"That can not be." - Hey, I can understand disliking the film.

Posted by Audiophilander (A) on August 14, 2007 at 23:12:51

In Reply to: RE: " Hated Seventh Seals---" posted by patrickU on August 14, 2007 at 13:37:59:

I think that it's a good flick bordering on greatness, but very dated, self-absorbed and tedious when looking beyond the symbolism of the chess match and clever cinematography which, BTW, occasionally suffers from poorly matched indoor/outdoor footage.

I bought the Criterion Seventh Seal to add to my DVD collection recalling the film as being very impressive when I saw it back in college with a group of students under the influence of Grey Poupon. Time has not been generous to my recollections of this film. The high quality Criterion transfer drew attention to Seventh Seal's stagier scenes, which were eminently forgettable and much campier than recollections of the film.

My wife, who I convinced (regrettably) to watch Seventh Seal, found that she disliked this movie on several levels, describing the film as boringly pretentious in spite of it's reputation. In retrospect, while I don't completely concur with her impressions, I find little room for disagreement with her overall observations.

So, while I don't "hate" this film by any means, taken on the whole I don't consider Bergman's career to be as brilliant or challenging as some here. He isn't as visionary or heroic a figure in the Director's Pantheon as auteurs the like of Dreyer, Lang, Murnau, Pabst, Von Stroheim, Von Sternberg, Welles, Wilder, and (aw yes, hee, hee) Peter Jackson.

AuPh

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - In defense of Bergman. - patrickU 06:26:41 08/13/07 (20)

He doesn't need defending... - danj 12:23:16 08/14/07 (2)

RE: He doesn't need defending... - patrickU 13:10:37 08/14/07 (1)

"...oh yes, oh yes!" - Pleazzzzzz, enough with the necrophilia already! (nt) - Audiophilander 22:02:02 08/14/07 (0)

Apparently, a French director felt compelled to enter the fray as well... - jamesgarvin 11:41:22 08/14/07 (2)

RE: I donÂ´t agree. - patrickU 13:24:02 08/14/07 (0)

I couldn't agree more....... - danj 12:55:06 08/14/07 (0)

RE: In defense of Bergman. - Rod H. 19:41:20 08/13/07 (13)

RE: In defense of Bergman. - jamesgarvin 08:02:17 08/14/07 (11)

Neophytes seeking Bergman - Jon L 11:37:39 08/14/07 (10)

RE: " Hated Seventh Seals---" - patrickU 13:37:59 08/14/07 (8)

Have you seen it lately? - Jon L 11:59:16 08/15/07 (2)

RE: Have you seen it lately? - patrickU 12:56:09 08/15/07 (0)

I saw it a few months ago... and loved it!! - sjb 12:06:13 08/15/07 (0)

"That can not be." - Hey, I can understand disliking the film. - Audiophilander 23:12:51 08/14/07 (4)

RE: Wilder? - patrickU 00:35:53 08/15/07 (3)

RE: Wilder? Yep. - Audiophilander 09:00:10 08/15/07 (2)

RE: Wilder? Yep. - patrickU 09:41:03 08/15/07 (1)

"Stalag should be to your taste too, I wonder why you did not put it in." - Because, ... - Audiophilander 13:33:52 08/15/07 (0)

RE: Neophytes seeking Bergman - jamesgarvin 11:39:39 08/14/07 (0)

RE: In defense of Bergman. - patrickU 03:29:03 08/14/07 (0)

Follow Ups

"That can not be." - Hey, I can understand disliking the film. - Audiophilander 23:12:51 08/14/07 (4)

RE: Wilder? - patrickU 00:35:53 08/15/07 (3)

RE: Wilder? Yep. - Audiophilander 09:00:10 08/15/07 (2)

RE: Wilder? Yep. - patrickU 09:41:03 08/15/07 (1)

"Stalag should be to your taste too, I wonder why you did not put it in." - Because, ... - Audiophilander 13:33:52 08/15/07 (0)

"That can not be." - Hey, I can understand disliking the film.

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