Don’t you think I understand?
The hopeless dream of being.
Not seeming but being.
Conscious at every moment. Vigilant.
At the same time the chasm between
what are to others and to yourself.
The feeling of vertigo and the constant
desire to at last be exposed.
To be seen through, cut down.,
perhaps even annihilated.
Every tone of voice a lie, every gesture
a falsehood, every smile a grimace.
Commit suicide? Oh, no.
That’s ugly. You don’t do that.
But you can be immobile, you can
fall silent. Then at least you don’t lie.
You can close yourself in,
shut yourself off.
from Persona by Ingmar Berman
* * *
A little heavy, no? Must be the Boston effect. Things will lighten up this afternoon on the flight back to London (think bubbles).
Cheers,
BB
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7 comments:
It's really rather lovely. And very Winter-ish.
Indeed, like many (most) Bergman. The first of his films I saw was The Passion of Anna. And I still remember this facial expression between a grimace and a smile. Took me much courage and maturity to continue my exploration of Bergman. It's sometimes like watching people emotionally cut open with a scalpel!
BB
oh what's that one with the big blond guy? about death/dying etc/sort of the grim reaper type of thing. Really cheered me up...God I'm so lowbrow...
The Seventh Seal!
That's next on my LoveFilm list. But I've also got Days of Heaven on there, which you recommended... For a long time I've avoided converting "watching a movie" into "seeing a film" or "going to the cinema", but alas I am creeping in that direction. But I did also see Shooter with Mark Wahlberg. BB
don't watch The Seventh Seal unless you're feeling irrepressibly upbeat and would prefer to feel suicidal...well you could always recover with Days of Heaven. We shall discuss when you've watched them (though I can't remember much about TSS and I'm not watching it again)- film club!
Persona had a profound effect on me. First Bergman film I saw.
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