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Saraband (2003)

Saraband (2003)
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As the final masterwork of Ingmar Bergman, the world's most revered cinematic craftsperson, Saraband embodies the sequel to the director's five-hour Scenes from a Marriage, produced and directed 30 years after that original epic. Here, Bergman revisits the two characters from that film, divorcees Johan (Erland Josephson) and Marianne (Liv Ullmann), after years of estrangement from one another. Marianne now lives alone; of her two middle-aged daughters from the marriage to Johan, one lives in Australia, while the other suffered a mental breakdown. Marianne has contact with neither. After leafing through an assemblage of old photographs and waxing nostalgic, Marianne decides to revisit the now-wealthy Johan, who lives in the country with an adjoining cottage and two descendants: his 61-year-old widower son, Henrik (Börje Ahlstedt of I Am Curious (Yellow)), and Henrik's 19-year-old daughter, Karin (Julia Dufvenius). The relationships in Johan's family are broken and deeply dysfunctional: Johan resents Henrik, whom he perceives as worthless in every capacity other than fatherhood; Henrik resents Johan for his niggardly attitudes about his wealth; Karin feels bound by familial shackles and yearns to escape the confines of the life that ensnares her, ultimately hoping to move to the city and pursue her dream of becoming a cellist. Bergman uses the central narrative to examine how parents can damage one another by wielding the demands of their own selfish egos and refusing to grant joy and contentment to themselves or their children. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

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Starring:
Liv UllmannErland Josephson, (more)
Director(s):
Ingmar Bergman
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Saraband

As the final masterwork of Ingmar Bergman, the world's most revered cinematic craftsperson, Saraband embodies the sequel to the director's five-hour Scenes from a Marriage, produced and directed 30 years after that original epic. Here, Bergman revisits the two characters from that film, divorcees Johan (Erland Josephson) and Marianne (Liv Ullmann), after years of estrangement from one another. Marianne now lives alone; of her two middle-aged daughters from the marriage to Johan, one lives in Australia, while the other suffered a mental breakdown. Marianne has contact with neither. After leafing through an assemblage of old photographs and waxing nostalgic, Marianne decides to revisit the now-wealthy Johan, who lives in the country with an adjoining cottage and two descendants: his 61-year-old widower son, Henrik (Börje Ahlstedt of I Am Curious (Yellow)), and Henrik's 19-year-old daughter, Karin (Julia Dufvenius). The relationships in Johan's family are broken and deeply dysfunctional: Johan resents Henrik, whom he perceives as worthless in every capacity other than fatherhood; Henrik resents Johan for his niggardly attitudes about his wealth; Karin feels bound by familial shackles and yearns to escape the confines of the life that ensnares her, ultimately hoping to move to the city and pursue her dream of becoming a cellist. Bergman uses the central narrative to examine how parents can damage one another by wielding the demands of their own selfish egos and refusing to grant joy and contentment to themselves or their children. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
112 mins

Complete Cast of Saraband


Director(s):
Ingmar Bergman
Writer(s):
Ingmar Bergman
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Violence, Adult Situations, Sexual Situations, Profanity, Nudity)
Categories:
Independent Films
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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Member Reviews
 
John B.

Good Grief! If Sweden is really like this, no wonder it has the highest suecide rate in the world. The movie proceeds slowly, like a formal dance with predetermined movements, a Saraband (DUH) Slow movements like being strangled by a python. The only way out is a sort of suecide. That being said, it was a fabulous film! It is painful and enfolding, but if all pain is bad, why put hot sauce on your food? In its excruciating moments, it gives you time to look at your own family relationships in a hard clean light. Very true! Very Bergman! You done good, big fellah! By the way, I'm madly in love with Liv Ulmann, still.

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JESSE B.

As close to reading a book as I have seen. The closeup details of the faces seem to peer into the soul of the rich characters. Ingmar is a talented man. All the actors do a splendid job. Even the captions did not distract - made me concentrate even more. I loved this movie. So much better than the standard chewing-gum movies of today.

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Finn H.

Although a typical Bergman contribution that is never likely to cheer you up, I found the individual performances super and the relationships segments fascinating.

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