Review of Edvard Munch (1974) by Darryl J — 18 Apr 2009

I find it hard to start to even talk about this movie. Peter Watkins' masterpiece Edvard Munch is, above all else, a supremely successful experimental film. He avoids all bio-pic conventions and creates a style all his own. From the jarring edits to the non-linear storyline to the docudrama approach to the material, everything is handled with the utmost delicacy and care. I can't emphasize that last part enough. It may seem like the director is merely indulging himself when you hear about his "style" but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Even I thought that this was going to be one of those films that leaves the viewer feeling cold because of the old cliche "style over substance". This is, in fact, one of the most deeply personal films I've ever seen in my life. I really don't know how Watkins did it. I felt so immediately immersed in Munch and his life. Let's take a step back now. You know how I feel about the film in it's most basic form(being a biopic of Edvard Munch) but I've barely started peeling this onion of a film. Watkins also cleverly documents the social problems of the time involving issues of class, women's rights, and artistic freedom as a whole. He does all this without it ever feeling forced or separate from the actual movie. Edvard Munch is used as a sort of symbol(sort of, HE WAS) of a new era, a new beginning in the artistic world. An emotionally honest and raw era. The film brilliantly portrays this in the many scenes of him painting. Those scenes are so tangible, so textured. You look at his frenzied carvings and brushstrokes and you see the actual man behind those oil paintings. They were not ready for that back then but you can hear the fury of scratching and brushing since then and know that artists are still inspired and thankful for his tremendous contribution to the art world.

It probably doesn't have to be said but this is one of the best films I've ever seen in my life.