Diary entries forFanny and Alexander
Fanny and Alexander
[FULL FIVE HOUR VERSION] Fanny and Alexander is a tremendous achievement from Ingmar Bergman. The director can cease an audience. I presumed the dialogue's one intention was for myself to hear and no one else. And what was I to do in the early 20th century? Nothing but watch in awe. GRADE: A
Fanny and Alexander
Ingmar Bergman is a director whose work I have only lightly explored; however, many years into my film watching journey, I continue to discover just why he is considered one of cinema’s greatest artists. Fanny and Alexander, initially intended to be Bergman's final film, is a semi-autobiographical story inspired by his own childhood experiences and memories. The film tells the story of the two titular siblings Fanny and Alexander, who grow up in a wealthy Swedish home at the turn of the 20th century. Their lives take a turn when their father suddenly dies and their mother, Emilie, remarries the town's bishop. While much of the film is a rather straightforward contrast between the warm, vibrant Ekdahl family life and the new repressive environment imposed by the bishop, Bergmandelves into many moments of surrealism and fantasy shown through Alexander's perspective. The version I watched was the 4 part miniseries one, which runs at 312 minute, and I cannot understand why I would ever watch the shorter theatrical version, which cuts around 2 hours of content. Fanny and Alexanderis a film that excels in its exploration of its characters, showcasing their flaws, hopes, and dreams with such depth and nuance that I found to be particularly enriching. One aspect I loved were the surrealist, fantastical elements that, while prevalent throughout, took a strong focus in the final episode. Many of these moments are ways to visualize Alexander’s internal thoughts and emotions, yet at times, they also evoke a sense of a spirituality reality. This is was just a wonderful watch all the way through. I will most certainly be revisiting this as there is much to unpack, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot went over my head. Fanny and Alexander is a beautiful exploration of the complexities of family life, the interplay between reality and imagination, and the profound depths of the human experience. It’s a prime example of what the power of film is capable of, and another incredible entry from one of the most important cinematic figures to have graced the earth.
Fanny and Alexander
There's no single reason I'd give Fanny and Alexander under five stars. The experience of watching this three-hours-long masterpiece was literally something. The storytelling is top notch. I mean, how on earth did I manage to sit through a film as long as the trip Jakarta-Bandung in one go, without getting bored, without wishing it would end sooner? I just wanted to soak in every single dialogue between the characters. This is the magic of Ingmar Bergman's works. Also, the complexities of emotions in Fanny and Alexander makes this film feel even more special to me. I also really love how the story’s focus is divided in each acts, it makes the whole film feel so structured and neatly put together. [ (https://boxd.it/uMoTG)My Rank for Ingmar Bergman's Filmography (https://boxd.it/uMoTG)]
Fanny and Alexander
having really loved autumn sonata and persona, i thought i would end up liking this too judging from the synopsis but i couldn't have been more wrong. this did nothing for me and i was really disinterested. so long for absolutely no reason. i also expected it to focus mainly on fanny and alexander, but it took so long for them to become the center of the story.. and even then, fanny ended up having almost no presence in the film at all. the tonal shifts were so confusing aswell. so disappointing, and i hope this was only a one-of in bergman's filmography.
