list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Fanny & Alexander on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Fanny_Alexander/11172/default.aspx Title: Fanny & Alexander
Year: 1982
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Plot: Though he made allusions to his own life in all of his films, Fanny and Alexander was the first overtly autobiographical film by Ingmar Bergman. Taking his time throughout (188 minutes to be exact), Bergman recreates several episodes from his youth, using as conduits the fictional Ekdahl family. Alexander, the director's alter ego, is first seen at age 10 at a joyous and informal Christmas gathering of relatives and servants. Fanny is Alexander's sister; both suffer an emotional shakedown when their recently-widowed mother (Ewa Froling) marries a cold and distant minister. Stripped of their creature comforts and relaxed family atmosphere, Fanny and Alexander suddenly find their childhood unendurable. The kids' grandmother (Gunn Wallgren) "kidnaps" Fanny and Alexander for the purpose of showering them with the first kindness and affection that they've had since their father's death. This "purge" of the darker elements of Fanny and Alexander's existence is accomplished at the unintentional (but applaudable) cost of the hated stepfather's life. Ingmar Bergman insisted that Fanny and Alexander, originally a multipart television series pared down to feature-film length, represented his "retirement" work, though within a year after its release he was busy with several additional Swedish TV projects. Oscars went to Fanny and Alexander for best foreign film, cinematography (Sven Nykvist), costumes and art direction/set decoration. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 15
Number of Lists: 34
Number of blog posts: 2
Number of discussion threads: 1
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:27:50 GMTFanny & Alexander1982Ingmar BergmanThough he made allusions to his own life in all of his films, <a href=/films/11172/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Fanny and Alexander</a> was the first overtly autobiographical film by <a href="/players/P____81548/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ingmar Bergman</a>. Taking his time throughout (188 minutes to be exact), Bergman recreates several episodes from his youth, using as conduits the fictional Ekdahl family. Alexander, the director's alter ego, is first seen at age 10 at a joyous and informal Christmas gathering of relatives and servants. Fanny is Alexander's sister; both suffer an emotional shakedown when their recently-widowed mother (Ewa Froling) marries a cold and distant minister. Stripped of their creature comforts and relaxed family atmosphere, Fanny and Alexander suddenly find their childhood unendurable. The kids' grandmother (Gunn Wallgren) "kidnaps" Fanny and Alexander for the purpose of showering them with the first kindness and affection that they've had since their father's death. This "purge" of the darker elements of Fanny and Alexander's existence is accomplished at the unintentional (but applaudable) cost of the hated stepfather's life. Ingmar Bergman insisted that <a href=/films/11172/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Fanny and Alexander</a>, originally a multipart television series pared down to feature-film length, represented his "retirement" work, though within a year after its release he was busy with several additional Swedish TV projects. Oscars went to <a href=/films/11172/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Fanny and Alexander</a> for best foreign film, cinematography (<a href="/players/P___104776/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sven Nykvist</a>), costumes and art direction/set decoration. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide15Tag Target (>10)34213http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t49753xdp0f.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Fanny_Alexander/11172/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2008/6/23/31550.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 6/23/2008 11:30:50 AM
Body: OK. The internet has crashed on me twice while I was working on this review. So please forgive any spelling or other errors as I am going crazy trying to get this posted. At the beginning of Love Story, I wasn't sure I felt the repartee between Ali MacGraw ("Glam") and Ryan O'Neal ("Waste Land"). Then a young Tommy Lee Jones ("No Country for Old Men") popped up out of nowhere. Then there was some hockey. Then the banter got better. The passage of time was handled pretty well. And by the end of the film, I was crying like a baby. So take that as you want it. Iron Man was a pretty good comic book movie. Robert Downey Jr. ("Charlie Bartlett") is perfect (as always) as Tony Stark. He and Gwyneth Paltrow ("The Good Night") have excellent chemistry. Jeff Bridges ("Surf's Up") is kind of thrown away in the you-can-see-it-coming-a-mile-away bad guy role. The suit was amazing, and I think director Jon Favreau ("Zathura") handled it with the right light touch. I will see the sequel. Cause you know it's coming. The Orphanage is a gloriously atmospheric ghost story. I wasn't scared, but definitely enthralled the plot follows a young boy who disappears in an old house his parents were planning to turn into a school for special needs kids. But his mother also has some past connections to the place and it doesn't really go exactly where you think it will. Compared a lot to Pan's Labyrinth, it's different, and yet, has a similar fairy-tale quality. Sicko really made me think about America's health care system. Director Michael Moore ("Fahrenheit 9/11") sort of toned down his brazenness and tried to let the subject speak for itself. Of course, he doesn't quite manage it, but then, he wouldn't be Moore if he didn't get all up in your face. Good food or thought. Fanny and Alexander - Wow. Ingmar Bergman ("Saraband") really is one depressing SOB. Yes, I know, you'd think I'd realize that by now, but I'm a little slow on the uptake. I really did love this movie. It's breathtaking in its cinematography and the despair it explores. I saw the theatrical version and there's a part of me that wants to see the original, longer, television version. The rest of me is still fighting to urge to slit my wrists. The story follows two children, Fanny and Alexander (though the focus is more on Alexander) and their extended family. The children deal with the death of their father and their mother's remarriage to a very stern priest, played perfectly by Jan Malmsjo ("Goodnight, Irene"). He will, most likely, haunt my dreams for life. See this as soon as you feel happy enough.
