Understanding the Text
1. Pick out examples from the text that show Bergman’s sensitivity
to sensory impressions which have made him a great filmmaker.
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2. What do you understand of the complexity of the little invisible
steps that go into the making of a good film?
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3. What are some of the risks that film-making involves?
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4. What misgivings does Bergman have about the contemporary
film industry?
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5. Compare Bergman’s views about making films out of books with
that of Umberto Eco’s.
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Talking about the Text
1. According to the author, split-second impressions form a
‘mental state, not an actual story, but one abounding in fertile
associations and images’.
Compare this with Virginia Woolf’s experiment with the stream
of consciousness technique in ‘The Mark on the Wall’.
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2. Bergman talks about the various influences in his life including
his parents and his religious upbringing. To what extent are
an individual’s achievements dependent on the kind of
influences he or she has had in life? Discuss.
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Appreciation
1. Autobiographical accounts make interesting reading when the
author selects episodes that are connected to the pursuit of
excellence. How does this apply to Ingmar Bergman’s narration
of the details of film-making?
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2. Comment on the conversational tone of the narration. Compare
this with the very informal style adopted by Umberto Eco in
the interview.
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