Klein, Sartre and imagination in the films of Ingmar Bergman

This book explores connections between the diverse ideas of Melanie Klein, Jean-Paul Sartre and Ingmar Bergman. These ideas are explored in relation to their shared focus on imagination and through detailed readings of a number of Bergman's key films. The author brings together ideas from film studies, psychoanalysis and philosophy for a study of key films in the career of Ingmar Bergman. Drawing on ideas from Melanie Klein and Jean-Paul Sartre, films ranging from Summer with Monika to Hour of the Wolf are examined in detail. The book argues that Bergman, Klein and Sartre are connected through their central focus on imagination, and that this shared preoccupation represents a challenging alternative to dominant theories in the analysis of film and culture "The author brings together ideas from film studies, psychoanalysis and philosophy for a study of key films in the career of Ingmar Bergman. Drawing on ideas from Melanie Klein and Jean-Paul Sartre, films ranging from Summer with Monika to Hour of the Wolf are examined in detail. The book argues that Bergman, Klein and Sartre are connected through their central focus on imagination, and that this shared preoccupation represents a challenging alternative to dominant theories in the analysis of film and culture."-- Provided by publisher Review: 'This welcome and original study provides a stimulating investigation into the imagination and how the processes of imagining (dreams, memories, nightmares and visions) are manifested in Bergman's films. Williams' unique insight into the confluences and discrepancies between philosophy and psychoanalytic theory paves the way for an enlightening exploration of Bergman's films.' - Laura Hubner, University of Winchester, UK, author of The Films of Ingmar Bergman: Illusions of Light and Darkness (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007) List of FiguresAcknowledgements1. The Imagination: Bergman, Klein and Sartre2. From Freud to Klein, and Wild Strawberries 3. Sartre's Theory of Imagination and The Seventh Seal 4. From Three Early Bergman Films to an Analysis of Summer with Monika 5. Revenge and Reparation in The Virgin Spring 6. The Destruction of the Artist: Hour of the Wolf 7. Conclusion Bibliography Filmography Index