The Serpent's Egg
by Ingmar Bergman
List Price:
Our Price: $3.00
You Save: $21.98 (88%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: David Carradine, Heinz Bennent, Isolde Barth, Liv Ullmann, Toni BergerDirector: Ingmar Bergman
Brand: ULLMANN,LIV
Cinematographer: Sven Nykvist
Writer: Ingmar Bergman
Editor: Petra von Oelffen
Producer: Dino De Laurentiis
Producer: Horst Wendlandt
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Color, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 119 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-02-10
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of The Serpent's Egg
Movie Review: Mediocre
Summary: 3 Stars
When Ingmar Bergman was in self-imposed exile from Sweden, in the late 1970s, over a flap where he was accused by the Swedish government of tax evasion, he made several films abroad. One of them was The Serpent's Egg (Das Schlangenei-?rmens ?gg), an English language film (his second- The Touch was the first) made in 1978, in West Berlin studios, for legendary film producer Dino de Laurentiis, who was reeling from the financial disaster that was his 1976 remake of King Kong. This film did nothing to change the producer's fortunes, as it is easily the worst Bergman film I've yet seen. This is a reputation that most other critics agree with, as well. That said, it is not realy a bad film- merely a muddled and poorly edited one, and by Hollywood's dim standards, especially considering this is a horror film, it is quite complex and superior to films in that genre that had mass appeal, such as the Hollywood fare of the day, like the remake of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and Coma.
But, diehard Bergmaniacs who have never seen it will be as repulsed as those to whom this film is an anomolous monstrosity. It is jagged, non-fractal, and often a totally disorganized mess. Yet, despite all that, it does come together quickly and cohesively in the last twenty minutes to provide a chilling and well acted end. If only the opening hundred minutes were even half as good this film might rank as a horror classic along the lines of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Yet, as poor as the bulk of the film is, what is even more astonishing is that Bergman, himself, is listed on IMDB as having written the screenplay. It seems hard to believe, as this is easily his worst screenplay- far worse than noble failures like Cries And Whispers, although the look of the film is unmistakably a Bergman film- from the musical score to the lighting and photography by Sven Nykvist.
But, there are many problems besides the script.... All in all, The Serpent's Egg is to the Bergman canon what a film like Mr. Arkadin, that bizarrely brilliant abortion of a film, is to the Orson Welles oeuvre. That's to view it at its best. At its worst it is a bad sub-Kafkan work of art attempting to deal with the craziness that threads about the edges of individuals and societies. What is truly odd is that it narratively is 180? from the way most bad films unfold. Instead of fraying apart from a promising beginning, it is a mess that only near its conclusion seems to find its focus. The last twenty minutes are truly excellent, and Bergman at his best. Interestingly, it is also the only time the film really gets really `personal' with its until then undeveloped lead character. Until then, it is off the rack and unspun. Bergman fans should watch this film, though, for in failures one can see the architecture that great artists use successfully in their great works, but which the greatness hides. Here, a faltering Bergman has the curtain pulled back, and we see him not as The Wizard Of Oz, merely as odd.
Shiver.
Summary of The Serpent's Egg
Director Ingmar Bergman explores the horrors of 1920s Germany and creates a hell on earth with a power few others could match (Cue) in this psychological thriller that casts a hypnotic spell of evil (Newsweek). Out-of-work trapeze artist Abel Rosenberg (David Carradine) finds the only way to navigate the surreal circus that is 1923 Berlin is to stay drunk. But even through his stupor, he can see the thread of a frightening mysteryeveryone he knows, even his most distant acquaintances, is dying violently. Can he survive or will his mind and soul completely unravel?Art House & International DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in TURNER'S Obscure Movies You Haven't Seen Part Six
The Serpent's EggULLMANN,LIV; Release date: 2004-02-10; DVD
Best price: $2.88
Price in other shops:
Hawk The SlayerRelease date: 2002-11-05; DVD
Best price: $22.49
Price in other shops:
A Tale of Two Sisters (Two-Discs)Genius; Release date: 2005-03-29; DVD
Best price: $14.72
Price in other shops:
Tout Va Bien - Criterion CollectionImage Entertainment; Release date: 2005-02-15; DVD
Best price: $18.50
Price in other shops:
KidnappedAnchor; Release date: 2007-04-03; DVD
Best price: $12.44
Price in other shops:
The Devils (Special Uncut Restored Edition 1971)DVD
Best price: $9.98
Classe Tous Risques - Criterion CollectionIMAGE ENT.; Release date: 2008-06-17; DVD
Best price: $17.11
Price in other shops:
Picnic at Hanging Rock - Criterion CollectionWEIR,PETER; Release date: 1998-11-03; DVD
Best price: $18.21
Price in other shops:
The Yakuza Papers - Battles Without Honor & Humanity (Complete Box Set)Image Entertainment; Release date: 2004-12-14; DVD
Best price: $48.94
Price in other shops:
La Haine (Criterion Collection)Image Entertainment; Release date: 2007-04-17; DVD
Best price: $24.35
Price in other shops:
Similar DVD Movies
Day for NightBISSET,JACQUELINE; Release date: 2003-03-18; DVD
Best price: $4.94
Price in other shops:
Autumn Sonata - Criterion CollectionBERGMAN,INGRID; Release date: 2000-01-18; DVD
Best price: $24.10
Price in other shops:
Scenes From a Marriage - Criterion CollectionImage Entertainment; Release date: 2004-03-16; DVD
Best price: $30.84
Price in other shops:
Circle of Iron (2-Disc Special Edition)RYKODISC; Release date: 2007-05-29; DVD
Best price: $11.49
Price in other shops:
Son of the DragonSon; Release date: 2007-10-09; DVD
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
Bound for GloryCARRADINE,DAVID; Release date: 2000-02-29; DVD
Best price: $2.90
Price in other shops:
PersonaANDERSSON,BIBI; Release date: 2004-02-10; DVD
Best price: $6.84
Price in other shops:
Hour of the Wolf (Vargtimmen)Release date: 2004-04-20; DVD
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops:
Shame (Special Edition)ULLMANN,LIV; DVD
Best price: $6.79
Price in other shops:
The Passion of AnnaSYDOW,MAX VON; Release date: 2004-02-10; DVD
Best price: $2.88
Price in other shops: