Sunday, 13 May 2012

Best of Bergman? An Interactive Post

Ingmar Bergman is one of the greatest directors of all time.  How do I know?  Because I've been told it is true on numerous occasions.  Most recently it was this post from Alex at And So It Begins that reminded me to check out the work of Bergman.


Why didn't I figure it out for myself?  Because I haven't seen a single one of his films yet.  But all that stops this week.  After reading and hearing so much about this highly respected director, I finally decided to look up some of his films on Lovefilm.  What did I discover?

Many of Bergman's films are free to stream as part of my Lovefilm subscription package.  So to begin with I've put on my list:
  1. Persona
  2. The Virgin Spring
  3. Wild Strawberries
  4. Autumn Sonata
  5. Cries and Whispers
  6. Scenes from a Marriage
  7. and the seventh title on the list is aptly... The Seventh Seal.


So what I'd like to know from all the Bergman fans out there is where should I start?

What is the most accessible of these?

Could anyone actually give me a suggested order to watch these in?

Are there others that I have missed that should be in my required viewing?

If I don't like the first couple I watch, is it worth continuing or should I just accept I have bad taste?

 For the record, I'm thinking of starting with either The Seventh Seal (because at least I can enjoy the part that influenced Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey) or The Virgin Spring (as I hear The Last House on the Left was based on this story).  But please get involved and persuade me otherwise if you feel I should start elsewhere.  Please comment below...