I have never had actual wild strawberries in my life

Wild Strawberries

First of all, I have committed the sin of being extremely tired while watching the middle part of the story, and so in the end, it felt like I have seen the beginning and the end, but forgot a large part in between. I deeply apologize to the film, because it’s a masterpiece.

Why it is so great needs no further explanation, I feel, and so I guess I am only going to be able to rant randomly about the film without digging deeper into it at all. I wish I could do better, but films at this level always give me the impression that other people have said much greater things about it than I possibly could after one single viewing late at night. It is true that the story itself is rather simple, it’s a little like Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”: An old man encounters many people and then changes from an egoistic and horrible person to someone great, while throughout the whole story, his background is being told as well. But Bergman is such a genius at bringing this story to life! He puts so many layers onto these characters and especially the main character that it gives you the impression of being very complex. I also think that Isak’s dreams at the beginning were very creative and the interaction with his daughter-in-law and especially the characterization of these silly young people were extremely well done and sweet.

Another aspect that makes “Wild Strawberries” so precious to me is the simple fact that it’s a road movie. It has a start and an end, and the story itself too ends with a very realistic and touching character development towards a “better” person. The possibilities the road opens for character development is what makes me like them so much, and I can only remember one single road movie I did not like (which, incidentally, is “Viaggio in Italia”). Of course, Bergman manages to make this perhaps a little simplistic premise into something great while bringing together some interesting characters.

It’s not even a depressing movie in my opinion especially since it closes on such a good note. I do not agree with people who tag Bergman as “the gloomy director” at all, not even “Persona” was all that depressing in my book, it just had a great atmosphere. After I have liked “Persona” so much and thoroughly enjoyed this film, I have the deepest respect for Bergman now. Maybe he’s not a Godard or a Jarmusch yet, but he comes very very close to it.

I wonder what will happen when I am old and will be re-evaluating my life. At least I hope the number of relevant men in my life by then won’t be growing too significantly from the current number of 3 3/4, harr harr. On a more serious side note, this year’s short film which won the Oscar for Short Animation this year is also a film about an old man who looks back at his life. It’s a really wonderful story and you can torrent it from here. I actually think it deserves another posting, and maybe I will write about it to promote it even further…

So, all in all, while I think that “Persona” is the better film, “Wild Strawberries” is my personal favorite so far. And now, shall I move on with “Tystnaden” or rather with “Cries and Whispers” or “Fanny and Alexander” or…? Ahh, luckily Bergman has made so many films. XD