Ingmar Bergman, Cinematic Philosopher

The development of themes, motifs, and techniques in Bergman''s films, from the first intimations in the early work to the consummate resolutions in the final movies. Known for their repeating motifs and signature tropes, the films of Ingmar Bergman also contain extensive variation and development. In these reflections on Bergman''s artistry and thought, Irving Singer discerns distinctive themes in Bergman''s filmmaking, from first intimations in the early work to consummate resolutions in the later movies. Singer demonstrates that while Bergman''s output is not philosophy on celluloid, it attains an expressive and purely aesthetic truthfulness that can be considered philosophical in a broader sense. Through analysis of both narrative and filmic effects, Singer probes Bergman''s mythmaking and his reliance upon the magic inherent in his cinematic techniques. Singer traces throughout the evolution of Bergman''s ideas about life and death, and about the