10-10-2023
Ep #79 - Susan Sontag's 60s Pick: Persona
Once again, Cinema60 communes with the dead in order to highlight some notable opinions on film. Tonight’s ghost guest is Susan Sontag and her seminal Sight and Sound review on Ingmar Bergman’s Persona. Known primarily as an author, filmmaker and intellect, in the 1960s Sontag was just beginning her illustrious career as a writer – her essay “Notes on ‘Camp’” helped to define the camp aesthetic to the public at large. Simiarly, her 1967 review of Persona has endured throughout the ages, rising above other contemporary voices to help audiences (old and new alike) better derive meaning from Bergman’s rather abstract film. In this episode, Bart and Jenna use Sontag’s article as a sounding board to dissect Bergman’s filmmaking and explore the depths of Persona. Easy enough for Bart, who likely would have chosen this film himself if the episode had been about his favorite ‘60s pick. Meanwhile, Jenna muses on the idea that all cinema must have a “point” – even if sometimes the point is that there is no point. The following film is discussed:• Persona (1966) Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Margaretha KrookAlso mentioned:• Journey to Italy (1954) Viaggio in Italia Directed by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders, Maria Mauban• L'avventura (1960) Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni Starring Monica Vitti, Gabriele Ferzetti, Lea Massari• Last Year at Marienbad (1961) L'année dernière à Marienbad Directed by Alain Resnais Starring Delphine Seyrig, Giorgio Albertazzi, Sacha Pitoëff• Through a Glass Darkly (1961) Såsom i en spegel Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Björnstrand, Max von Sydow• The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) Directed by John Ford Starring James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles• Winter Light (1963) Nattvardsgästerna Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, Gunnel Lindblom• The Silence (1963) Tystnaden Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Ingrid Thulin, Gunnel Lindblom, Birger Malmsten• Hour of the Wolf (1968) Vargtimmen Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Max von Sydow, Liv Ullmann, Gertrud Fridh• Shame (1968) Skammen Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Sigge Fürst• Duet for Cannibals (1969) Duett för kannibaler Directed by Susan Sontag Starring Adriana Asti, Lars Ekborg, Gösta Ekman• The Passion of Anna (1969) En passion Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Liv Ullmann, Bibi Andersson, Max von Sydow• Brother Carl (1971) Bröder Carl Directed by Susan Sontag Starring Geneviève Page, Gunnel Lindblom, Keve Hjelm• The Point (1971) Directed by Fred Wolf Starring Ringo Starr, Mike Lookinland, Lennie Weinrib• Promised Lands (1974) Directed by Susan Sontag• Inland Empire (2006) Directed by David Lynch Starring Laura Dern, Justin Theroux, Jeremy Irons