Ingmar Bergman Revisited—Performance, Cinema and the Arts.Â
Edited by Maaret Kokskinen. (Wallflower Press, 2008.)
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Cinema lost one of its towering giants last year with the
death of Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.Â
Bergman not only had a long career in motion pictures, but he was a
well-respected theatre director as well.Â
Koskinen’s book contains a variety of essays and recollections by
prominent international critics, authors, and academicians. The pieces fall within the book’s three main
sections (“Music, Stage, Film—Between the Artsâ€; “Picturing the Self—Between
Words and Imagesâ€; and “Picturing the World—and Beyondâ€), and is preceded by a
heartfelt Prologue by Bergman’s longtime collaborator and onetime lover, Liv
Ullmann. The book is decidedly more of a
scholarly and analytical study of Bergman’s themes and methods rather than a fannish
celebration of his career. Nevertheless,
it is a valuable and worthwhile addition to a cinephile’s library, and it especially
belongs in the collection of any student of the Swedish master.
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TCM International Film Guide—2008 (44th Edition). Edited by Ian Haydn Smith.
(Wallflower
Press, 2008.)
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This annual publication began in 1963 and is arguably the
most authoritative and respected source of information on world cinema, as well
as the numerous film festivals that are held around the world. Now with Turner Classic Movies acting as a
sponsor, the book is even better than ever. This 44th edition encompasses the films and festivals of 2006
and 2007, and all major motion picture releases from around the world. New features include coverage of five
“Directors of the Year†(in this case, Faith Akin, Suzanne Bier, Guillermo del
Toro, Paul Greengrass, and Jia Zhangke), a focus on the German film industry,
the growth of DVD production, and a study of documentaries. Full of color stills, trivia, and
comprehensive listings, the International
Guide is a must for serious film fans.Â
An art house patron’s delight!
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