Ingmar Bergman: Om liv och arbete

Ingmar Bergman: On Life and Work (1998)

**** (out of 4)

Incredibly wonderful documentary is more of a conversation with the director but this thing is quite shocking in how much detail Bergman reveals about his persona life. It's very clear that he is a troubled and haunted man and he speaks honestly about his bad childhood and the many deaths to his love ones that have shaped him as a filmmaker. Most of the time these conversation pieces get boring but this one here was great from start to finish even though they don't actually talk about too many of his films.

"Om liv och arbete" (About Life and Work) was made for Swedish television in 1998, but is available as an extra feature on Criterion's fabulous DVD edition of Bergman's 1957 movie "Wild Strawberries". Interviewed by Jörn Donner (Finno-Swedish writer/film maker, and producer of "Fanny and Alexander"), Bergman gives an insightful and revealing view into his childhood, his personal life, and his work. It isn't as much a documentary as it is an interview; about 90% of "Om liv och arbete" consists of the interview, but it is entertaining and interesting - especially so for the dedicated Bergman fan, I'd assume. As an extra on a DVD this is a great treat!