Ripeness Is All

[poliphilo]

Ingmar Bergman has died. It's in the category of breaking news so I don't know how and where, but he was a very old man who never left his island so I imagine death came pretty much as he would have wanted it to.

One can't be sad. He lived an extraordinary life and had rounded off his life's work. In an interview he gave a year or two back he was saying how he looked forward to seeing his wife again.

He directed his first great movie (we might argue which of several contenders deserves the title) over 50 years ago and the last (Saraband) as recently as 2004. 

He was one of the greatest artists of our times. I think he stands for our times the way Shakespeare, Goethe, Dickens stand for theirs. He had integrity. He had honesty. He was like no-one else.

Comments

[zeeshanmn.livejournal.com]

Yes he was a great artist. Incidentally, I watched Wild Strawberries on Saturday evening as I had nothing much to do. When I read the news, I am taking that as a coincidence, it marked my respect for him I guess.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's nice that the Seventh Seal was re-released a week or two back and as a result people were talking about him. The BBC showed a remarkable interview with him that was filmed a year or two back. He seemed so mellow and content in his old age.

[zeeshanmn.livejournal.com]

I remember you posting about the Seventh Seal. Was the BBC show yesterday? If so, I am just hoping that they would probably re-run that show for India.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No, not yesterday. I think it was last week- or the week before.

They also had a mini-season of early Bergman movies- including a couple I'd not seen before.

Here! Here!

[jubal51394.livejournal.com]

Beautifully said, BTW. May I quote you?

Re: Here! Here!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Of course you may.

[sovay]

He was amazing. And you remember him well.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

His work has accompanied me all through my adult life.

[(Anonymous)]

Some great images stay in my mind when I think of his work....not that I know it well. It may propel me into watching his films, maybe again or for the first time in most cases.
I have sent you and Ailz an email and images unrelated to this posting btw.
Jenny

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Maybe the BBC will give us a Bergman season in tribute....

[ragingnoodles.livejournal.com]

A while after I heard the news, I knew you would write some beautiful words about Bergman.

His whole body of work was just so phenomenal, and it's great that an artist of his caliber was around for 89 years.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Love the icon.

I feel sad- not for him- but because he was the last of that generation of mid 20th century auteurs and it's as if the cinema itself were finished.