Directed by
Peter Watkins
Sweden/Norway 1974
Following a rough chronology from 1884 to 1894, when Norwegian artist Edvard Munch began expressionism and established himself as northern Europe's most maligned and controversial artist, the film also flashes back to the death from consumption of his mother, when he was five, his sister's death, and his near death at 13 from pulmonary disease. The film finds enduring significance in Munch's brief affair with "Mrs. Heiberg" and his participation in the society of anarchist Hans Jaeger in Christiania and later in Berlin with Strindberg. Through it all comes Munch's melancholy and his desire to render on canvas, cardboard, paper, stone, and wood his innermost feelings.
****
Made for Norwegian TV in 1974, this long but fascinating biopic by Peter Watkins mixes dramatic and documentary techniques to profile the man who painted The Scream. A documentary voice-over in English examines Munch in a calm, academic tone, observing trends in the European art world and citing notable world events to give a sense of the context. At the same time, dramatic scenes are played in subtitled Norwegian by nonprofessional actors who often stare mutely at the viewer like figures in the paintings. With fluid free-associative editing, Watkins weaves together moments from Munch's past and present as the young painter crafts his eerie domestic studies, touching on his affair with a married woman and his loss of his mother and sister to tuberculosis. Though haunting, the film is also admirably precise in its documentation of Munch's work process, with a fine tactile sense lacking in most movies about two-dimensional artists.
Excerpt from Dave Kehr's capsule on the Chicago Reader located HERE
Poster
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Theatrical Release: November 12th, 1974
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DVD Review: New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC
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| Distribution | New Yorker Video - Region 1 - NTSC | |
| Runtime | 2:54:06 | |
| Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.74 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | English/Norwegian (Dolby Digital 2.0) | |
| Subtitles | English, French, 'Full English', None | |
| Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Peter
Watkins Filmography |
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| Comments: |
The textured grainy look is quite intentional and very accurate to the premiere broadcast appearance. This new high definition, progressive video transfer is director-approved with Watkins having a hand in production with the meticulous Oliver Groom (who brought is the loaded NY'er DVD of Watkin's Punishment Park). Audio and the optional subtitles share a similar competence and the liner notes are a valued supplement. The film includes some very realistic shots that uncompromising editing techniques help to further its visual trance. It is a lengthy viewing, perhaps one that would have trouble supporting a full director commentary... however some films are not meant for intense scrutinization but should be allowed to wash over you with their own character and charm - this is one such piece of cinema. The NY'er DVD has our highest recommendation - a film not to missed and a digital presentation equal to its impressive passion. |
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| Distribution | New Yorker Video - Region 1 - NTSC | |
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