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129 of 131 found the following review helpful:
 Bergman's Patented Rejuvenation FormulaMar 10, 2001
By Thomas F. Bertonneau
About Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman's 1974 film-version of Mozart's fairy-tale opera "The Magic Flute" ("Trollflöjten" in Swedish), I am probably unable to be objective. I saw it when it came out, when I was in my second year as a student of Germanic and Scandinavian languages at UCLA. The girl I took to see it on the night that it opened at the Avco cinemas on Westwood Boulevard was baffled by it. She made it perfectly clear that she had no interest in dating me again. But my mother liked it when I insisted that she accompany me to see it, and so did my sister. Two years ago, when my son turned four, I ordered the VHS edition and introduced the lad to it; he responded immediately, was deeply impressed by the antics of Håken Hågegård's Papageno, and has been humming the tunes ever since. Recently I showed it to the students in my "Critical Philosophical Problems" class at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. The Criterion DVD of Bergman's production is the best home-version yet. What is it that makes this the most endearing cinematic or video representation of Mozart's opera? Bergman filmed in the baroque Drottningsholmtheater in Stockholm. He exploits the wonderful charm of eighteenth century stagecraft and fosters the illusion that we are indeed witnessing a repertory traversal of "The Magic Flute" in a public venue. During the Overture, for example, we see the many faces in the audience, including a little girl (said to be Bergman's daughter) whose changing expression becomes the touchstone for onlooker-response during the two acts. On the other hand, we are aware that we are not really viewing some haphazard filming of a performance in the style of PBS at the Met. For the most part, Bergman takes us inside the action so that we forget the presence of stage and audience. So many details call out for notation. Notice how, by emphasizing a nod or a dirty look, Bergman conveys that the Three Ladies are not merely a girlish trio but resentment-driven servants of a resentment-driven Queen of the Night. Remark the gradual alteration of the Queen's appearance. Hågegård's bird-catcher surpasses any other know to me (and Bergman as director contributes mightily to the result). Ulrik Cold's Sarastro becomes a real and complicated person rather than the cardboard wiseman and lawgiver that he usually is. Swedish is as sinagble a language as Italian, with many feminine endings, so that the poetry strikes the ear as just as beautiful as the music. The English substitles are easy to follow and unobtrusive. One would have to be made of stone or wood not to laugh and cry by turns during the two hours and twenty minutes of this extraordinary film. Buy it for your children, especially if they are young. The dragon alone justifies the price of admission.
32 of 33 found the following review helpful:
How a 30 yr. love of opera beganDec 09, 2005
By John L. Ebel
I saw this film in 1975, three days after it opened in Boston. I had no idea it was an opera, but being a filmmaker I'd seen all of Bergman's films. I thought it was the most wonderfull thing I had ever heard and seen. Because of this film I have enjoyed a thirty year love affair with opera. I have this DVD and I watch it at least once a year. I have seen many versions of The Magic Flute, but this remains my favorite. If Mozart were alive I think he would agree.
54 of 60 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful Staging of A Wonderful Opera! Watch it Again!Jun 11, 2000
By Dan Sherman
Director Bergman has given us a charming film production of Mozart's Magic Flute that is set to be a modern-day staging of the opera in an small, old opera house. The staging is low-tech (no lasers) and represents what one may have seen when this fairy-tale opera was produced in the early 1800s. Shots of the stage action are interspersed with backstage scenes of characters reading, adjusting their costumes, etc. This is a Magic Flute that draws you into its world. The staging in enjoyable but is no way distracting from the music. This is a nicely balanced "Flute" with the comedy of Papageno/Papagena very well played along the more serious scenes with Sarastro and the priests. It is a film version that both children and adults will like -- I saw it as a teen many years ago and have loved opera ever since. This is definitely a DVD to own, though there really are no special features on DVD, other than the ability to switch the subtitles off (the opera is sung in Swedish). The sound on the DVD is very good, though the picture is not partcularly sharp. The DVD is well indexed, though, so it is easy to find favorite scenes. A definite buy!
22 of 23 found the following review helpful:
The Drama Of Mozart's Magic FluteJan 20, 2003
By Rachel Garret
The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's last opera, is a multi-layered Singspiel opera that is accessible to children as well as adults. It is an allegory of good versus evil, layed with Freemason ideals, and scored by Mozart's most sublime music. Ingmar Bergman filmed a live performance in a Stockholm theater in Sweden. The singers are singing in Swedish, not its original German, and the camera provides glimpses of going ons backstage and shots of the audience, focusing especially on a red-haired girl who is deeply engaged in the opera. This way, Bergman makes opera a dramatic experience. At times, it feels as if we are not watching an opera at all, but a play. The Swedish cast is fresh, energetic and engages the audience in the fabulous story. The story should be familiar to opera buffs. Tamino, a lost prince, finds he has been commissioned to save a beautiful princess, Pamina, from the clutches of a supposed evil wizard, Sarastro, and return her to her mother the Queen of the Night. As the opera progresses, we discover that Tamino has been deceived and he is, in essence, "shown the light" of truth through the aid of the enlightened religious order of Sarastro's men. The Queen, Pamina's mother, is the villain, bent on dominating the earth, and Sarastro, Pamina's father, is a benevolent holy man who intendes to foil the dark queen's plans. The custody battle over Pamina is true to the Mozart allegory. He had Pamina represent Austria, Sarastro, the "father", was the wise ideals of Freemasonry, while the "mother" Queen of the Night is the suppression and censorship of Freemasonry by imperialist autocrats like the Empress Teresa, whom the Queen is modeled after. Superb singing. The arias "Dies Bildnis", in which Tamino looks at a portrait of Pamina and falls in love, is well made. Papageno's character is sharply defined as comic, earthy and human. In this film, he wears no feathery costume or plumage, and is instead an actual human man with earthy appetites for food and lovemaking. The Queen of the Night's two arias "O Zittre Nicht" and "Der Holle Rache" are full of dramatic prowess and coloratura technique, both escalate to high F's. Pamina's "Ach Ich fuhls" which she sings in a backdrop of utter darkness, is melancholic and moving. Finally, Sarastro's character is divine, with a sonorous bass-baritone voice, and a final scene almost likens him to Jesus or God. As a bonus, this film presents us a view of the going-ons backstage during intermission. Tamino and Pamina play chess, the Queen of the Night puffs away on her cigar and Sarastro reads the manuscript to Wagner's opera Parsifal, all the while the interlude "March Of The Priests" plays in the background. This is superb performance, quality drama and on DVD, this is a must have for all opera fans who put opera DVDs on their collection.
19 of 20 found the following review helpful:
a magnificent adaptationJun 06, 2004
By Alejandra Vernon
"artist & illustrator"
As the film opens with the overture, it focuses on the face of a beautiful child in the audience, and it is as if we see this fantastic production through her innocent eyes; it's an adaptation that captures all the playfulness and enchantment of Mozart's glorious last opera, and brings it to life with renewed vigor.
The attractive cast, though occasionally vocally uneven, is a total delight; Josef Kostlinger is superb as Tamino, Hakan Hagegard shines as Papageno, Ulrik Cold impressive as Sarastro, and Elisabeth Erikson is adorable as Papagena. The sets, which sometimes seem to shift like smoke, as well as the costumes, are masterful, and include everything from lovable fuzzy creatures, to a brilliant vision of the "dark regions", with dancers writhing and wrestling as its tortured inhabitants.
I also enjoyed the backstage views during intermission; Tamino and Pamina playing chess, Sarastro looking over a score of Parsifal while a chorus member reads Kalle Ankas (a Donald Duck comic book), and especially the formerly fire-spewing dragon trudging past a doorway. I never fully appreciated "The Magic Flute" until I watched this film; it's strange that Ingmar Bergman, more known for his somber films, should bring out so much light and joy from this magnificent opera.
It would make a perfect introduction for young people to opera, and the singing in Swedish seems quite natural and enjoyable (especially for us older folks who have listened to the great Jussi Bjorling for decades), and the subtitles are excellent and easily to read.
Those who like filmed opera, will surely find this to be an imaginative, wonderful production. Total running time is 135 minutes.
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