page_title: Persona (1966 film)
section_title: Vampirism
hierarchical_section_title: Persona (1966 film) / Themes and interpretations / Vampirism
context_page_description: Persona is a 1966 Swedish psychological drama film, written and directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann. The story revolves around a young nurse named Alma and her patient, well-known stage actress Elisabet Vogler, who has suddenly stopped speaking. They move to a cottage, where Alma cares for Elisabet, confides in her and begins having trouble distinguishing herself from her patient.
  Characterized by elements of psychological horror, Persona has been the subject of much critical analysis, interpretation and debate. The film's exploration of duality, insanity and personal identity has been interpreted as reflecting the Jungian theory of persona and dealing with issues related to filmmaking, vampire mythology, lesbianism, motherhood, abortion and other subjects. The experimental style of its prologue and storytelling has also been noted. The enigmatic film has been called the Mount Everest of cinematic analysis; according to film historian Peter Cowie, "Everything one says about Persona may be contradicted; the opposite will also be true".
context_section_description: Persona also includes symbolism about vampirism. In 1973, Dagens Nyheter critic Lars-Olaf Franzen interpreted Alma as a stand-in for the audience and Elisabet as an "irresponsible artist and vampire". According to the British Film Institute, Elisabet "vampiristically" devours Alma's personality; the actress is also seen drinking blood from Alma. Gervais wrote that Persona is "an impressionistic vampire film". Törnqvist called the vampire portrayal "Strindbergian", connecting it to the spider seen in the prologue and the "fat spider" mentioned in the screenplay (but omitted from the final cut).
  Although psychologist Daniel Shaw interpreted Elisabet as a vampire and Alma as her "sacrificial lamb", Bergman replied when asked if Alma was entirely consumed:
  No, she has just provided some blood and meat, and some good steak. Then she can go on. You must know, Elizabeth is intelligent, she's sensible, she has emotions, she is immoral, she is a gifted woman, but she's a monster, because she has an emptiness in her.
caption: Vampire by Edvard Munch. Persona's themes allude to vampirism.
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