The Magic Flute (1975)

My first opera. My second Bergman. My level of excitement could not be contained. Here it was - a German opera performed by Swedish actors in their native tongue. This was more than just a simple opera, it was a multicultural bonanza. Bergman has taken a story, honestly, that I would have easily fallen asleep to otherwise, and created a visual treat that takes you from your couch, to one of the audience members, and finally deep into the scenery itself, as if you were one of the characters and not just a spectator. This is not just a fantastic film to enjoy for Bergman's direction, but also his keen sense of visuals, teasing your eyes with keen art direction. This is a fabulous production. He swerves within the boundaries of both watching this film as a play and as a feature film. Sure, it was released on TV first, but obviously it means that Bergman doesn't have to lower his standards. Impressive to see what a vastly known opera, the concept of working on a stage, and building characters via song can vastly change a normal musical into something worth viewing again and again.

There was something powerful about watching this. Not only has Criterion done another great job with packaging the bonus material, but this is such an important film that it needs to be collected by both film aficionados as well as those who have enjoyed Mozart's original opera. The Magic Flute is a film that will impress anyone that can dedicate the two plus hours to it. It challenges you to both the intensity of the human condition, but also to that of how dedicated Bergman is as a director. Instead of just having singing characters throughout, he sets this up as a staged performance, as if I were there watching it for the first time myself. The overture flashes faces from the audience, allowing you to be accustomed to your surroundings, while his constant flashing towards one particular girl in the audience deepens the idea that this is a fairy tale. There is a youthful spirit to this story. There are elements of the mystical - there are elements to the unknown - there is true love among turmoil. If not for modern dumbness, The Magic Flute could easily rival that of anything Disney has created through the course of his life. Sure, there are darkened elements to this, there is the idea of suicide, there are potentially spooky animals - but there is a point to it all. The theme is love, love conquers all - that despite the unknown - love is always present. How could children not respond to this idea?

I would love to learn more about our "father" and "mother" characters. The ones that ultimately send our heroines on their quest. That final scene - where the flute is guiding through the scorching fire of "hell" was amazing. It is these visuals, the idea that Bergman worked on and off the stage instilled the idea that this was more than just a film. One of my favorite moments in this adaptation is when we go to intermission and we see our characters ... um ... out of character, and interacting within our world. It is this random dimension that Bergman creates, the idea that there is another life outside of the stage (one could argue that our knowledge of the stage is another dimension). This is what creates multiple viewings. He takes this small world, the idea of the acting happening on a stage and intermingles within it scenes off the stage (or so we think) - and finally brings us back onto the stage. It is more than impressive to see the master at work.

The music is fabulous. The only negative comment that rejects the full positive rating is the length. It did feel at certain scenes that it lasted longer than needed. Iwas happy with the final cut, but without Bergman's visuals to excite the eyes, it just becomes bland. The Magic Flute works because of Bergman's vision. See this movie if you would like to understand Bergman's passion coupled with his obvious genius of creativity.

Found in my "Movie Award" book - this is the last of the "M"s. I am headed toward the "T"s now - wish me luck. For The Magic Flute I am going to give it a green mark with blue stars. I could watch this film again alone (not sure I could convince friends to watch), if only to catch more of what Bergman meant for me to see.

Criterion Spine #71