- Well put, even though I beg to differ with people who view his films as all gloomy and full of melancholy.
In fact they are not if one bothers to look a bit deeper.
I get the impression that Bergman wished to display how human beings concentrate too much on the darker sides of existence. Often, his films portray souls which are more or less consumed by their complicated relationships, by careers and by fear of death and fear of loss.
However, in his films there is often some kind of counterweight to these sad beings. For instance, in ‘The Seventh Seal’ (featuring Max von Sydow playing chess with death) there is in fact a glaring contrast between the carefree bunch of jesters and the other characters who are obsessed with death, fear and loss of possessions.
Bergman’s message is perhaps something like this;
“God does not want us to be flagellants, scourging ourselves.
He who have made the choice of fully embracing life, despite it’s thorns, has proven himself worthy of it and shall find happiness on earth.”
I think the one that particularly gave him a “gloomy” reputation was “The Seventh Seal” which was very depressing as I remember it (but it’s been 25 years and I don’t remember it well). Lots of deathly trances and flashbacks, with the knight being stalked by death???...... Also “The Virgin Spring” which is a sad nasty story but that one was nowhere near as well known as “The Seventh Seal” - at least as far as the USA goes, I can’t speak to Europe......
Greetings to Sweden from the mountains of Park City Utah!!