FOUR SCREENPLAYS OF INGMAR BERGMAN
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No member of the movie industry, has, in the past years, made as much of an impact on the international audience as has Swedish, author-producer-director, Ingmar Bergman. Rich in metaphysical overtones, his films have been acclaimed both for their visual intensity and their literary content. But the complex nature of his technique has given rise to a certain bafflement on the part of viewers, an obscurity, which to a large extent, this collection relieves. In presenting the scenario of Smiles of a Summer Night (a comedy), The Magician (a parable), Wild Strawberries (a symbolic drama), and The Seventh Seal (an apocalyptic passion), one is impressed with the utter dramatic clarity of Bergman's concepts. Although the force of surrealism is strong in these plays, particularly the last three, they contain a clearly delineated dramatic line which reveals in full force the intent of the multi-talented author. Film enthusiasts will welcome this text which stablished Bergman's literary ability, clarifies his purposes, and strongly evokes the visual as well as verbal content of the films. Strongly recommended to libraries and to every reader to whom film is a matter of serious artistic consideration.