Vargtimmen (1968)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman (writer)

Release Date:

9 April 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror

Tagline:

"The Hour of the Wolf" is the hour between night and dawn. It is the hour when most people die. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their deepest fear, when ghosts and demons are most powerful.

Plot:

An artist in crisis is haunted by nightmares from the past in Ingmar Bergman's only horror film, which takes place on a windy island...

Plot Keywords:

Nightmare | Artist | Island | Insanity | Diary

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Max von Sydow	...	Johan Borg
Liv Ullmann	...	Alma Borg
Gertrud Fridh	...	Corinne von Merkens
Georg Rydeberg	...	Lindhorst, archivist
Erland Josephson	...	Baron von Merkens
Naima Wifstrand	...	Old Lady with Hat
Ulf Johansson	...	Therapist Heerbrand
Gudrun Brost	...	Gamla Fru von Merkens
Bertil Anderberg	...	Ernst von Merkens
Ingrid Thulin	...	Veronica Vogler

Also Known As:

Hour of the Wolf (UK) (USA)

Runtime:

90 min | Sweden:99 min (original version)

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish | Norwegian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12 (re-rating) (2006) | West Germany:16 (original rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | France:-16 | Ireland:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | UK:15 (video rating) (2004) | UK:X (original rating) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Hovs Hallar - Naturreservat, Skåne län, Sweden

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Quotes:

Baron von Merkens: Now you are yourself, but not yourself; an ideal state for a meeting between lovers.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ride the Hot Wind (1971)

Don't be afraid of this film if you like art films.

It's not that scary or disturbing. From some of the comments here on IMDb I was expecting quite a tough film to sit through. It isn't exactly cheery, but I did crack the occasional smile at Bergman's homage to various Horror films. It is as beautifully lit and framed as Persona, and if you like Liv Ullman, and/or Max Von Sydow, you'll want to see this for their very good performances. It is sometimes "Lynch" like, sometimes "Fellini" like, but not nearly as disturbing as say Mulholland Drive. See it if you're a Bergman fan, or if you like movies with a surreal sense. I bought the DVD on Bergman's reputation (I've seen about 9 of his pictures, and loved, around 7 of them). I was not disappointed in the least.