]]>Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:30:50 GMTdibotdibot Blog6/23/2008 11:30:50 AMOK. The internet has crashed on me twice while I was working on this review. So please forgive any spelling or other errors as I am going crazy trying to get this posted. At the beginning of Love Story, I wasn't sure I felt the repartee between Ali MacGraw ("Glam") and Ryan O'Neal ("Waste Land"). Then a young Tommy Lee Jones ("No Country for Old Men") popped up out of nowhere. Then there was some hockey. Then the banter got better. The passage of time was handled pretty well. And by the end of the film, I was crying like a baby. So take that as you want it. Iron Man was a pretty good comic book movie. Robert Downey Jr. ("Charlie Bartlett") is perfect (as always) as Tony Stark. He and Gwyneth Paltrow ("The Good Night") have excellent chemistry. Jeff Bridges ("Surf's Up") is kind of thrown away in the you-can-see-it-coming-a-mile-away bad guy role. The suit was amazing, and I think director Jon Favreau ("Zathura") handled it with the right light touch. I will see the sequel. Cause you know it's coming. The Orphanage is a gloriously atmospheric ghost story. I wasn't scared, but definitely enthralled the plot follows a young boy who disappears in an old house his parents were planning to turn into a school for special needs kids. But his mother also has some past connections to the place and it doesn't really go exactly where you think it will. Compared a lot to Pan's Labyrinth, it's different, and yet, has a similar fairy-tale quality. Sicko really made me think about America's health care system. Director Michael Moore ("Fahrenheit 9/11") sort of toned down his brazenness and tried to let the subject speak for itself. Of course, he doesn't quite manage it, but then, he wouldn't be Moore if he didn't get all up in your face. Good food or thought. Fanny and Alexander - Wow. Ingmar Bergman ("Saraband") really is one depressing SOB. Yes, I know, you'd think I'd realize that by now, but I'm a little slow on the uptake. I really did love this movie. It's breathtaking in its cinematography and the despair it explores. I saw the theatrical version and there's a part of me that wants to see the original, longer, television version. The rest of me is still fighting to urge to slit my wrists. The story follows two children, Fanny and Alexander (though the focus is more on Alexander) and their extended family. The children deal with the death of their father and their mother's remarriage to a very stern priest, played perfectly by Jan Malmsjo ("Goodnight, Irene"). He will, most likely, haunt my dreams for life. See this as soon as you feel happy enough. http://www.spout.com/groups/Antonioni_and_Bergman/Swedish_and_Italian/419/17231/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: blakngold
Post To: Antonioni and Bergman
Post Date: 8/3/2007 11:16:44 PM
Body: There have been many criterion collections of Ingmar Bergman's work. I own Scenes from a Marriage and Fanny and Alexander in the Criterion edition and I still haven't made time to watch their full length versions. Now that he has died I feel a burning need inside that I must watch these films. Not only watch them with my 5 senses but embrace the magic he created with these stories and a camera. I have not seen many Antonioni films but I plan on watching all of his after I am finished with Bergman's films. You're right quint, they should come out with a complete criterion collection of all of their films. They both create such thought provoking films that i'm always amazed that they made the films they did. Roger Ebert once wrote that he flew down to Sweden many years ago so that he could interview Ingmar Bergman. He said that when Ingmar Bergman arrived at the set of his new film that he was directing at the time, that everyone acted like he was the pope. I think you can say that he was the pope of films for the time he made these films. His films were religious and were as thought provoking as many verses in the bible. Antonioni had a completely different style of filmmaking but he still made films that were as challenging as Bergman's films. What are some of your favorite Bergman or Antonioni films? How did you interpret them? Let us discuss them now because this is the time to look back at two masters of the cinema who contributed so much more than we could ever imagine!
