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Hour of the Wolf (1968)
"Vargtimmen" (original title)

 -  Drama | Horror  -  9 April 1968 (USA)
7.6
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Ratings: 7.6/10 from 8,167 users  
Reviews: 66 user | 42 critic

While vacationing on a remote Scandanavian island with his younger pregnant wife, an artist has a emotional breakdown while confronting his repressed desires.

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Title: Hour of the Wolf (1968)

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Johan Borg
...
Alma Borg
Gertrud Fridh ...
Corinne von Merkens
Georg Rydeberg ...
Lindhorst, archivist
...
Baron von Merkens
Naima Wifstrand ...
Old Lady with Hat
Ulf Johansson ...
Therapist Heerbrand
Gudrun Brost ...
Gamla Fru von Merkens
Bertil Anderberg ...
Ernst von Merkens
...
Veronica Vogler
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Storyline

An artist in crisis is haunted by nightmares from the past in Ingmar Bergman's only horror film, which takes place on a windy island. During "the hour of the wolf" - between midnight and dawn - he tells his wife about his most painful memories. Written by Fredrik Klasson <fredrik.klasson@boras.mail.telia.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

"The Hour of the Wolf" is the hour between night and dawn. It is the hour when most people die. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their deepest fear, when ghosts and demons are most powerful.

Genres:

Drama | Horror

Parents Guide:

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Details

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Release Date:

9 April 1968 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Hour of the Wolf  »

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (original)

Sound Mix:

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Bergman defines "The Hour of the Wolf" as "The time between midnight and dawn when most people die, when sleep is deepest, when nightmares are most palatable. It is the hour when the sleepless are pursued by their sharpest anxieties, when ghosts and demons hold sway. The hour of the wolf is also the hour when most children are born." According to "Films in Review" critic Henry Hart in the U.S. it's about 4 a.m. when the body's resistance is least. See more »

Quotes

Baron von Merkens: Now you are yourself, but not yourself; an ideal state for a meeting between lovers.
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Connections

Referenced in The Shining (1980) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Genuine horror
30 July 2005 | by (Liverpool, UK) – See all my reviews

This seems to be one that divides fans of the master, but I loved it. It's easy to see why people see this as being a bit of an odd-one-out in Bergman's output: it's very direct in it's depiction of disturbed states of mind, directly illustrating hallucinatory states rather than just hinting at them. Others have pointed to references to other films of the horror genre, which seem undeniable.

Not that you'd mistake this for a film by anyone but Bergman. It's rich in connections with other of his films and autobiographical references (such as the terrifying description of being locked in a cupboard as a child). It can be reasonably thought of as Bergman's 'horror film' but he takes on the genre very much on his own terms.

It's a film that lingers long in the mind, with many unforgettable scenes (including the amazing Magic Flute scene) aided by Sven Nykvist's wonderful chiaroscuro photography. The use of music is (as ever with Bergman, the most musical of directors) extremely intelligent: the scene with the boy is set apart from the rest as much by the music as the photography.

Given the quality of the cast, you'd expect superb performances. As ever, von Sydow and Ullmann are excellent, with equally good supporting performances.

At times I was reminded of Rilke's only novel, The Notebook of Malte Laurids Brigge. If you don't know this, I urge you to seek out a copy: there's a distinctly Bergmanesque atmosphere to the whole work, but there are specific images that seem to link to this film.

This is a film that repays repeated viewings. Despite it's extremely disturbing subject matter, to me it's not as emotionally draining as many of Bergman's other films (such as Shame or Winter Light), in spite of (or perhaps because of) the visual horrors on display. Still, I recommend it very highly.


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