Mats Bergman Movies
- 1992
In this Swedish comedy and satire, a gentle and shy man is fired from his job by an obnoxious yuppie. When that same yuppie challenges him to learn golf in a week's time, the beleaguered man seeks the help of a friend, who takes him to Scotland to learn the game in its spiritual homeland. Along the way, he not only picks up the basics but falls in love with the daughter of a Scottish golf pro. Meanwhile, his path crosses that of some of the snobbiest and most class-conscious individuals ever to have teed up for a round of golf. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Skolmen
Though he made allusions to his own life in all of his films, Fanny and Alexander was the first overtly autobiographical film by Ingmar Bergman. Taking his time throughout (188 minutes to be exact), Bergman recreates several episodes from his youth, using as conduits the fictional Ekdahl family. Alexander, the director's alter ego, is first seen at age 10 at a joyous and informal Christmas gathering of relatives and servants. Fanny is Alexander's sister; both suffer an emotional shakedown when their recently-widowed mother (Ewa Froling) marries a cold and distant minister. Stripped of their creature comforts and relaxed family atmosphere, Fanny and Alexander suddenly find their childhood unendurable. The kids' grandmother (Gunn Wallgren) "kidnaps" Fanny and Alexander for the purpose of showering them with the first kindness and affection that they've had since their father's death. This "purge" of the darker elements of Fanny and Alexander's existence is accomplished at the unintentional (but applaudable) cost of the hated stepfather's life. Ingmar Bergman insisted that Fanny and Alexander, originally a multipart television series pared down to feature-film length, represented his final theatrical film, though within a year after its release he was busy with several additional Swedish TV projects, and his final work, the 2003 Saraband (also produced for Swedish television), eventually received global theatrical distribution. Oscars went to Fanny and Alexander for Best Foreign Film, Best Cinematography (Sven Nykvist), Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction/Set Decoration. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pernilla Allwin, Bertil Guve, (more)
- 2000
Swedish director Richard Hobert rounds out his series on the seven deadly sins by inviting most of the main characters from his previous films for a big ol' birthday party. Amid the streamers, party favors, and animal balloons, failed rock star and circus performer Mikael (Goran Stangertz) celebrates his 50th birthday with his longtime girlfriend Calli (Camilla Lunden) and their two kids. Mikeal finally sums up the gumption to ask for Calli's hand in marriage. Unfortunately, she is falling in love with some one else. Meanwhile, Ingrid (Lena Endre) from Run for Your Life returns from a charity gig in Africa, half-blinded by a mosquito bite, while Erik (Jakob Eklund), from the same flick, is looking for his kids. A former divorce victim in Where the Rainbow Ends, Tove (Pernilla August) is now a successful businesswoman, while Ralf, of The Hands fame, remains a drunken scumbag. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Börje Ahlstedt, Pernilla August, (more)
- 1987
In Sweden, the popular post-WWII newspaper cartoon strip created by Steve Terry was known as Jim & The Pirates instead of Terry and the Pirates, its U.S. moniker. In this children's story based on some of the stories from that strip, a pre-teen boy receives counseling from his dead father's ghost on how to cope with new developments in his life -- from his mother's getting a new boyfriend, to the fine art of chopping onions. The boy learns a pretty good trick from his father's shade which enables him to use his imagination to turn a boring birthday party into an ocean adventure among pirates. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ewa Fröling, Stellan Skarsgård, (more)
- 1986
Gunilla Nyroos plays celebrated Swedish author and heroine Moa Martinson in this historical film biography. She marries a hard-drinking miner and the union produces five children. Two of the children die, and her husband commits suicide by blowing himself up with dynamite. But Moa finds solace and a kindred spirit in writer Harry Martinson (Reine Brynolfsson) after her unhappy first marriage. Moa and Harry both becomes famous authors, with Harry winning the Nobel Prize for literature. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gunilla Nyroos, Reine Brynolfsson, (more)
