Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Criterion DVD
This may be one of the best looking films I've ever seen. Bergman and cinematographer, Sven Nykvist, really knew how to utilize black & white film. It's certainly an asset that helps to draw the viewer i to a very vague situation about a woman, her ill sister, and her co-dependent son, Now it's true that all children are dependent on their parents, but here Bergman suggests a woman that has manipulated her child into only being comfortable with his mother for her own selfishness and insecurities. Their is also a lot of animosity with the sisters and how the boy fits in with their lives. Bergman keeps dialog to a minimum and never lets you in on the exact circumstances of the story. A sequence where a series of tanks roll by in silhouette let's you know something about the time and region the story may take place in. There's plenty of symbolism for the loss of innocence and the familial strife that you'd expect from Bergman, but ultimately I felt a little too detached from the film at it's conclusion making it a lesser effort for me. But it's still Bergman so there's plenty to be had from the film, I just wouldn't start with this one if you haven't had much exposure to him yet.
7/10
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