Rayting:
8.1/
10 26.9K votes
Language: Swedish | German
Release date: 8 February 1960
An innocent yet pampered young virgin and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from events that transpire in the woods along the way.
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User Reviews
A powerhouse piece of filmmaking from one of the all-time great directors. This 14th-century exploration of good and evil, morality and chaos, love and revenge is pretty much a faultless viewing experience and one which retains its ability to shock and provoke thought in the viewer even today. I can only imagine what it would have been like to see this on first release.
The story is deceptively simple and yet filled with harrowing imagery. The assault in the woods is difficult to watch, even in these jaded times, and of course Bergman wrings the maximum tension out of it right from the very beginning. The second half is, perhaps, even more tense, with the expectation of impending violence and the strong, subtle filmmaking techniques (think: lots of lurking shadow, religious iconography, haunted faces). The excellent use of black and white photography reminded me of Kurosawa's work on RASHOMON. Max von Sydow holds it all together as the brusque father and family man, but he heads a cast who can do no wrong.
Wes Craven went for a lurid, contemporary remake in LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, but despite the graphic nature of Craven's film I don't think it holds a candle to this one.
Fmovies: The Virgin Spring is a film so graceful, subtle and omniscient that when we experience powerfully emotional moments, we haven't even expected them, and when we have, it's already hit us. With every detail of every department, the result is utter simplicity, utter docility, no fluctuation in the face of whatever brutality or emotional quakes, making them all that much more profoundly moving. The story reveals and illustrates the characters up until the fatal flaw causes the end of the movie to be inevitable, but we never saw that particular element that way, because everything is utterly natural.
Its pitch-perfect genuine bloom is the effect of the film being pared down to its barest intentions. And these are not only fundamental questions, but fundamental questions in a time and place in history where needs and desires were purely fundamental. The characters, existing in medieval Sweden, could have no concept of how complicated human beings' intentions could be as they are in modern times. It begins with a prosperous Christian whose daughter, Karin played by Birgitta Pattersson, is appointed to bring candles to the church. This is a big deal around here. Karin is accompanied by her pregnant foster sister, Ingeri played by Gunnel Lindblom, who secretly worships a Norse pagan God. What conflict! What happens from there, I will not say. But anywhere you may read about this film you will see that it was the basis for Wes Craven's exploitation flick The Last House on the Left, but in that exploitation of a genuine bloom of grace, the ensuing turning points in the plot achieve the exact opposite effect in every way I've explained. When you see The Virgin Spring, you will be presented with people who search for the same answers and consolations most of us still seek today. Even if a viewer would sooner find themselves watching Craven's film than anything by Ingmar Bergman, once they would get around to The Virgin Spring, they'd find themselves subjected to an unexpected, and wholly memorable, experience more rare than the later film.
Max Von Sydow's performance is truly unforgettable in every sense of the word, burning every line of his ultimate soliloquy into you with an impact lasting longer than the movie or the day you see it. He is a giant, unabashedly masculine yet incapable of artifice. Even so, he stands out no more than any other actor, all of whom beautifully share the screen with one another, which emboldens the impact of where his character goes.
Ulla Isakkson's story yields a multitude of moral examinations in our minds. There are certain peculiar characters who have no human sympathy and are unashamed of a laundry list of barbarities. Bergman shows the Christian Orthodox family spending every waking moment preoccupied with purity, altruism and decency in the eyes of the god they passionately look to with faith that the world they live in is inherently good and just. Their concept of evil is the notion of a Pagan god. How are they to act when crossing paths with the former set of characters?
Sometimes Bergman's films, though full-fledged masterpieces (I AM NOT DISCREDITING HIM), are visual expressions seen with the screen as a wall between the viewer and the characters. I think that wall was taken down with "The Virgin Spring". Here he tells an emotionally intense story at the perfect pace with perfect pitch. No matter how horrific the occurrences on the screen, this film has been created with such an aesthetically appealing touch that the dichotomies and balance Bergman works towards is evident. Terrific!
The Virgin Spring fmovies. The picture is set in Sweden , during the Dark Ages , 14th-century . This the story about a young naive virgin named Karin (Petterson) who's sent by her parents (Max Von Sidow and Birgitta Valverg )towards a church to hand over candles for the holy Virgin . She's accompanied by Inger (Gunner Lindblon) , a pregnant and envious young . They meet a group of peasants and the young virgin is cruelly raped (whose images in some countries were rated ¨R¨). Later on , the killers ask for help and shelter from the parents .
The movie displays haunting and powerful scenes , it's plenty of images which stay forever in mind . Although it is sometimes slow moving ; however , the thoughtful screenplay is narrated with intelligence and sensitivity but here are developed ethic and moral issues just like death , God , religion and vengeance . The movie realizes an excellent reunion of Swedish actors with usual Bergman's players (Sidow and Lindblon , among others), showing the different characters and exploring their apprehensions , ambitions , fears and circumstances . Glimmer and riveting cinematography by Sven Nykvist (he won an Oscar for Fanny and Alexander) , he's deemed by many to be one of the world's greatest cameramen , he achieved give the movies on the most natural and simplest look imaginable , he replaced Gunner Fischer (The seventh seal) as Bergman's cinematographer . He continued an American career working for Louis Malle (Pretty baby) ,Bob Fosse (Star 80) ,Philipp Kauffman (The unbearable lightness of being) and Woody Allen (Another woman , Crimen and misdemeanors). ¨The Virgin spring¨ was wonderfully directed by Bergman , it's a real masterpiece who made his major impact gaining international acclaim and winning an Oscar to the best foreign film and a Gloden Globe . His realization was during his impressive golden period from 1957-1968 , when Bergman (recently deceased) made stunning masterpieces : The seventh seal , Persona , The communicants , The silence , Hour of Wolf . Rating : Magnificent , but it is considered by many (along with The seventh seal) to be the Bergman's best . And please to forget the horrible and ¨Sui generis¨ version made by Wes Craven titled ¨The last house on the left¨ .
Brilliant, tragic, heartfelt story that will move all who see it...and it certainly is a must for anyone serious about film. I originally wanted to see it because I admire the work of Max von Sydow. Acting, directing, story, cinematography simply flawless. Haunting and superb.
Now, this was a true work of art. A quietly designed yet devastating story of a religious Medieval family and how their faith becomes challenged when their young daughter is brutally raped and murdered by three derelict brothers. Max von Sydow plays the father who is a God-fearing believer, yet finds himself overcome by his own sweet desire for revenge against those who wronged his little girl. I am happy to say I appreciated Ingmar Bergman's genius just by this movie alone. It's a visually beautiful piece to look at, but also with a story and strong convictions. So much is said without really needing to go overboard. I can see there is a recurring theme in his work where he questions the existence of God, or at least the complicated ways in which God works things out on Earth. I'm not sure whether Bergman was a full-blooded atheist or not at this point but I'd suspect he was at least a questioning agnostic. I'm sure this is partly why Woody Allen is so enamored with the director, as a similar religious thread runs through some of Allen's own movies. For the record, I am a strong believer in God, though these days I too have been faced with personal issues which have had me having difficulties in understanding, much like the father of THE VIRGIN SPRING. So this movie also touches a personal nerve within me. The performances here are all first-rate, with a special nod to Birgitta Petterson as the friendly and generous young woman who we take an instant liking to, but becomes the victim. What more can I say? An exceptional and deeply-moving film. **** out of ****