Here's another Ingmar Bergman classic that's one of four DVDs in a Criterion Collection boxed set of his best & best known films. (I requested this set as a Valentine Day's gift). This summary explains it better than me: "Inspired by a medieval Swedish ballad, Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring (Jungfrukallan) begins with a scene of unspeakable brutality and ends with an image of uncommon beauty. 15-year-old Birgitta Peterson, on her way to church to light candles for the Virgin Mary, is raped and murdered by two older men. The men look for shelter at the home of Birgitta's father (Max Von Sydow), who murders the bestial killers in cold blood. When the deed is done, Von Sydow, a deeply religious man, begins to question the efficacy of a God that would allow his daughter's death, then permit so bloody a retribution. Then, a fresh, virgin spring bubbles from the ground where his daughter had been lying a few moments before. Taking this natural phenonenon as a sign from above, Von Sydow vows to erect a church on the spot where Birgitta met her doom. The winner of 1960's"best foreign picture" Academy Award, The Virgin Spring currently exists in several versions of varying lengths; the longest, and most graphic, is the original Swedish cut. Believe it or not, this hauntingly beautiful film served as the basis of The Last House on the Left (1972). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide'
At the time of The Virgin Spring's theatrical release here, the rape scene was edited but this edition features the uncut film and is mild compared to recent films. Like in Bergman's The Seventh Seal that's been written about here, all the details of medieval life are presented as you can imagine that period. As you watch this scene leading up to the rape, you can see how a master director works. There's the trademark Bergman usage of spacing actors in different parts of the frame for heightened dramatic effect and of closeups with facial expressions that telegraph thoughts. His silent and suspenseful building of immanent danger without the Hollywood musical bombastic warning is truly frightening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdMbnRquuKI The frog inside the bread was intentionally placed there by the daughter's jealous servant who you see watching the action from the distance.
As usual the Criterion extras are topnotch and there's an English soundtrack that won't scare away those who hate to read subtitles. The scholarly audio commentary is informative as I learned that this film was not well received by Bergman critics who thought he was copying himself. I totally disagree with them. This film stands up on its own and is unforgetable.
At the time of The Virgin Spring's theatrical release here, the rape scene was edited but this edition features the uncut film and is mild compared to recent films. Like in Bergman's The Seventh Seal that's been written about here, all the details of medieval life are presented as you can imagine that period. As you watch this scene leading up to the rape, you can see how a master director works. There's the trademark Bergman usage of spacing actors in different parts of the frame for heightened dramatic effect and of closeups with facial expressions that telegraph thoughts. His silent and suspenseful building of immanent danger without the Hollywood musical bombastic warning is truly frightening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdMbnRquuKI The frog inside the bread was intentionally placed there by the daughter's jealous servant who you see watching the action from the distance.
As usual the Criterion extras are topnotch and there's an English soundtrack that won't scare away those who hate to read subtitles. The scholarly audio commentary is informative as I learned that this film was not well received by Bergman critics who thought he was copying himself. I totally disagree with them. This film stands up on its own and is unforgetable.
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