Persona

Persona (1966) is one of Ingmar Bergman's master works and a perennial in all-time top 10 lists. It is an extraordinary picture that is alternatively deconstructive and traditional by degrees. Bibi Andersson is completing almost a soliloquy and Liv Ullmann in her first Bergman film gives an amazing performance without words. The cinematography is beautiful as the main subject is the human face. Bergman flaunts film conventions in the beginning when the film seemingly melts and an assortment of images are played across the screen drawing attnetion to th efact that this is a film not reality. Later there is a 10 minute section in which Bergman chooses to keep the camera on Andersson as she delivers a long monologue, and then shows the same scene with Ullmann's reactions to the monologue. Challenging, yet accessiable a masterpiece.