]]>Sat, 04 Aug 2007 03:16:44 GMTblakngoldAntonioni and Bergman8/3/2007 11:16:44 PMThere have been many criterion collections of Ingmar Bergman&#39;s work. I own Scenes from a Marriage and Fanny and Alexander in the Criterion edition and I still haven&#39;t made time to watch their full length versions. Now that he has died I feel a burning need inside that I must watch these films. Not only watch them with my 5 senses but embrace the magic he created with these stories and a camera. I have not seen many Antonioni films but I plan on watching all of his after I am finished with Bergman&#39;s films. You&#39;re right quint, they should come out with a complete criterion collection of all of their films. They both create such thought provoking films that i&#39;m always amazed that they made the films they did. Roger Ebert once wrote that he flew down to Sweden many years ago so that he could interview Ingmar Bergman. He said that when Ingmar Bergman arrived at the set of his new film that he was directing at the time, that everyone acted like he was the pope. I think you can say that he was the pope of films for the time he made these films. His films were religious and were as thought provoking as many verses in the bible. Antonioni had a completely different style of filmmaking but he still made films that were as challenging as Bergman&#39;s films. What are some of your favorite Bergman or Antonioni films? How did you interpret them? Let us discuss them now because this is the time to look back at two masters of the cinema who contributed so much more than we could ever imagine! http://www.spout.com/blogs/quint/archive/2007/4/17/7204.aspx Post By: quint
Post To: An inordinate number of peppers
Post Date: 4/17/2007 9:40:00 PM
Body: The Painted VeilMaybe I'm crass, but I found Edward Norton's distain for his wife to be more convincing than his love. It felt like the breaking of a woman by a vengeful man. The Piano comes to mind right off, but this film lacks the confusing sadism of Harvey Keitel which becomes a deep and passionate love.  It's that twist that never comes. He is made a saint of sorts instead. Fanny and Alexander has that cruel husband as well. There are lots of them in film. Once were warriorsEd Norton is almost grateful for the opportunity to be cold, not cruel. He makes her feel like her life has no value and her situation is completely desperate. It's a pretty f'ed up situation. But I enjoyed it well enough. I think it was well acted. I like Naomi Watts because there is something broken about her appearance. She seems already shattered somehow and I'm intrigued to find out what's the matter with her. That made the opening of this film seem a bit of a stretch. I didn't buy her as a carefree flapper girl. She seemed too aware of the moral reprecussions of other people's actions to not care about her own. I suppose I am writing this in defence of only giving it 4 stars. It's a lovely film and I don't think it could be better. I think any flaws it has are those of the novel. This is a fine piece of work based on an imperfect story.
]]>Wed, 18 Apr 2007 01:40:00 GMTquintAn inordinate number of peppers4/17/2007 9:40:00 PMThe Painted VeilMaybe I&#39;m crass, but I found Edward Norton&#39;s distain for his wife to be more convincing than his love. It felt like the breaking of a woman by a vengeful man. The Piano comes to mind right off, but this film lacks the confusing sadism of Harvey Keitel which becomes a deep and passionate love.  It&#39;s that twist that never comes. He is made a saint of sorts instead. Fanny and Alexander has that cruel husband as well. There are lots of them in film. Once were warriorsEd Norton is almost grateful for the opportunity to be cold, not cruel. He makes her feel like her life has no value and her situation is completely desperate. It&#39;s a pretty f&#39;ed up situation. But I enjoyed it well enough. I think it was well acted. I like Naomi Watts because there is something broken about her appearance. She seems already shattered somehow and I&#39;m intrigued to find out what&#39;s the matter with her. That made the opening of this film seem a bit of a stretch. I didn&#39;t buy her as a carefree flapper girl. She seemed too aware of the moral reprecussions of other people&#39;s actions to not care about her own. I suppose I am writing this in defence of only giving it 4 stars. It&#39;s a lovely film and I don&#39;t think it could be better. I think any flaws it has are those of the novel. This is a fine piece of work based on an imperfect story. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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