[LastFilmIWatched]TheMagician(1958)

EnglishTitle:TheMagicianOriginalTitle:AnsiktetYear:1958Country:SwedenLanguage:SwedishGenre:Comedy,DramaDirector/Writer:IngmarBergmanMusic:ErikNordgrenCinematography:GunnarFischerCast:MaxvonSydowIngridThulinGunnarBjörnstrandNaimaWifstrandÅkeFridellBibiAnderssonErlandJosephsonGertrudFridhLarsEkborgToivoPawloBengtEkerotBirgittaPetterssonSifRuudOscarLjungAlexDübergRating:7.3/10LabeledbyIMDBasacomedy,agenreonecouldeverrelatetoBergmanx27;sschoolbythenarrowestofmargins,thisisTHEMAGICIAN,Bergmanx27;satypicalabandoninconspiratorialridiculeofthedialecticface-offbetweenscienceandoccult,buttowhatend?AbandwagontransportsthetroupeofVoglerx27;sMagneticHealthTheatertoaunspecifictownwhereaspectacleisbooked,butthegroupx27;spracticeischallengedbyDr.Vergerus(Björnstrand),theMinisterofHealth,whoresolvestodebunktheiractaspurehocus-pocus.Thegauntletisthrowndown,AlbertVogler(vonSydow),theheadofthetroupe,takesitupwithfortitudeandselectivemuteness.ItappearsthatacomplacentDr.Vergerushasthedroponthefrozen-outtroupe,butaconsequentialskulduggeryisinthepipelineaimingtoturnthetableandBergmanreallyjumpsthesharktoensurethattohappeninitsmoneyshot,whichtakesplaceinsidealockedattic,whereDr.VergerusgetsspookedbyanapparentlyresurrectedAlbert,althoughaudienceistippedoffwellinadvance.Thesesequencesarerenderedwithstrikingchiaroscurocontrastandperturbingfoleyeffect,inlieuoftheusualreactionshotsofscreamingandpanicking,Björnstrandimbuesadivineflairofrestraintintothemoment,waveringbetweenbeingsoundlystartledandtryingtorecollecthimselfatanyrate.Essentially,thisisanensemblepiece,schematicvignetteslimninghumaninteractionsinsometimesfrivolous(thelovepotiongimmickanditsknock-onaretootongue-in-cheektosuspendourdisbelief),sometimesgnomic(theusualapparitionofawitch-likeNaimaWifstrandasAlbertx27;sgarrulousgrannyvergesonbeinggoosebump-inducing)manners,butthereisnoemphaticthrough-linetoconnectallthedots,itismerelyamenagerieofgrotesquecharacters,taintedbytheirheterogeneousfoiblesandquirks.Mr.vonSydowbringsaboutasharppresencethroughthedichotomyofamanx27;scamouflageandrealness(especiallybydintofhissoul-stirringgazeandstoiclooks),andIngridThulinbeautifullygetsworkedupastheintrepidwifeofAlbertwithagimleteye.Inaddition,BengtEkerot(theiconicDeathhimselfinTHESEVENTHSEAL1957,8.4/10)hasashortbutcriticalroleasadyingactorsuccumbingtoalcoholism,greatlyignitesthescreenwheneverpoppingupwithhisself-destructiveyakking,toaratherpoignanteffect.ProfoundlyimmersingoneselfintothisaestheticallycaptivatingpictureofBergmanesquehallmark(camerawork,artproductionandtheirparaphernaliaareallfirst-rateandenthrallingtobehold)amalgamatedwithawillfullyflippantapproachinitsnarrative,onemighttendtobesimultaneouslyattractedandgrated,thelarger-than-lifephilosophywhichithasbeendwellingoneventuallycomesoffasnebulousandscattershot,butundeniably,THEMAGICIANcanalsobedeemedasahard-earnedfanx27;sfavouritebecauseatleastforonce,Bergmanletsupabithissharp-edgedperspicacityandindoctrination,andsaltsthisescapade-likefablewithadashofnonchalanceandslyness.referentialpoints:Bergmanx27;sSUMMERINTERLUDE(1951,7.3/10),PERSONA(1966,7.7/10),FACETOFACE(1976,7.9/10),AUTUMNSONATA(1978,8.4/10);AlfSjöbergx27;sMISSJULIE(1951,7.1/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。