Cries and whispers (Viskningar och rop)...

I remember having seen this movie way back in the seventh semester.. i dont think it made such an impact then.. yes, it was a painful movie but then i did not dwell much into the underlying layers...for the next 2 years, i did not associate Viskningar och rop with a typical 'bergmanesque' movie.. smultronstallet and persona came along the way and they made were mammoth movies which hit me real hard.. but today, i just picked up a review of c&w by James Berardinelli.. the review and trust me when i say a one page review alone pummeled me so hard...all those 'insignificant' details bout the movie which i thought had forgotten appeared in front of me in such a vivid manner.. i just cant wait to watch the movie again... damn.. i then realize ive misplaced the dvd... f*** f*** f*** f*** f***!!!!

Anyway.. few awesome things bout the review...

Shakespeare referred to death as "the undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveler returns".

Death is gradual

The process of dying is not only the last stage we go through in this life, but often the most traumatic. For most people, death takes time. To be sure, there are some who expire suddenly and unexpectedly, but, in general, death is gradual. And, during those last days, the dying individual will experience moments of great clarity revealing transcendent beauty, and times of bleakness staring into the black maw of eternity. Ultimately, no matter how many friends and loved ones may be by our side, the last step must be undertaken alone. "To be or not to be?" is only an ephemeral question. The final answer is unalterable.

There is a fine tradition in American cinema that the victims of terminal diseases become increasingly beautiful and serene as the moment of their expiration approaches. Bergman offers no such false comfort here. Those who have seen a loved one die of cancer know that it is a gut-wrenchingly painful experience.

Bergman is quoted as saying, "All my films can be thought of in terms of black and white except for Cries and Whispers. In the screenplay, it says that red represents for me the interior of the soul."

In order to understand why Cries and Whispers is a great film, it must be experienced, not merely watched.

The complete review can be read here and here.