This is my essay on the film Persona by Ingmar Bergman.
Last class we watched Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 film, Persona, starring Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullman. The movie was very interesting, and visually captivating. I enjoyed the harsh contrast and interesting compositions within the shots. I may have a hard time realizing the more conceptual and metaphorical elements of the film, but the artistry and care taken when filming are more than apparent to me. Value is extremely important, and the film becomes more highly contrasted as it progresses, helping to emphasize the change that takes place in the characters. While at the beach the shots are drenched in light, making the scenery seem almost spectral or dreamlike. The characters wear simple clothes, usually in black. This emphasizes the characters themselves and plays down personal decision on the part of the actors.
I think that the main characters in this story are in fact the same person, or different parts of the same person. It is possible to take this literally, as it seems possible that Elizabet has Multiple Personality Disorder, or it may be that the characters are simply representing different parts of Bergman. I think that the seemingly unrelated clips and images are meant to illustrate the mind of Elizabet. It would seem that she is disturbed, scared, and confused by the world around her. The characters seem to be almost opposites, even switching extremes as the story progresses. In the beginning Elizabet seems crazy, and Alma is somewhat scared of her. By the end of the film, Alma is mentally broken and Elizabet seems to be in control over herself and fearful of Alma. The final act of the film is the two characters literally merging into one, and Alma taking the role of Elizabet completely. When Elizabet’s husband shows up he recognizes Alma as being Elizabet, leading me to think that the silence of Elizabet represents the recession of that part of her mind, while Alma has come completely to the forefront. This may hint at a narrative that is attempting to represent a change or alteration in the mind of Bergman. The juxtaposition in careers of the characters represents mental disconnects, and the fact that neither character really understands the job of the other helps to emphasize said disconnect. Alma thinks that an artist must be compassionate to others, while she, the nurse, is the one responsible for compassion and care to the other. Elizabet, on the other hand, sees Alma as nothing more than a companion and object to be studied.
Personally, I find Persona to be a very interesting and compelling movie and was very difficult to interpret. Persona is open to many different interpretations, which is one of the things that make it such a lasting and timeless film. The real sticking power is in the subtle ambiguity. It is impossible to tell exactly what Bergman is trying to convey in the film. The true meaning of the film was known by Bergman alone, and I believe he was mentally unstable when the film was written, which leads me to think that it is somehow a comment on his own mind or beliefs. I think that religion plays some role in the story, as the image of a stake being pounded into a hand is repeated more than once throughout the film. Parenthood and sexuality are, together, a fairly dominant theme in the film, but I cannot theorize as to how this relates to the author. Perhaps if I knew more personal information about Bergman some of these themes might become clearer.
When it was released in 1966 I think this film must have been very controversial and probably quite difficult to understand, as if it becomes much easier now. Persona and films like it will become more important to me as my works progress, and I will be able to draw off the compositions and value sets and tonal ranges found in these films. I think they will also serve to make my work more overtly metaphorical and conceptually rich. At the present my work is fairly literal, but I think these complex representations would be well applied to all forms of art, from painting, to drawing, to design. That is all.
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