Bergman and Cavett
An excerpt from a Dick Cavett interview with Ingmar Bergman on a show that originally aired August 2, 1971. Key quote: “It is absolutely impossible for me to work with a producer who would try to tell me what to do. If he tries, I would ask him to go to hell.” Here’s a second excerpt with Persona costar Bibi Andersson taking part.
This is going to be on TCM tomorrow (Tuesday night/Wednesday morning), along with a showing of The Seventh Seal:
2:15 AM EST: Cavett and Bergman
3:15 AM EST: The Seventh Seal
5:00 AM EST: Cavett and Bergman
Makes me want to run home and re-read Liv Ullmann’s autobiography.
The greatest filmmaker of our lifetime. One picture that no one mentions that I love is “The Passion” (released in U.S. as “The Passion of Anna”)
Thanks, Jeff, thanks mgmax, for sharing, doing right by the maestro and reminding us that Bergman shared the process with those at his side, those below, but NOT the money folks above.
Hmmmm… Maybe Peckinpah should have moved to Sweden!
Had the pleasure of presenting LIGHT KEEPS ME COMPANY, the Nykvist doc, at the Billy Wilder Theater a few months ago. Great insight to that creative partnership. The Bergman autobiography is great reading too.
All worth a thousand summers of meaningless dreck. Not mentioning any titles, but don’t get me wrong; I love GOOD dreck. However, mostly what I’m seeing are hash-handed actioners with high velocity flash-cutting, beaucoup digi-doodling, few insights and no wit.
Digression: just watched Preminger’s ANGEL FACE. Man, I wish I could ask Ingmar if he saw it and what he thought. Genius, imho.
i’d like to know if bergman saw SKIDOO…
great clip. he steamrolls cavett’s sometimes inane questions.
but wouldn’t bergman appreciate this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ninFjxj_DQ
“It is absolutely impossible for me to work with a producer who would try to tell me what to do. If he tries, I would ask him to go to hell.”
Almost hate to say it… but can you IMAGINE the bile-spewing, hate-filled behemoth of a post from Wells we’d be reading right now if Peter Jackson had said the exact same thing?
Is it true he wrote a memoir with his daughter, Ingrid von Rosen, when he was 86 years old?
This is going to be on TCM tomorrow (Tuesday night/Wednesday morning), along with a showing of The Seventh Seal:
2:15 AM EST: Cavett and Bergman
3:15 AM EST: The Seventh Seal
5:00 AM EST: Cavett and Bergman
Just heard the Antonioni has passed away the same day.
@gaydos and christian: what about some more Preminger-Dreck, just saw “Rosebud”.
So who’s the world’s greatest living filmmaker now?
I say Scorsese or Eric Rohmer. Any other candidates?
Wow — Michelangelo Antonioni passed away in the wee hours of the 31st. What the flyin’ hell’s happening?
Wells to Moviebob: Any director in a sober state who tells any producer to go to hell gets my vote on general principle, even Peter Jackson.
There’s a story about John Ford, the studio sent some guy to the set (Monument Valley one assumes) and Ford introduced him by saying “Listen up, everybody, this is Bill, he’s a vice president from the studio, he’s come out here to keep an eye on things for his bosses, and this is the last time you’re going to see him on this set.”
they’re dropping like flies!
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2138468,00.html
Seeing as how everyone called Bergman the last of the greats yesterday I find it strange that many say the same about Antonioni today. Either way they´re both great. Not to sound morbid, but if these thing actually do happen in threes I am betting on Goddard to go next, as he is the only old director with that level of acclaim. And todays greates director? Steven Spielberg, regardless of how far his style is from the styles of the 60s guys.
Three keeps starting over.
So who’s the world’s greatest living filmmaker now?
I say Scorsese or Eric Rohmer. Any other candidates?
“In Hollywood the producer intimidates the artist’s new thought with
great sums of money and with his own ego that clings to past
references of box-office triumphs and valueless experience. The
average artist, therefore, is forced to compromise. And the cost of
the compromise is the betrayal of his basic beliefs. And so the
artist is thrown out of motion pictures, and the businessman makes
his entrance.”
john cassavettes 1959
There’s a story about John Ford, the studio sent some guy to the set (Monument Valley one assumes) and Ford introduced him by saying “Listen up, everybody, this is Bill, he’s a vice president from the studio, he’s come out here to keep an eye on things for his bosses, and this is the last time you’re going to see him on this set.”
“Wells to Moviebob: Any director in a sober state who tells any producer to go to hell gets my vote on general principle, even Peter Jackson.”
I’ll bet he does. And then your readers get a big long post about how he gets your vote on general priniciple… along with a massive “qualifier” about how he’s STILL the Son of The Beast and perhaps even moreso for “making you” want to agree with a producer
C’mon, man, it’s not like I just stumbled on this place TODAY
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