People who lived through the wars in Former Yugoslavia in the 1990s could really relate to that one, or the people currently living under Russian occupation in Ukraine right now.
I have never considered Bergman's work films per se. They are more like an animated novel using the mind as a projection room.
1 Cries and whispers, 2 The Seventh seal, 3 Wild Strawberries, 4 The Silence, 5 Winter light, 6 Fanny and Alexander, 7 Scenes from a marriage, 8 Through a glass darkly, 9 Persona, 10 The Virgin Spring, 11 Smiles of a summer night,, 12 Autumn Sonata, 13 Summer with Monika, 14 Sawdust and Tinsel, 15 Shame, 16 The Magician, 17 The Passion of Anna, 18 Hour of the wolf, 19 Saraband, 20 Face to face
thank you.
Fanny and Alexander, The Virgin Spring, Winter Light,
I would love it if you could teach us about Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson sir. Good videos, learning a lot.
I have a Tarantino boxset which you can see in my latest videos sitting behind me. Not sure when I will get to it as Malick, Fellini, and Cassavetes are in my current queue, with Michael Mann interrupting it!
Rating art is, of course, not a completion. I like all the movie in your list, but I'd add:
Winter Light
Persona
Cries and Whispers
Scenes from a Marriage
two best things about rankings are 1) seeing what others like, and 2) getting recommendations.
I hope that if #1 is not helpful or interesting, #2 always will be.
yes, those movies are really ones that many/most would put near the top of their lists.
I find that many Bergman movies, such as Autumn Sonata, Wild Strawberries, Shame, Persona, Fanny and Alexander and others, have a theme of narcissistic abuse being explored. I don’t think this subject had much information about it in Bergman’s time, especially compared to now. However, the more I understand about that topic, the more I feel Bergman is exploring this theme. Anyone else feel this way?
you are probably right, as Bergman seems to be leading developments in psychology before they happen. Would be fascinating to look at the DSM and its updates as Bergman moves through his career. That is a grad school paper for anybody reading this.
Lists like this are always fun to watch - even if I disagree with your take on Persona. 😁
I'm wondering what you thought of Shame. While it didn't address some of the universal questions that are tackled in films like the Seventh Seal, I found it quite moving.
I haven't seen enough Bergman to know how it stacks up with his entire filmography, so I would be interested to learn your assessment.
I disagree with all lists ever, except my own!
Shame is quite good, I thought, and it's stuck with me. A surprising science-fiction movie, if you want to see it that way. The only time the Island scenario in Bergman is invaded and interrupted by an outside force (that's greater than a single individual/stranger). He rarely went to that, the overtly political. I think it's clear that Tarkovsky picked up on this and extended it in his last movie, "The Sacrifice."
I believe shame is supposed to be a dream. Especially in the final scene when she is explaining a dream abd ends with there is something im supposed to remember. It's the fact that she is actually dreaming!
Shame is my fav Bergman movie.
did you know, apparently, Sylvia Plath watched 'Brink of Life' and got so inspired that she wrote a radio play- 'Three Women'- one of her lesser known works smh
this is great. I didn't know this. Thank you.
I am taking my time with Bergman. Persona and Seventh Seal are held in such great that i felt too dumb for them. Wild Strawberries are fenomental tho.
Are you interested in seeing Hbo's rewriting of Scenes from a Marriage? First episode comes out this weekend. I will definetly see the long Bergman version and then see how they updated it for the modern times. I dont have any expectations, because I dont care about Bergman that much yet. Im just curious of the result.
I had no idea HBO was rewriting it. It usually seems more productive to me to create something inspired by such a work than simply redoing it. Baumbach's Marriage Story is a good example.
thanks for this comment. I didn't care for Bergman much years ago, and in truth he's far from my favorite. It's more respect than love on my part, and I wonder if in the future he will gain as much esteem from philosophers as he's had in the past few decades.
@@LearningaboutMovies Marriage story is a masterpice
Bergman > Welles.😊
Bergmen >>>>> Wells
Been debating if I should buy Bergman’s trilogy of faith this November. My friend says I would love it but I’m on the fence. What do you recommend?
I would wait until Criterion has a 50% sale and then buy their Bergman set of 40 or so movies. If you can afford the $120 for it. That would be a better deal than the Faith Trilogy, and you would get the faith trilogy while getting everything else.
Again, I am not sponsored by Criterion, own no stock, and get nothing at all for shilling them.
@@LearningaboutMovies we got the Bergman set for a friend last year, still haven’t gotten around to borrowing anything from it. I was just thinking about having some Bergman in my collection since I have $50 to spare during the b&n sale.
Look fanny and Alexander is the best movie ever made in my own personal opinion
Years ago I practically wore out my original Fanny & Alexander VCR tapes. When the uncut full Swedish television version came out I was very excited but then shocked to find I HATED it. Everything mysterious and subtle in the original film is bloated with explanation, long monologues etc. I must
assert that the FILM as released by Bergman and every shot edited and approved by him IS Fanny and Alexander and the bloated wearying indulgence of the TV 'version' that never ends is not.
I watch The Magician over and over. The Creepiness of this movie is tops. You don't even mention it? Have you seen it?
yes. Bergman made 40 plus movies, so they didn't all get a mention here. There's a Bergman list of mine over on letterboxd; I can't remember where this one falls.
am i the only one here to defend scenes from a marriage? really no one here even mentioned it? for me its better than seventh seal. i would put it with persona and wild strawberries as the top 3. and i think that through a glass darkly is overrated comparing to bergman's potential
God you are so smart....nothing perks me up like intelligence, sensitivity and culture
that's a good trio, well said !!!
Thanks for the video but please Fanny and Alexander is the worst, moore famous in USA than in Europe. The cast is wrong without Ingrid Thulin or Liv Ullmann. The stupid uncle is unbearable. The silence, Cries and whispers and Persona are much better! Ok for the others...
ooh, fighting words. Your comment is curious since Swedish commenters have stopped by here to say that the movie still plays in Sweden.
I love good movies, but after a patient viewing of several films reputed to be some of his best offerings, I found Bergman a major disappointment. I know others think they see great profundity in them, but I think they're mistaking vagueness and strangeness for true depth. I didn't DISlike some of his stuff (Wild Strawberries, Through a Glass Darkly, one or two others), but they certainly didn't rise to the soaring heights claimed for them by many. No offense intended toward anyone.
Could not disagree more strongly with your sentiment. In my experience, any of his movies that seemed to suffer from “vagueness” or “strangeness” or “lacked depth” only seemed so because I lacked the life experience to understand them at the time. No offense intended.
@@Thegoldenlab606 None taken, Philip, though in all honesty I could not say the same. I am not a young man and my life has been, if nothing else, one of deep and complex (and painful) experience. It's a major part of what makes my personal conclusion about Bergman an authentic one. Cheers.