Review of Persona (2000) by Stephen C — 12 Aug 2012
The perception of Ingmar Bergman is that he is some dark driven gloom merchant ,whos films are very boring.
This film scuppers most of those ideas and is a totally majestic if in some parts confusing piece of cinematic art.
After a bizzare opening montage of various images including a nail hammered into a hand we are presented with two women, the first being a nurse assigned to look after another a stage actress who has been struck dumb during a performance .
What follows is a series of starkly shot images and the director musing on personality and duality as only Bergman knows how.
The film never apologises for the fact its a tricky watch and a first glance nothing more than a pretentious mess.
But that would be a slack reviewer who dismisses the film out of hand ,the film grows in stature with repeat viewings and the breakdown of the film halway through is perhaps one of the greatest images of Cinema.
If you want a film to pose the questions and make you think then this masterpiece will do all those things and then some .
This review of Persona (2000) was written by Stephen C on 12 Aug 2012.
Persona has generally received positive reviews.
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