Film Giant Ingmar Bergman Dead at 89

As a teenager, I watched films by directors such as Federico Fellini, Kurosawa, DeMille and my favorite Ingmar Bergman. Though my intellect was probably incapable of really grasping the subtleties of the movies, their striking imagery and riveting performances inspired me. I wanted to be a director. I have to admit that dream started earlier while watching the Ten Commandments back in 1956. I was so inspired I even wrote Cecil B. DeMille and received a hand typed reply with his signature. I still have that letter.

Bergman’s movie “The Seventh Seal” was one of the most profound experiences I had ever had. Watching Max Von Sidow play chess with Death by the seashore seared itself into my mind. Unlike DeMille, Bergman did not rely on spectacle to tell his tales, he used strikingly simple images that moved within the frame like characters on a stage. The camera almost never revealed itself through dramatic dolly or crane shots, it was strictly a vehicle for the story and the actors. Bergman taught me that a film can reach deep into a person’s mind without having to suck them in with special effects and showy camerawork. Sometimes, stillness is more profound than motion.

Today, Bergman is also still. He died Monday at his home in Sweden, but his images and films will never cease to move not only on the screen, but in the hearts and minds of the people who watch them.