The Magician [VHS]
Directed by Ingmar Bergman (Wild Strawberries,Autumn Sonata)--and featuring a cast of Bergman regulars--this psychological drama thrills the intellect and chills the soul.  Max von Sydow (The Virgin Spring) presents a haunting figure as Vogler, a 19th-century hypnotist who hides behind a mask of illusion.  Forced to flee Denmark, Vogler and his troupe arrive in Sweden only to be detained by the police.  There, a rich merchant (Erland Josephson,Scenes from a Marriage) and a sadistic doctor (Gunnar Bjornstrand,The Seventh Seal) use Vogler to investigate whether or not supernatural powers exist.  When they make a shambles of his performance, Vogler exacts a cruel revenge.  Perhaps Bergman's most autobiographical film,The Magicianreveals the great director's fear of humiliation.