Review of Edvard Munch (1974) by Lynda M — 16 Sep 2009

The life of artist Edvard Munch is examined in this lengthy docudrama, most importantly those events that directly influenced the development of his revolutionary style. The characters were very much aware that they were being filmed (some even seemed annoyed by the fact), and almost all of them possessed an undeveloped face for the camera, which I suppose is historically accurate.

Sound design gets a special mention here, because it was very pleasant to listen to the picking, scraping and shushing of the tools utilized in Munch's exploration of various visual mediums. My only problem was that, most likely due to the collage-like structure of the narrative, my patience was tried by the film's three-hour length.

Nonetheless, this was a fascinating watch and recommended for anybody interested in how an artist's real life influences his creative life; vice-versa.