December 18, 2007

The Michigan Theater plans a series of mostly Monday mini-film-festivals in 2008, beginning next month with a collection of four Ingmar Bergman films. The Swedish director, who died last July, was one of the first and most influential foreign filmmakers to exhibit work in the U.S. The titles in this GREAT DIRECTORS series include:

Monday, Jan 7: The Seventh Seal (1957) – For many Americans, their first foreign film – a savage blend of satire and surrealism in a chess game between man and Death at the time of the Black Plague. Won Cannes Special Jury Prize. Star the great Max von Sydow. (96 minutes, unrated.)

Monday, Jan 14: Wild Strawberries (1957) – Oscar-nominated tale of an elderly professor’s cross-country drive, rich with memories of his past and disturbing dreams of his future. Stars Max van Sydow and Bibi Andersson. (91 minutes, unrated.)

Monday, Jan 21: Through a Glass Darkly (1961) - A family vacation on a remote island reveals too many family secrets as a daughter’s insanity becomes her writer-father’s material. Won Oscar for Best Screenplay. Stars Max von Sydow. (89 minutes, unrated.)

Tuesday, Jan 29: Fanny & Alexander (1982) – More closely focused than earlier films, it still encompasses many characters and much ado in the life of a Swedish provincial town, two of its children and their extended family. Won four Oscars, including Best Foreign Language Film (188 minutes, rated R.)

All films in the Bergman series will be shown at 7 pm. Regular movie prices apply.

Coming up in future mini-series: A retrospective of Oscar Best-Picture winners, fun British Classics (don’t be thinking Monty Python was the first Brit giggle-group) and a second installment of Great Directors homages, this time to Ridley Scott.