Review of Edvard Munch (1974) by Carreh R — 23 Apr 2012

Another Peter Watkins success. I found this film really evoked the events, emotions, tragedies, times and religious influences that affected Edvard Munch's life and thus his work. He was a great painter but so great the critics and the establishment abhorred his work and thus him.

One of his "The Scream" is up for auction at Sotheby's and is estimated to fetch $80 million dollars. Quite an accomplishment for a piece made by an artist that the critics said was insane and that his work was disgusting, unfinished, perverse etc etc Peter Watkins uses a quasi-documentary style to tell the story of Edvard Munch's life and blends in scenes through time back and forth along with music and editing that helps you feel how Edvard felt and what he was going through.

At the same time we see him creating his paintings and see the finished products. I highly recommend this film. Ingmar Bergmann said it was a work of genius.