Did You Know?
On 15 April 2005 the Norwegian heavy, psychedelic rock-band WE made a live soundtrack to the movie whilst screening it in the atrium at Studentersamfundet in Trondheim. They wore cloaks and the vocalist; Thomas Felberg sang/wailed the written passages in between scenes.
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The church yard set was built on the studio lot at Råsunda, Stockholm, and was left intact for a number of years after shooting was finished.
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Director Victor Sjöström disguised himself as a poor man and spent time in the slums of Stockholm in order to prepare for this movie.
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Director Victor Sjöström traveled up to author Selma Lagerlöf's house in Mårbacka to read the scenario out loud. He acted out the whole screenplay in front of her before crashing down on a sofa, totally exhausted. She looked at the director for a long time and then asked he would care for a drink. That was her seal of approval.
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Ingmar Bergman watched this film at the very least once every summer; either alone or in company of younger people. He also stated that this film, to him, was once "the film of all films", and that this film was a main influence on his own work.
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The film should have been heavily censored due to its supernatural content in accordance with the censorship guidelines at the time, but the board of censors decided to leave the film intact rather than risk a dispute with Selma Lagerlöf.
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The earliest Swedish film included among the '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die', edited by Steven Jay Schneider.
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