Review of Hour of the Wolf (1968) by Craig T — 05 Apr 2011

This stylish horror film is almost like Erasurehead's nightmare of The Sixth Sense. I don't like to play with mixing two films to equal another but while watching Hour of the Wolf, I couldn't help it. Ingmar Bergman was a special director and very passionate about his work. The evidence is easy to admire and one can see even more upon a closer look into such films as this one. He often works with the same actors and I believe this formula was highly responsible for his success (at least for all his finest and/or Oscar winning films).

Max Von Sydow plays a painter who moves into a desolate cabin with his wife to get away for a while, perhaps a break from the stresses of life. Here, instead, he finds his nightmares coming true and begins the downward spiral into madness. He documents his encounters with his demons and consistently acts at out at length based on these images and audible visits. The story is being told by his wife, and she is recalling her own memories as well as describing his diary entries. This is the story of a man who is overcome with guilt and shame from actions and decisions he made in life, his breaking point has been reached, and now his demons are actually taking him over. What a trip through the ill human mind! I can't recall ever seeing anything quite like this, it is deep and perplexing on so many levels.

Visually stunning. These are two words that I can use to summarize Hour of the Wolf. Sydow is great as always and the sinking mood of this film really grabbed me on the way under. I was, however, often uncertain what exactly was happening and why. It was eerie to watch that which was not completely understood, yet towards the end of the film it came together more. The end fate of one particular character left me wanting to see more and that is where my biggest issue lands. I needed more explanation as well as visual aid in ending this story. Not that Erasurehead was very similar to this picture or vise vera, but the visuals and cinematography seem to resemble one another (that's a good thing to me). This film is dark and disturbing. I feel that one more word should be offered in showing what was felt for the director: respect. (B).