The Criterion Collection is currently working on two separate editions of the Ingmar Bergman masterpiece Fanny and Alexander. The theatrical edition ($29.95) presents the Academy Award-winning 188-minute version of the film in a two-disc set with audio commentary by film scholar Peter Cowie, a collection of introductions by Bergman to eleven of his films, and an assortment of trailers. The special-edition five-disc boxed set ($59.95) includes the complete contents of the theatrical edition as well as the five-hour director’s cut of the film, Bergman’s own feature-length documentary The Making of Fanny and Alexander, a new 40-minute video of exclusive interviews with cast and crew, and Ingmar Bergman Bids Farewell to Film—a one-hour filmed interview with the famed director. Look for both editions of Fanny and Alexander in November!
― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 22 August 2004 02:10 (twenty-one years ago)
― Jimmy Mod, Man About Towne (ModJ), Sunday, 22 August 2004 07:20 (twenty-one years ago)
http://www.criterionco.com/content/images/directors_signature/bergman_sig.gif
They're now listed in full detail with the art on the Coming Soon page.
In related news, they've also announced the release of a two-disc Short Cuts.
― Girolamo Savonarola, Friday, 27 August 2004 10:19 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 27 August 2004 13:41 (twenty-one years ago)
Is the five-hour version worth watching? The theatrical has always felt to me like Bergman overlooked Fanny.
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 02:18 (fifteen years ago)
yes, yes - watch! any reason is a good enough reason to watch this movie.
fanny is still overlooked in the t.v. version, and damned if i could articulate exactly /how/ the expanded version is different in terms of content, as both versions blur together, but IIRC the tv iteration feels a lot more voluptuous and immersive, and the magical-realism elements are a lot more pronounced and integrated than in the theatrical edition. I remember some gloriously expanded scenes with between Emilie and Grandma Ekdahl (Gunn Wållgren) that are among the best in the film. Long, langorous, and thoughtful conversation...
― remy bean, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 02:34 (fifteen years ago)
felt to me like Bergman overlooked Fanny.
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, May 31, 2011 10:18 PM (seven years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
came here to post this. i watched the theatrical version.
― flappy bird, Thursday, 31 May 2018 05:37 (eight years ago)
Remy is otm about that aspect. You're not gonna see more Fanny in the TV version, just more magical-realism in the mix.
― Josefa, Thursday, 31 May 2018 14:45 (eight years ago)
Never seen the theatrical version but saw the 5hr bfi screening in Jan and yes, transfixingly languorous ; the title is indeed false advertising.
― devvvine, Thursday, 31 May 2018 15:06 (eight years ago)
gotcha
― flappy bird, Thursday, 31 May 2018 17:43 (eight years ago)
I went to the TV version for that reason. A couple scenes clarify how the stepdad uses Fanny as a weapon against Alexander.
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 31 May 2018 17:44 (eight years ago)
By the way, really fucking disturbing movie. I too was under the impression that this was Bergman's melancholy career summary, relatively carefree/sunny, but the second and third hour (besides the happy ending) really caught me off guard. I kept thinking of Fire Walk With Me.
xp Ohhh, interesting. I don't know when I'll be ready or in the mood to watch the TV version. Luckily the Bergman centennial is running for 2 years here, and they're going in chronological order, so they probably won't screen either cut of Fanny and Alexander until Christmas 2019.
― flappy bird, Thursday, 31 May 2018 17:47 (eight years ago)
When I saw this on release (and maybe once soon after), I guess it was the shorter version. I didn't realize I'd be seeing the TV version today until I checked the run-time a couple of days ago.
Don't feel like writing a long post right now, but so much ran through my mind as I watched--possible references, great lines and images, etc. I thought the Christmas-dinner episode was maybe a little too rich-tapestry-of-life (great moment I remembered from 35 years ago, though: "Here comes my family"). The middle episodes I loved almost without reservation (one: Uncle Isak's long parable was a little pat and contained a couple of clunky images): Alexander goes all Bo Jackson whenever he talks to "that man who married my mother" ("Alexander does not wish the Bishop a good night"), it turns into The Shining a couple of times, and I found it all gripping from start to finish (I'm talking about episodes 3 and 4). Five was good too, with Gustav's long speech in the Epilogue again a little pat. I wondered if the Bishop talking about the universe expanding was a reverse homage to Bergman acolyte Woody Allen; also if the detective's long and rather needlessly detailed explanation of the Bishop's death was a parody of Hitchcock. Longshots, I know.
Mrs. Fanny & Alexander sure was beautiful.
http://alchetron.com/cdn/ewa-frling-dccec28a-c4a6-45ef-b10c-a69bd7653bc-resize-750.jpeg
― clemenza, Monday, 26 November 2018 04:06 (seven years ago)
(In true American Graffiti-style, Fanny's basically written out of the movie towards the end.)
― clemenza, Monday, 26 November 2018 04:07 (seven years ago)
Who was Lena Olin's character Rosa? I'm drawing a blank.
― clemenza, Monday, 26 November 2018 04:59 (seven years ago)
the bishop's servant or nun or whatever
― flappy bird, Monday, 26 November 2018 05:02 (seven years ago)