Persona (1966)

En passion (1969)

 

 

A recently divorced man meets an emotionally devastated widow and they begin a love affair.

 

A typically bleak Bergman drama explores once again the impossibility of true relationships and offers superb performances and excellent cinematography, but this time around the story seems construed and is quite heavy-going in execution.

Maltin***1/2: "Stark drama, beautifully acted...Superior cinematography by Sven Nykvist." 

 

 

Quintet (1979)

During a future ice age, dying humanity occupies its remaining time by playing a board game called "Quintet." For one small group, this obsession is not enough; they play the game with living pieces ... and only the winner survives.

From memory: Leftfield sci-fi drama with a star cast is fascinating to watch, but seems to be nothing more than a by-the-side exercise for its director.

Halliwell (no star): "Dismayingly pretentious claptrap which did it's star's career no good at all."

Maltin**: "Pretentious, unappealing story...Not as puzzling as it is ponderous."

Persona (1966)

A nurse is put in charge of a mute actress and finds that their personas are melding together.

A seemingly reduced two-person drama electrifies as an intense study with an innovative cinematic style; a true masterpiece that obviously has heavily influenced the art of cinema ever since.

Halliwell***: "Intense clinical study presented in a very complex cinematic manner which tends to obscure the main theme while providing endless fascination for cineastes."

Maltin***1/2: "Haunting, poetic, for discerning viewers..."

Persona (1966)

On the set: Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann