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Ingmar Bergman's Wild Strawberries is one of the Swedish director's most surreal pieces of work. The film combines his traditional subjective reality style with dream sequences and flashbacks. As an old bitter doctor named Dr. Isak Borg (Victor Sjostrom) journeys across Sweden to receive an award, the viewer is given a glimpse into his hopes, fears, and regrets through Bergman's unique portrayal of subjective reality. Bergman's vision here carries a lighter, more positive take on themes such as love, loneliness, regret, and family.
Isak's brother Sigfrid picks strawberries with Sara.
As Isak makes his journey to Lund, he is faced with a series of events which cause him to reflect upon his past, and strive towards a more positive change for the remainder of his life. His most intense reflection surrounds a hitchhiker named Sara (Bibi Andersson) who Isak picks up along with two young men, both of whom seem to have a romantic interest in. Their presence, along with Isak's visit to his childhood home, sends Isak into a flashback where he recalls his cousin, also named Sara (also played by Bibi Andersson). These two Saras mirror each other, as Isak remembers how his cousin Sara rejected him in order to marry Sigfrid. While the stories of both Saras have similarities, they are different in the fact that the younger Sara is "freer than her predecessor"1. The old Sara was troubled and torn between two lovers, while the new Sara is playful and full of youthful spirit. Isak also encounters an unhappy bickering couple after a car accident who causes him to reflect on his past. Their relationship sends Isak into a fever-dream, in which he recalls watching his own wife cheat on him. In the dream, she complains about how unhappy she is with their relationship. This dream sends him deeper into loneliness and regret, two important existential themes which are reflective of Bergman's philosophical style.
Bergman draws upon his tradition as an expressionist auteur through his use of the environment to express the mind state of characters within the film, as he did in The Seventh Seal (1957) as well. Isak's good memories are portrayed in sunny, warm environments, while his nightmares and bad memories are portrayed in bleak, dark environments such as the nightmare in the beginning, and the storm signaling his nightmare towards the end. Bergman also uses other objects of the environment to reflect Isak's mind state such as dead trees, wild strawberries, and sunflowers. Another important motif within the film is the clock without hands, which represents Isak's struggle with mortality which he battles throughout the film.
By the end of the film, Isak has undergone a great transformation. He has learned to accept and love his son and daughter-in-law, despite their rough, cold relationship at the beginning of the film. Like many other characters in Bergman's films, he has gone through a spiritual transformation and came out better in the end. Instead of sulking on his failed relationship with Sara, he ends the film looking back on the brighter memories of his childhood with happiness.
Bibliography
Wood, RobinGrant, Barry KeithGrant, Author Reviewer Series Editor Barry Keith. Ingmar Bergman. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2012. Accessed April 18, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal proves to be one of the director's deepest expressionist films. The film is heavily philosophical in its subject matter, pushing the viewer to think deeply about topics such as the existence of God, superstition, evil, and ultimately, death. The film follows a knight named Antonius Block (Max Von Sydow) who returns to his country after the crusades only to find it in a broken state, terrorized by fear of the black plague. During this period, he engages in a game of chess with Death (Bengt Ekerot), which he cannot get away from throughout the rest of the film. The existential themes plague Block and the rest of the characters throughout the film, as they look for answers to the unknown questions surrounding their existences in such a dark time. The society portrayed within the film is desperate for answers and solutions to the plague brought upon them, and resort to torture and murder in their search. Despite the attempts, no solutions are found, leaving Block to ponder what the point of it all is.
A young woman accused of causing the plague is crucified.
The film carries on Bergman's trademark auteur style of portraying a subjective reality through the eyes of the characters. Whether or not Death is an actual physical entity or merely a vision seen through the subjective eyes of the characters remains unclear. He seems to only appear to the characters who encounter him and face their deaths, except in the case of Jof (Nils Poppe), who is able to see Death's game of chess with Block. His wife Mia (Bibi Andersson), however, is unable to see Death, bringing forth the question of whether Death actually exists within their reality or not.
The cast dances off with Death in the end.
The bleak setting and dim, murky lighting for the majority of the film creates a dark atmosphere, reflecting the somber, fearful mind state of the characters Bergman is portraying. This dark atmosphere created within the film is in line with the expressionist tradition, of which Bergman could be considered a part of, in his own unique manner. This expressionist tradition can be traced back to German expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), which also created an atmosphere which reflected dark mind states of the characters. The film also contains plenty of close-ups of the character's faces, another trademark technique of Bergman. Whether it is a stone-cold glare from Death, or a pondering glance from Block, the close-ups help emphasize the emotional impact.
Despite the dark subject matter of The Seventh Seal, there is a glimmer of hope for the future. This glimmer of hope is important for the film's role in post-WWII Europe, as the film was only released 12 years after the war. This hope is shown in the very end, as Jof and Mia head off with their newborn child, having narrowly escaped death. The sun is out, and uplifting strings come in to end the film on a positive note. Even the dead characters do not end the film on a negative note, as they dance off into the sunset with Death. Like post-WWII Europe, medieval Sweden here has been ravaged with death, but there are future generations to survive and carry on the underlying sense of love and hope existing within the film.
Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish auteur active from 1945-2003. Bergman
helped define postwar cinema through his deeply personal visions drawing off
the expressionist tradition. It is hard to define Bergman as being a part of any certain film movement due to the fact that his filmography spans over 50+ years. Richard Corliss of Time Magazine even went as far as describing the director as a "one-man film movement"1.Many other prominent film movements happened in European countries such as France and Italy during his most famous years, but Bergman stood apart from them. His films revolve around deep, moral issues such
as religion, sex, suffering, human relationships, and mortality. His work includes
many characteristics which help enforce his strong presence as an auteur. One characteristic
of his work is the close-up of the face, which allows the viewer to “see, think, and feel existential sureties in different states of crisis"2. Bergman's 1966 film Persona most adequately highlights his ability to show psychological reflection through his use of close-ups of the face. The film revolves around Alma (Bibi Andersson), a nurse who is assigned to take care of an actress named Elisabet who has suddenly stopped speaking (Liv Ullmann). Without saying a single word, Bergman is able to give Elisabet lots of emotion through his focus on her facial expressions. Despite her lack of speech, Elisabet engages in a psychological battle with Alma, as their identities fuse together and Alma becomes the voice for Elisabet.
A close-up of Liv Ullmann in Persona (1966).
His work also includes characteristics such as deep-focus, long takes, and
flashbacks. His use of such characteristics can be seen as part of the post-WWII modernist filmmaking drive to portray subjective reality. This drive allowed directors to look "ever further into characters' minds, revealing dreams, hallucinations, and fantasies"3. A perfect example of Bergman's ability to portray subjective reality can be seen in his classic 1957 film Wild Strawberries starring Victor Sjostrom. In the film, a stubborn aging professor named Isak Borg who takes a road trip and encounters a group of young hitchhikers on the way. His encounter with the hitchhikers triggers a series of memories and dreams, causing him to reflect deeply on past relationships with friends and family, and ponder about his inevitable death. Bergman's ability to show Isak's inner demons through the use of dreams and flashbacks provides a moving in-depth look at the character's mind which cannot be achieved merely through the use of realism. Instead, the viewer journeys out of reality and into the character's mind to reveal inner demons, regrets, and fears.
Isak's dream sequence from Wild Strawberries (1957)
Despite Bergman's reluctance to conform to any certain film movement makes him stand out as one of the most unique auteurs of the post-WWII film era. His films are unique journeys into the depths of the mind, willing to go to places which most filmmakers of the time would not dare to venture.
Bibliography
Bordwell, Kristen, Thompson, David. Film History: An Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.
Corliss, Richard. "Why Ingmar Bergman Mattered" Time Magazine, July 30 2007, http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1648084,00.html
Ford, Hamish. "Ingmar Bergman" Senses of Cinema, December 2002, http://sensesofcinema.com/2002/great-directors/bergman/
Notes
1. Richard Corliss "Why Ingmar Bergman Mattered" Time Magazine, July 30 2007, Accessed April 4, 2017 http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1648084,00.html
2. Hamish Ford "Ingmar Bergman" Senses of Cinema, December 2002, Accessed April 2002 http://sensesofcinema.com/2002/great-directors/bergman/.
3. Kristen Bordwell and David Thompson Film History: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002), 385.
Real Estate are pretty much as white as indie rock bands get. Their songs cover topics such as the suburbs, travelling, and fatherhood, yet they manage to not make these topics seem as lame as one would think. Through their use of dreamlike sounds, Atlas shows Real Estate sounding more well-defined than ever, as they find the best way to express their nostalgic sound. This is a much more serious album than 2011's Days, but there is a certain familiar light which shines through the album's moodiness. Key Tracks: "Talking Backwards" "April's Song" "Past Lives" "Crime"
9. Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks- Enter the Slasher House
Enter the Slasher House is Animal Collective lead singer Avey Tare (Dave Portner)'s new horror-themed band's debut album. Rather than focusing on "scary" horror, the album instead shifts towards "fun" horror from the 60's aimed at children (such as The Monster Mash and Scooby Doo). Portner takes this theme and wraps his signature warped indie rock in it, resulting in what is an all around fun album. His classic weird songwriting style is still very present, but the music is a lot more raw, and less electronic than his previous work with Animal Collective. While horror films have always been cited as an influence on Animal Collective, here Portner brings his homage to the genre to new heights. Key Tracks: "Little Fang" "A Sender" "Strange Colores"
8. Ariel Pink- Pom Pom
From the outside, Ariel Pink seems like some random artist from the 80's that time has forgotten about. But in reality, this indie-rock freak is one of the most unique artists in the genre out there. Pom Pom takes Pink out in the spotlight without his band Haunted Graffiti, and his 70's/80's themed vision has never been stronger. Each song on here takes a different variation of pop, with some genius songwriting and production. Pom Pom brings out sounds similar to legends such as Bowie and Zappa, while still maintaining a sound that couldn't have been made by anyone but the man himself. Key Tracks: "Not Enough Violence", "Picture Me Gone", "Put Your Number in My Phone" "Black Ballerina"
7. Lone- Reality Testing
After 2012's excellent Galaxy Garden, UK producer Matt Cutler aka Lone has had a high standard to meet. With Reality Testing, Cutler once again takes the listener to a different world which is similar, yet quite different than that of his previous work. Within the atmosphere Lone creates, he throws in a variety of different beat styles with influences from JDilla-esque hip-hop, to french house and also hints of jazz too. But despite the different beat styles Lone might have on here, he very well manages to hold the album together by the use of his atmospheric trademark sound. From the first to last song, Lone takes the listener on a journey through space and time, which by the end will make one want to take many more listens. Key Tracks: "2 is 8", "Airglow Fires", "Begin to Begin", "Cutched Under"
6. D'Angelo- Black Messiah
The R&B legend himself returns after 15 years with a soulful collection of some of his strongest statements, backed by his band The Vanguard, which includes drummer ?uestlove of The Roots. In an era where R&B has been taken over by electronic-leaning acts like The Weeknd and Frank Ocean, D'Angelo brings the genre back to its funky soul roots. Black Messiah is an album which feels like it was released at exactly the right time, with the black community in America facing trouble surrounding law enforcement. D'Angelo rises up as a powerful voice of the people, rightfully gaining his place as The Black Messiah. Black Messiah almost feels as if it is a modern version of Sly and the Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin' on. Key Tracks: "Sugah Daddy", "Ain't That Easy", "Prayer" "Another Life"
5. Arca- Xen
Venezuelan producer/Kanye collaborator Arca's debut is about as personal of an album as one will find. The title comes from Arca's female alter ego named Xen. Within the album, Arca tells the emotional story of Xen without containing a single spoken word. The music itself is so powerful that Xen is characterized perfectly through strange orchestral-sounding synths and glitchy beats. This form of electronic music is purely original, nobody else really sounds anything at all like Arca. The sound of this album is so unique that it goes right over the heads of some listeners upon first listen, but if one can give it the time, the true beauty of Xen will reveal itself. Key Tracks: "Thievery" "Sad Bitch" "Sisters" "Xen"
4. St. Vincent- St. Vincent
Know who's one of the most badass women in modern rock music? Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent. She rips at the guitar, has a rebellious sense of lyricism, and a persona which is close to being the female David Bowie. St. Vincent is Clark's strongest statement yet, as her music takes on a bigger sound, while sticking to the same formula which made past albums such as Strange Mercy. Clark basically the closest there is to being a modern rock legend, yet she is severely overlooked by the mainstream music world. As far as modern female rock stars go, she is #1, and St. Vincent is a perfect example as to why that statement is true. Key Tracks: "Digital Witness" "Birth in Reverse" "Huey Newton" "I Prefer Your Love"
3. Caribou- Our Love
In Our Love, Caribou aka Dan Snaith pulls off something that is rare in electronic music, here he has managed to create an album of detailed, well-produced, house-influenced music with such strong emotion that you can feel it deep down. Usually, deep, melancholy-emotion electronic music takes shape in ambient or IDM form, but Caribou manages to display these feelings through fairly accessible dance music.Both 60's psychedelia and 90's rave music are very present here, which makes perfect sense since both scenes were based around love, which is the main theme of the album. So while this album can make one want to get up and dance, it can also be a highly nostalgic and emotional at the same time. Key Tracks: "Can't Do Without You" "Our Love" "All I Ever Need" "Your Love Will Set You Free"
2. Flying Lotus- You're Dead!
With You're Dead!, L.A. producer phenom Flying Lotus aka. Stephen Ellison dips more into the jazz sound than he ever has before. Along with guests such as Thundercat, Herbie Hancock, Kendrick Lamar, and Snoop Dogg, Ellison paints his vision of death as an electro-jazz/hip-hop trip which fails to slow down once during its entirety. His vision of death is not exactly dark, it is more so a celebration, with a few moments of grim realization. From the first explosive moments of "Theme" to the iconic last words of "The Protest", FlyLo keeps the listener engaged, as each song seamlessly transitions to the next, resulting in one crazy psychedelic journey into the afterlife. Key Tracks: "Never Catch Me (ft. Kendrick Lamar)", "Turtles" "Moment of Hesitation" "Coronus, the Terminator"
1. Aphex Twin- Syro
For anyone who is unfamiliar with Aphex Twin (Richard D. James)'s music; this stuff is basically created in a different language. Nobody knows exactly why he chooses the sounds he does, but it just works. Syro, the electronic music wizard's first official release in 13 years is possibly his most dense album, but also one of his best. There are no genres which can even come close to describing this album; it has hints of ambient, electro-funk, glitch, and drum and bass, but none of those genres actually come close to describing it. This music is the one-of-a-kind sound of Richard D. James, and there is nothing else like it. Syro is also one of the most complex, and dense albums released this year. It is impossible to retain everything about this album in one listen, but after multiple listens you will start to pick out new sounds, grooves, and patterns which you didn't hear before. The one track which makes this album worth your money alone is "Xmas_evet10", a sprawling ambient trip-hop influenced track, which lasts for over 10 minutes yet never feels dull for a single second. So while this album may be too complex for everyone, for those who actually can give it the time, it is one of the most well-produced electronic music albums ever. Certainly a great addition to an already legendary artists catalog. Key Tracks: "Xmas_evet10" "Minipops 67" "Circlont14" "Produk29"
Les Sins is Chaz Bundwick (aka Toro y Moi)'s side project which is more focused on his production skills rather than highlighting his voice. Michael takes Chaz into new unique territory as he experiments with house music beats, deep bass, warped synths, and distorted vocal samples. However, through all this experimentation, Chaz's lovable soulful style is still very present (especially on "Why"). Michael is ultimately a feel-good album, which will stay stuck in your head for days at a time. Key Tracks: "Why (ft. Nate Salman)", "Bother", "Bellow"
19. Pharrell Williams- Girl
Ever since the release of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky", Pharrell Williams has been taking the pop music world by storm. The release of his hit "Happy" even furthermore justified his status as one of the most relevant pop stars. Girl uses tons of ideas from soul/funk/R&B music from the 70's to let Pharrell truly express his songwriting capabilities. Pharrell uses this album to paint himself in the image of a king, and it displays his incredibly positive sense of confidence which he has rightfully gained through his rise to pop stardom. Key Tracks: "Happy" "Gust of Wind (ft. Daft Punk)", "Come Get it Bae"
18. Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty
Lese Majesty shows Shabazz Palaces going even further down the experimental hip-hop route than their 2011 debut Black Up. In fact, there isn't anything hip-hop related that even sounds like this. Ex-Digable Planets member Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler and Tendai "Baba" Maraire present a seven-suite journey through sonic bliss, complete with spacey interludes and some inspiring lyricism from Butterfly. The songs are less accessible than on Black Up, but with time they can reveal themselves to be equally as rewarding. Key Tracks: "Dawn in Luxor", #CAKE", "Motion Sickness" "They Come in Gold"
17. Rustie- Green Language
Over the past few years, Russell Whyte aka Rustie has been the king of the modern "future bass" movement in electronic music, with many artists (such as Wave Racer and Sophie) building off of the standard he set with 2011's Glass Swords. Green Language however, somewhat strays away from the wonky, glistening sound of Glass Swords, and instead focuses more on Rustie's ability to build his music with the help of vocalists. With these vocalists, Rustie throws a rave which sounds like its happening inside a bayou (notice the flamingos on the cover), and the results are glorious. Rustie is no longer the nintendo-sampling bass geek he was a few years ago, he is a defined artist with some pretty high standards to meet. Key Tracks: "Raptor", "Attak (ft. Danny Brown)", "Velcro", "He Hate Me (ft. Gorgeous Children)"
16. Panda Bear- Mr. Noah EP
With the upcoming release of Animal Collective member Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox)'s upcoming album Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper, Lennox decided to put out a four track ep to give the world a taste of what he has been cooking up. The title track "Mr. Noah" along with the other three amazing b-sides show that he has indeed been bringing his sunny psychedelic pop into new territories. Never before has Lennox sounded so fun, and so straightforward. It is clear that despite time, he is still on top of his game, and the world will see this even more when the full album is released on January 13th. Key Tracks: "Faces in the Crowd", "Mr. Noah"
15. Thom Yorke- Tomorrow's Modern Boxes
The Radiohead frontman returns with his second solo release which he self released via BitTorrent. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes focuses primarily on Yorke's wispy vocals hovering above glitchy, minimalist electronic music. Fans of Atoms for Peace as well as the more electronic-based Radiohead albums will fit right in with this release, while the casual "Creep" Radiohead fans will be slightly confused. Here Yorke focuses more on sound textures and perfectionist production rather than songwriting, but yet his vocals still manage to retain their usual charm. After first listen it may seem quite average, but after multiple listens the beauty of this album will reveal itself. Key Tracks: "Interference" "The Mother Lode" "Truth Ray" "Nose Grows Some"
14. Run the Jewels- RTJ2
The hip-hop kings Killer Mike and El-P return in full force for their second album as Run the Jewels. This time they're sharper, angrier, and more acquainted with each other's styles. The duo is more fueled than ever, as they speedily rip through El-P's thick beats and they pass off and pick up the mic where the other left off. This album was exactly what the true hip-hop heads needed, in an era where meaningless cheaply-produced singles are gaining the attention of the masses (Bobby Shmurda, Young Thug), Run the Jewels stand strongly to bring political hip-hop in the vain of visionaries such as Chuck D. and N.W.A. back. Key Tracks: "Blockbuster Night pt. 1", "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) (ft. Zack De La Rocha)", "All Due Respect (ft. Travis Barker)"
13. Mac DeMarco- Salad Days
Mac Demarco is a one of a kind person- one will discover through watching interviews and performances by this Canadian oddball. His unique behavior is reflected in Salad Days, the laid back, sun-soaked album which feels like one of the best chillwave albums to ever be made. DeMarco's humble voice is extremely inviting, and the guitars sound like they're straight out of a Hawaiian luau. 60's and 70's folk vibes are very present on Salad Days, with DeMarco's undeniable charm guiding the listener throughout it. Key Tracks: "Passing Out Pieces", "Chamber of Reflection" "Salad Days"
12. Clark- Clark
Feelings of destruction and doom are heavy throughout Clark, the recent release from UK Warp Records producer Chris Clark. It's almost like this album is the soundtrack to some apocalyptic film such as World War Z or 28 Days Later. These feelings are brought upon by Clark's dark and detailed production, along with his haunting piano work which appears on a few tracks. Without a single spoken word appearing on this album, Clark succeeds in translating his message through his professionally crafted sound. Key Tracks: "Winter Linn" "Unfurla" "Banjo" "The Grit in the Pearl"
11. Beck- Morning Phase
Morning Phase brings Beck back to the atmospheric acoustic sound which he previously explored on the album Sea Change. He is a lot more mature now, and less willing to go as far down the experimental routes which he has before. However, this doesn't mean that he can't still exercise his amazing songwriting skills through a much more conventional path. Morning Phase is a beautifully warm album which feels like you're reuniting with an old friend. He's changed, but he's still got that light in him which brought you together in the first place. Key Tracks: "Blue Moon", "Unforgiven", "Heart is a Drum", "Morning"
