Search - The Magic Flute - Criterion Collection on DVD

Bergman's Patented Rejuvenation Formula

Thomas F. Bertonneau | Oswego, NY United States | 03/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Wonderful Staging of A Wonderful Opera! Watch it Again!

Dan Sherman | Alexandria, VA USA | 06/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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!"

Die Zauberflöte

Rachel Garret | 06/03/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mozart's operatic explication of the mysteries of Freemasonry is part frat-house ritual, part custody dispute, and two parts love story. In the tradition of German 'singspiel', it combines the sung and spoken voice. The influence of grand opera on the tradition shows up in the mixture of aria and recitative in the sung portions. Mozart composed the music for a libretto in German by Emmanuel Schikaneder.Ingmar Bergman's film of 'The Magic Flute' is one of the better attempts at tranfering an opera to the screen. In fact many claim it's the best, but I would argue with that. Certainly, it's in the top five, but I find the Harnoncourt/Ponnelle production of 'The Coronation of Poppea' superior. That however is my favorite opera so I may be prejudiced.Bergman wisely avoided using a naturalistic setting such as Franco Zefferelli and Petr Weigl have used for their opera films. He retains the staginess of opera by presenting it as a performance before an audience (Ponnelle did the same a few years earlier). But he doesn't limit the view to what can be seen through the proscenium. He uses the techniques of cinema to keep the camera moving around the scenery and the singers. At intermission, he shows the performers backstage which itself is a performance (ie, it's not documentary footage). Occasionally, he appears to use location shots such as during Pamina's despair. Bergman keeps the viewer's eye active throughout.I was doubtful about a film of 'The Magic Flute' sung in Swedish, but, for one who doesn't speak German, the difference is barely noticeable. If anything, Swedish is a more mellifluous language than German, and the result sounds rather Italianate. The singers are all good, and they look like their roles for the most part. The sound was pre-recorded, and Bergman had the singers perform to the music at half-voice during filming. The lip-sync is therefore perfect, not only in lip movement, but in spatial location as well. Boy sopranos sing the roles of the three angels.During the overture, Bergman chose to show faces in extreme close-up of people of various ages and races as though they are the world audience. All reviews that I've seen say it's a great conceit, but I found it annoying and unimaginative. The shots of the little girl that pop up at random moments are particularly distracting. That Bergman would want to demonstrate that Mozart is for the whole world but at the same time translate into his own language seems contradictory. I assume Criterion did their best with the available prints, but the film looks rather worn. The colors have faded, the picture is granular at times, and dropouts are frequently evident. The sound though is impeccable. The DVD has no extra materials; only the choice to turn the English subtitles on or off. I'm always annoyed when producers don't provide subtitles in the original language, but I'm not sure what that would be here, German or Swedish. In any case, the film frequently displays placards with the Swedish lyrics.Despite my quibbles, it's a joyful and wonderful film, and the DVD is worth the price."

How a 30 yr. love of opera began

John L. Ebel | Nashua, NH | 12/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."