Light Keeps Me Company
"Feeling wrapped in light gives me a sense of spiritual atmosphere," confesses legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist, whose rich career suddenly ended in 1998 when he was diagnosed with aphasia. This retrospective documentary directed by son Carl-Gustav Nykvist examines the way he molded the cold winter light and simple studio setups into the enthralling images in films by Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, Andrei Tarkovksy, and of course Ingmar Bergman. "Our feeling for light was the same," observes Bergman in a rare interview, as generous film excerpts illustrate. While the quality of some of the clips is less than stellar (and many are unidentified), the power and texture of the images sear through. Carl-Gustav is less revealing of his father's personal life, suggesting that his career came at the expense of his family, and that this reverent and loving tribute is a son's attempt to reconnect. The DVD features a text introduction by the director and a comprehensive Sven Nykvist filmography.--Sean Axmaker