****
Three brothers responsible for the rape and murder of an innocent young woman (Birgitta Pettersson) later seek shelter at her father's (Max von Sydow's) farm. Rich, complex examination of murder, morality, and religion, written by Ulla Isaksson and based on a medieval Swedish ballad, from which only the period and some of the ideas have been retained. Not a horror film, despite having inspired Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left (1972) and, more importantly, in spite of its violence: Bergman's realistic approach isn't intended to provoke excitement but to reveal the true face of brutality. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Three brothers responsible for the rape and murder of an innocent young woman (Birgitta Pettersson) later seek shelter at her father's (Max von Sydow's) farm. Rich, complex examination of murder, morality, and religion, written by Ulla Isaksson and based on a medieval Swedish ballad, from which only the period and some of the ideas have been retained. Not a horror film, despite having inspired Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left (1972) and, more importantly, in spite of its violence: Bergman's realistic approach isn't intended to provoke excitement but to reveal the true face of brutality. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
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