National Cinemas Post 1945: Sweden, Denmark, England

 National Cinemas Post 1945: Sweden, Denmark, England

The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman, 1957)

Introduction

We're almost halfway there! This week's Module surveys an array of cinema from Sweden, Denmark and England with a screening of Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Identify the characteristics and major figures of the postwar cinemas of Sweden, Denmark, and England.
• Understand the connection between the politics of nations and their cinematic output.

The postwar period encouraged a unique individuality in the cinema. Films of the period offered interesting things to say and new ways to say them. Audiences and technology were changing, and the American film industry was in trouble commercially. Furthermore, foreign governments supported their film industries, while the American government let the Hollywood industry sink in the aftermath of the collapse of the studio system. By the mid-1970s, American films had adopted the techniques of foreign films and became strong once again.

Mast and Kawin next turn their attention to several auteurs in the chapter including Ingmar Bergman, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Lars Von Trier, Laurence Olivier, and David Lean.

To meet the objectives of this module, you will complete the following activities and assessments:

1. Reading: Mast & Kawin, Chapter 14 “National Cinemas 1: 1945-” (pp. 413-436) in A Short History of the Movies
2. Read/Watch Module 7 Pages/Clips
   
3. Watch The Seventh Seal
   
4. Complete Discussion: National Cinemas Post 1945: Sweden, Denmark, England
5. Complete Quiz: National Cinemas Post 1945: Sweden, Denmark, England