This movie is simply one of the rarest that we can call a masterpiece. Watched yesterday for the 2nd time. All you said is on point. But we can make a 1 hour review of this, it's so much dense of meanings and symbols, and visual tricks that all tells the story. It blows the mind. Christian theme: it's the main one, far above paganism. Odin is prayed by the young woman who is pregnant outside marriage, who think about bad things to the virgin, she curse and she's mean, but at the end, she feels bad and sh'es the first to wash up her face from the water. You can look many details, like where the rape happens, near the fallen tree. The guys are passing through branches. Later The father take down by hand a tree, to cut branches to wip himself with it. Look at the flame, when the birds sing or not, when all is silent, when we see water flowing, etc. This film is a piece of moving art, no less. It encourage me to shoot films in black%white and 1:66 or 1:33 format. Thanks from Switzerland.
I think it's my favorite Bergman film -- I'm not sure exactly why, but I think its the sheer efficacy of it. He accomplishes so much about the human condition with a very small number of actors, a few sets and one not-so-special, special effect.
this makes me think that a video on the best movies about/set in the medieval world is warranted. I know a couple of historians who might be fun to interview.
I wonder if ‘magical realism’ could be a relatable genre for this kind of film. Bergman uses elements that are seemingly magical/supernatural amidst the typical realism going on in the story. I do like that you pointed out that all of the miraculous occurrences in the story could have very well been coincidental. Then again a lot of miracles in various religions stem from these coincidental occurrences. The young boy in this film really moved me in his struggle to conceal the horrific truth from the farmer.
I’m agnostic, but I actually think the film makes a powerful case for Christianity in the sense that Bergman presents Christianity as a powerful force that enables people to persevere and continue living with purpose in the face of immense suffering, guilt, and loss.
thank you. yes, I saved a couple of Bergman movies to make videos on in the future. Both "Cries" and "Scenes from a Marriage" I haven't discussed yet. Maybe one day.
Haven't seen The Seventh Seal, but just because set in the same time doesn't mean the concepts would be the same. Especially since The Virgin Spring is based on two different things (a ballad/poem and an Asian film that Bergman said he interpreted from his view). But definitely do agree despite the parts that do make it a horror movie, it is a great movie. And hey, maybe it was Odin since that was the only time he appeared. And given the time the movie was set, questioning if God existed or not, more than made sense.
Water is the element of purification . When in it starts to rain in a movie its a 99% chans for a coming ´purification´of thought or a deep conversation between characters in the movie. Even so in virgin spring, but left entirely to the spectators to react
I just watched this film late last night, right at the end of Easter, and stopped right before the revenge scene, only to finish it today evening. I had no idea it took place on Good Friday, so the timing was perfect. I only watched it because the day before I watched its Wes Craven remake The Last House on the Left. While I enjoyed both films, it's needless to say The Virgin Spring is magnitudes superior to The Last House. I think the ending, where the actual virgin spring sprouts up is not a coincidence, but the answer to the father's prayer. It was a message that God watches but it powerless to intervene in actions of human will, no matter how evil the action.
I thought religion Christians believe that God is all powerful, that's why the father at the end told God " I don't understand"But instead of questioning his faith in a God that did nothing while his daughter was being raped and murdered he actually asked for God's forgiveness for getting vengeance on his daughter's murderers and promisinng to build a church at the scene of the murder,he actually committed self flagellation before he took vengeance.
@davidsheriff9274 interesting take! Yes, it is difficult to secure a definite meaning. And that was Bergmans point, people create their own meaning to events the way audiences create meaning to movies and movie scenes.
Great review, thanks. Recently watching the restored print, I got an odd feeling that the rape scene was not quite the same as in past viewings. I can't put my finger on it, but I feel that something is missing, or altered. Is anyone aware that Bergman decided to digitally cut or alter the scene, for whatever reasons? I would appreciate any info on this very much, thanks!
@@LearningaboutMovies It occurred to me that someone out there might still have an old DVD version and who would be kind enough to compare the two scenes and see if they differ. I would really appreciate it!
I think this film was one of atheist Ingmar Bergman's laments against Christianity, Karin and her parents are both devout Christians and despite all of their prayers and devotion to God they end up suffering and Karin ends up losing her life while Tore ends up losing his only daughter while Ingeri who is pagan has her prayers apparently answered by Odin, a pagan deity to bring a curse down upon Karin, which ends up happening. "God" cannot protect you against suffering and misfortune
Hmm this one didn't do much for me probably because Winter Light was the previous Bergman film I watched which was very intense when it came to "crisis of faith" theme, this almost seemed breezy compared to that. Another gripe I have is that actions scenes were a bit lackluster, it's 1960, 6 years after Seven Samurai but still way too many cuts and immersion breaking shots thankfully Bergman didn't dabble more in action, play to your strengths I say. That rape scene was intense though and still holds up as disturbing even by today's standards. That Fanny & Alexander (IMO best Bergman) reference is gold! dunno why I missed that.
Josh in one of your future videos can you make a video on one of Michael Haneke’s movies, he’s really good. Cache (2005) is really good you’d probably like it.
there's definitely a small (?) Haneke fan-group that watches this channel. I will do something eventually, though not in the near future (more like six months or more, as I worked well ahead).
@@LearningaboutMovies Definitely make sure you check out most of his films sooner rather than later. Cache, Piano Teacher and The White Ribbon are all must watches.
The Seventh Continental is one of his best, it's a good movie to discuss in terms of why the parents did what they did, it's a fascinating mysterious film. Funny Games didn't really do it for me,it seemed to be just exploitation torture porn with a little bit of meta fourth wall breaking for artistic integrity.
Good movie. As for praying and whether or not God looks out for anyone, “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be open to you”. Ask in Jesus name and if it’s a good thing for you and the greater good, it’ll be done and given. I didn’t believe for years but this is true
I do kind of have a hard time being too sympathetic to the parents considering how cruelly they treated their other daughter. She was pregnant from rape and they expressed no kindness or love for her,all they did was fawn over their little spoiled blonde haired blue eyed princess. It of course doesn't justify her inaction during the rape of her sister, but it is totally understandable that she hated her.
I don't know why the "of course." You could particularlize it as a father-daughter thing, which, since I have a daughter, is completely understandable from my POV. Bergman, of course, explored female pain in great detail in a number of his films.
