From today's New York Times, news of the death of filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.
Ingmar Bergman, the ?poet with the camera? who is considered one of the greatest directors in motion picture history, died today on the small island of Faro where he lived on the Baltic coast of Sweden, Astrid Soderbergh Widding, president of The Ingmar Bergman Foundation, said. Bergman was 89.
While he may be best remembered for films such as “The Seventh Seal” and “Wild Strawberries”, my favorite remains “Persona.” This is a more abstract, modernist “psychological” film, focusing on the relationship and interaction of just two characters (played by Liv Ullman and Bibi Andersen). And it contains this amazing opening sequence:
Although “Persona” wasn't even mentioned in the New York Times tribute, it is considered by many, including myself, to be his best.
I've never seen Persona, but from what I just saw, it looks very interesting.
A few other people in the film industry passed away: Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni (Blow-UP; Red Desert and The Passenger – starred Jack Nicholson).
Television talk-show host Tom Snyder "known for his casual style and iconic interviews with the likes of John Lennon and Charles Manson, has died after a battle with leukemia."
It's weird how several people in the same industry died at around the same time.
Yes, Antonioni is another of my favorites. In fact, I was going to discuss [i]L'Eclisse[/i] and [i]La Notte[/i] this week. Then I heard this news about Ingmar Bergman yesterday, so I put off writing that article. And then I find out that Antonioni passed away on the same day! Within 24 hours of each other, that is something. I will write my tribute to Antonioni soon.
So many great 20th century icons are passing.