Unusual route for Bergman, but it's fun to watch

It's always interesting and fascinating to see filmmakers using their talents to compose different filmed experiences either being music videos, film trailers, or advertisings, whether being early steps prior to filmmaking or even during the peak of their careers. By the time legendary Ingmar Bergman made a series of commercials for the soap brand "Bris" in the early 1950's he had a good cinema and theatre resume but far from the highly artistic, universal and philosophical masterpieces he'd became famous in the following years and decades ("Wild Strawberries", "The Seventh Seal" and the impressive list goes on). It's an unusual path for him to travel through, so let's think that he was only in it for the money yet he managed to deliver quality material with those ads.

A series of 10 commercials going with similar concepts and formulas, using of a great sense of humor and a great sense of creativity with elaborated sets (great budget for those too), amusing stories that can go back in historical settings of kings and queens, or the typical modern commercial with a smiling host presenting the benefits of Bris soap, often told in a few of the piece that it's really effective against bacteria (the only word I could easily understand, as I don't speak Swedish. But the term was so repetitive in one of the ads that it became hilarious).

The effect of those ads today are so-and-so, as most audiences are used to see spectacular kind of ads and many film directors went that way (Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Godard, Wes Anderson and many others). The one that impressed me based on idea and editing tricks is one where two actors play germs who are attacked by the product. It was a cool idea that didn't depend on animation (as it became the rule with similar products). Not sure if knowing what's being said would improve viewing, but one can say it's easy to follow and figure out what's going on - I might have missed the jokes but no worries. It was still enjoyable to see this lovely compilation. 6/10.

Swedish cinema is renowned for psychological depth, austere beauty, and philosophical inquiry. It often focuses on existential questions and societal critique, marked by a stark visual approach. In contemporary times, it has also developed a sharp satirical edge in examining social issues.

Max von Sydow and Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal (1957)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

In the early 1950's Ingmar Bergman made a series of imaginative commercials for the soap brand "Bris".

Ingmar Bergman: Making Commercials (1951)

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Barbro Kollberg and Birger Malmsten in It Rains on Our Love (1946)

Harriet Andersson in Summer with Monika (1953)

Inga Landgré and Stig Olin in Crisis (1946)

Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann in Shame (1968)

Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Björnstrand, Margit Carlqvist, Eva Dahlbeck, and Ulla Jacobsson in Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)

Ingmar Bergman: Making Commercials

Photos

Top Cast14

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed