Fanny and Alexander
1983 ‘Fanny och Alexander’ Directed by Ingmar Bergman
Synopsis
A widowed actress and her children suffer hardships when she marries a conservative church leader.
Cast
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[309 minute, 4-episode series]
"Fanny & Alexander is the sum total of my life as a filmmaker," says a quotation from Bergman on the DVD case.It has The Seventh Seal's Shakespearean, Chaucerian combination of tragedy, merriment and bawdy, layered with bare emotional pain and intolerable human relationships as found in Winter Light, Cries and Whispers and many others. And unlike any other Bergman I've seen, it's also a sumptuous fairytale perfect to watch in winter. (Yet again, I can't believe I owned this without watching it for seven years. If I had a time machine, I would have one or two much higher priorities, but I might also hop back and tell myself to watch this ages ago.)
Very few…
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My second favorite Bergman film so far (Cries and Whispers remains my favorite). A masterpiece in every sense of the word.
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Wow! What else can I say? I watched the TV version, and I can’t imagine watching the theatrical cut would have the same effect. I had put off this film for so long because of its daunting run-time, but I was pleasantly surprised that it never overstayed its welcome. I could tell that Bergman made every last shot count like it was his last, and every shot was. Hats off to you Mr. Bergman. I have only seen two of your films, and both have been very touching pieces of the beautiful art of cinema.
I may, at some point add a full analysis.
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Over the years as I've made my through the Ingmar Bergman catalog, I am astonished and astounded by each and every film. And the same applies to "Fanny & Alexander" which plays like a lavish, subtle melodrama that reaches operatic heights. It's easily one of the very best films ever made and even after 5 1/2 hours of film, I still long for more.
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This by far the best Ingmar Bergman film I have seen. Perfect. I am so gonna watch it again soon...
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Ingmar, my man, can you hear me? Oh, you can't? Damn. I really wish you would have come seen me before you died, I would have saves you some trouble and told you that god does not exist, and there is no need for all this madness.
This film really irked me. I've heard all the rave reviews, the top 10 spots on people's "best of all time" lists, etc etc. I had very high hopes. I was let down, I must admit.
First, this semi-autobiographical work from Bergman was just over 3 hours long, cut down from a 6-7+ hour miniseries, cut from ~24 hours of footage. So it must be really great, right? Eh. It's all very whimsical…
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a masterpiece of sexuality
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Heavy and depressing. Felt like it was 10 hours long, but I guess it was only 5 and a half. Did not really enjoy the subject matter.
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As I saw the theatrical cut, instead of Bergman's intended 312-minute T V series I'm saving the final half star until I've finally mange to obtain it on Region 2. Since this was finishing its run on Lovefilm instant I thought I would take the chance to watch it. I'll save a full review until I can watch the whole thing.
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Epic story.Very watchable,fun at points but alSO some heart breaking scenes.Thought the first hour of fun at christmas was hugely entertaining.Great acting also makes this film a must see...but it will give you a numb bum with a 3hr plus runtime!
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I don't know what to say other than this may be the most perfect film I've ever seen. It stung and felt so familiar in so many ways.
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A great, albeit strange, film experience I won't forget. I look forward greatly to finishing the 5 hour long version rather than the theatrical cut.
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Magnificent. The stark contrasts in color, decor, and characterization play well off of the fuzzy, graying line between fantasy and reality. The real heart of the film surrounds the character of Alexander, as Bergman offers a sometimes terrifying view of the world through the eyes of a child. This is no more true than during the time the children live in the bishop's home, as the faithless pursuit of truth he pursues contrasts strongly with the wonderfully mysterious truth found in the theater.
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Quite possibly Bergman's best.
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Why It’s Essential — The final masterpiece of one of cinema’s most influential directors.
Why You’ll Want to Skip It — It’s not often considered Bergman’s strongest effort.