I remember the day Bergman died: on Turner Classic Movies, they played this interview the same night.
And I remember that Dick Cavett introduced the interview by warning viewers: "Not everyone can be a Bergman fan... if you saw 'Meet the Fockers' at least twice, then you, uh... probably aren't."
Interesting comment about dictatorship. However, Bergman never satisfactorily explained why he affectionately evoked the ghost of Adolph Hitler in his film, Fanny and Alexander. Later releases of the film attempted to air brush the Hitler mustache off the character of the father.
laurenticwave, I saw the original when it first came out. Second, many critics that reviewed the film, at the time, noted it. As I recall, Pauline Kael of the New Yorker recognized the similarity and tried to dismiss it as an unfortunate coincidence. Wikipedia quotes Bergman from his bio, Laterna Magica, saying when he was 16yrs. old "for many years, I was on Hitler's side, delighted by his success and saddened by his defeats...".
Well, well... and I've watched F & A at least 6 times in blissful ignorance - it still remains one of my favourite movies (the long version) of all time, and "the making of" DVD is in a class of its own.
Until you have seen the original where the father looks like Hitler, the film loses it's edge. In that context, the scene where Alexander sees his father's ghost at the piano, is absolutely the most haunting, chilling scene you will ever see. I remember thinking it was the closest thing one could would ever imagine what it's like to see a ghost. It was like a pleasant nightmare. The shock was so subtle, yet palpable, I felt it broke new ground in the definition of horror.
I have two versions, the 5-disc Criterion (NTSC) and the version transmiited on BBC2 back in the mid-80s, on VHS-PAL - will have to dig it out and compare. I indeed remember the first time I saw F & A as a film - and that chilling moment when Alexander first sees his father's ghost - but was this the "original" ? I don't recall the father looking particularly like Schuckelgrubber, but now you mention it...
He looks like Hitler but that could also be the early 20th century look. Funny thing is he was hated by the leftists in the 60s and 70s and he compared their blindness with his own in the 40s (Hitler).
Obviously, Hitler didn't invent that look. Beards and mustaches were popular at the turn of the century. But that type of mustache has become iconic and no one is going to convince me that he was referencing Charlie Chaplin or Oliver Hardy or that he was some naive, apolitical, bumpkin people like Pauline Kael would have you believe. You don't willy nilly choose something like that even if it's unconscious. If it's an innocent choice, then why not just leave the original look? Why hide it?
I love his English. Sweet accent.
sturmraist50 6 months ago
2/3 of his face are over his eyebrows
aeropajita 10 months ago
I remember the day Bergman died: on Turner Classic Movies, they played this interview the same night.
And I remember that Dick Cavett introduced the interview by warning viewers: "Not everyone can be a Bergman fan... if you saw 'Meet the Fockers' at least twice, then you, uh... probably aren't."
LoL
adamzanzie 2 years ago 2
Interesting comment about dictatorship. However, Bergman never satisfactorily explained why he affectionately evoked the ghost of Adolph Hitler in his film, Fanny and Alexander. Later releases of the film attempted to air brush the Hitler mustache off the character of the father.
bondurango 4 years ago
What's your evidence for this statement of fact?
laurenticwave 3 years ago
laurenticwave, I saw the original when it first came out. Second, many critics that reviewed the film, at the time, noted it. As I recall, Pauline Kael of the New Yorker recognized the similarity and tried to dismiss it as an unfortunate coincidence. Wikipedia quotes Bergman from his bio, Laterna Magica, saying when he was 16yrs. old "for many years, I was on Hitler's side, delighted by his success and saddened by his defeats...".
bondurango 3 years ago
Well, well... and I've watched F & A at least 6 times in blissful ignorance - it still remains one of my favourite movies (the long version) of all time, and "the making of" DVD is in a class of its own.
laurenticwave 3 years ago
Until you have seen the original where the father looks like Hitler, the film loses it's edge. In that context, the scene where Alexander sees his father's ghost at the piano, is absolutely the most haunting, chilling scene you will ever see. I remember thinking it was the closest thing one could would ever imagine what it's like to see a ghost. It was like a pleasant nightmare. The shock was so subtle, yet palpable, I felt it broke new ground in the definition of horror.
bondurango 3 years ago
I have two versions, the 5-disc Criterion (NTSC) and the version transmiited on BBC2 back in the mid-80s, on VHS-PAL - will have to dig it out and compare. I indeed remember the first time I saw F & A as a film - and that chilling moment when Alexander first sees his father's ghost - but was this the "original" ? I don't recall the father looking particularly like Schuckelgrubber, but now you mention it...
laurenticwave 3 years ago
He looks like Hitler but that could also be the early 20th century look. Funny thing is he was hated by the leftists in the 60s and 70s and he compared their blindness with his own in the 40s (Hitler).
sakalan 3 years ago
Obviously, Hitler didn't invent that look. Beards and mustaches were popular at the turn of the century. But that type of mustache has become iconic and no one is going to convince me that he was referencing Charlie Chaplin or Oliver Hardy or that he was some naive, apolitical, bumpkin people like Pauline Kael would have you believe. You don't willy nilly choose something like that even if it's unconscious. If it's an innocent choice, then why not just leave the original look? Why hide it?
bondurango 3 years ago
Ingmar Bergman and I share the same birthday and the same disdain for sunlight.
Garboth 4 years ago 2
i've seen full interview at NY museum of radio and television :)
dagofff 4 years ago
I'd kill to see the full interview. I love Bergman and I love Cavett.
MitchelWeaver 4 years ago
wonderful clip, i never knew bergman was interviewed by dick cavett...
poguehorse 4 years ago