Viskningar och rop (1972)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman (writer)

Release Date:

5 March 1973 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A haunting and shattering film experience.

Plot:

When a woman dying of cancer in turn-of-the century Sweden is visited by her two sisters, long repressed feelings between the siblings rise to the surface.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Female Nudity | Enigma | Red | Infidelity

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 19 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Harriet Andersson	...	Agnes
Kari Sylwan	...	Anna
Ingrid Thulin	...	Karin
Liv Ullmann	...	Maria (and her mother)
Anders Ek	...	Isak, the priest
Inga Gill	...	Story teller
Erland Josephson	...	David, the doctor
Henning Moritzen	...	Joakim, Maria's husband
Georg Årlin	...	Fredrik, Karin's husband
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ingrid Bergman	...	Spectator (as Ingrid von Rosen)
Lena Bergman	...	Maria as a child
Lars-Owe Carlberg	...	Spectator
Malin Gjörup	...	Anna's daughter
Greta Johansson	...	Undertaker
Karin Johansson	...	Undertaker
Ann-Christin Lobråten	...	Spectator
Börje Lundh	...	Spectator
Rossana Mariano	...	Agnes as a child
Monika Priede	...	Karin as a child
Linn Ullmann	...	Maria's daughter

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		writer

Produced by
Lars-Owe Carlberg	....	producer

Cinematography by
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Siv Lundgren

Production Design by
Marik Vos-Lundh

Costume Design by
Marik Vos-Lundh

Makeup Department
Cecilia Drott	....	makeup artist
Britt Falkemo	....	makeup artist
Börje Lundh	....	makeup artist

Art Department
Gunilla Hagberg	....	property master
Ann-Christin Lobråten	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Sven Fahlén	....	sound mixer
Tommy Persson	....	sound
Owe Svensson	....	sound mixer
Owe Svensson	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Anders Bergkvist	....	grip
Gerhard Carlsson	....	gaffer
Stefan Gustafsson	....	gaffer
Bo-Erik Gyberg	....	still photographer
Lars Karlsson	....	assistant camera
Ragnar Waaranperä	....	grip

Music Department
Pierre Fournier	....	musician: cello

Other crew
Katinka Faragó	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Cinematograph AB
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1972) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Moskwood Media (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Gutek Film (2007) (Poland) (all media)
• Reserva Especial (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Cries and Whispers (USA)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Singapore:M18 | UK:18 (re-rating) (1998) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Taxinge-Näsby estate, Mariefred, Södermanlands län, Sweden

Company:

Cinematograph AB

Trivia:

Bergman, who produced the film with his own money, could not find an American distributor as they felt it was too uncommercial. Roger Corman, who had just left American-International Pictures to set up his own New World releasing company, was in the market for a prestige picture to give his new operation some class.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: You can briefly see Agnes take a breath after she has died, just before the scene changes.

Quotes:

Karin: It's true. I think... about suicide. I've often thought about it. It's... it's disgusting. It's very degrading and everlastingly the same.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Zingo (1998)

Soundtrack:

Mazurka in A minor, Op.17/4

Shocking and unsettling! Bergman's finest masterpiece!

Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" is probably one of the most unsettling films I have seen in a while. I realized Bergman had every intention of trying to make his audience feel that unsettling vibration that this movie gave off. The atmosphere was probably the key most unsettling part of this movie; the fact that the screen would fade into red every time a scene ended was really interesting yet eerie. Also, several of the rooms were completely red; the floors, the walls and the decor. I felt Bergman achieved his priority of making this film feel as eerie as possible as well as trying to make it as unsettling as possible. Bergman plays around a lot with the atmosphere of his films. I find it really neat that he does this so well.

This film really deserved the Criterion treatment and I am happy that I was able to see this film in a finer resolution than it was originally.

I found myself constantly gasping at some of the situations and the remarkably unsettling dialog between the main characters. I felt the sincerity of the dialog to be the most profoundly unique thing about this film. The acting was superb and very realistic. I found pretty much everything about this film to be in very unique taste and very atmospheric taste.

If you are looking for a horror film that will have you jumping out of your seat because of suspense, this film is not for you. If you are looking for a dramatic suspense film that may have you gasping and widening your eyes frequently, then this film is definitely for you! Take a chance on this one, this film is sure to suit just about any fan of art films or foreign films!

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