I have seen a ton of Ingmar Bergman's films. A few of them were brilliant, a few were terrible but one thing I can say about just about all of them is that they were unpleasant. This is NOT a criticism--just a fact that Bergman chose to make films about unpleasant things--marital infidelity, alienation, mental illness and death--such was the repertoire of Bergman. Many people adore the man's work. As for me, I appreciate his films (especially "Wild Strawberries", "Autumn Sonata" and "The Seventh Seal") but would like to see more films like "The Devil's Eye"--a much more lighthearted and occasionally fun sort of film.
"Thirst" is oppressively dark and unpleasant. And, typical of many of his films, you really don't like anyone. Instead, it's like you are a fly on the wall staring at people who are miserable--with no resolution--just alienation and unhappiness.
The film is about a married couple who really don't like each other--but in an odd way they love each other. Both have had affairs and both seem resigned to living out their lives together--like it or not. I could say more, but frankly don't feel like it--suffice to say they are miserable and ill-matched and desperately in need to therapy.
This is an odd movie because later in the film there is another plot involving alienation and depression. But, oddly, this plot appears out of the blue and never really is fleshed out at all. It really looks like the film originally had two parallel stories and they edited out much of the second one. It should have either been removed completely or developed properly. Either way, it just didn't work and I wanted to a lot more about the weird therapist the lady saw as well as the lesbian angle--but both appear and disappear just as quickly.
This is a film for lovers of Bergman. For others, if you want an unpleasant film, see one of Bergman's better films. Life is too short to watch a stead diet of films like this.
"Thirst" is oppressively dark and unpleasant. And, typical of many of his films, you really don't like anyone. Instead, it's like you are a fly on the wall staring at people who are miserable--with no resolution--just alienation and unhappiness.
The film is about a married couple who really don't like each other--but in an odd way they love each other. Both have had affairs and both seem resigned to living out their lives together--like it or not. I could say more, but frankly don't feel like it--suffice to say they are miserable and ill-matched and desperately in need to therapy.
This is an odd movie because later in the film there is another plot involving alienation and depression. But, oddly, this plot appears out of the blue and never really is fleshed out at all. It really looks like the film originally had two parallel stories and they edited out much of the second one. It should have either been removed completely or developed properly. Either way, it just didn't work and I wanted to a lot more about the weird therapist the lady saw as well as the lesbian angle--but both appear and disappear just as quickly.
This is a film for lovers of Bergman. For others, if you want an unpleasant film, see one of Bergman's better films. Life is too short to watch a stead diet of films like this.