Edvard Munch (1974)

Following a rough chronology from 1884 to 1894, when Norwegian artist Edvard Munch began expressionism and established himself as northern Europe's most maligned and controversial artist, ... See full summary »

Director:

Peter Watkins

Writer:

Peter Watkins

Stars:

Geir Westby, Gro Fraas, Kerstii Allum

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Geir Westby	...	Edvard Munch
Gro Fraas	...	Fru Heiberg
Kerstii Allum	...	Sophie Munch - 1868
Eric Allum	...	Edvard Munch - 1868
Susan Troldmyr	...	Laura Munch - 1868
Ragnvald Caspari	...	Peter Andreas Munch - 1868
Katja Pedersen	...	Inger Munch - 1868
Hjordis Ulriksen	...	Housemaid - 1868
Inger-Berit Oland	...	Sophie Munch - 1875
Amund Berge	...	Edvard Munch - 1875
Camilla Falk	...	Laura Munch - 1875
Erik Kristiansen	...	Peter Andreas Munch - 1875
Anne-Marie Daehli	...	Inger Munch - 1875 (as Anne Marie Dæhli)
Johan Halsborg	...	Dr. Christian Munch - 1884
Gro Jarto	...	Laura Catherine Munch - 1884

Storyline

Following a rough chronology from 1884 to 1894, when Norwegian artist Edvard Munch began expressionism and established himself as northern Europe's most maligned and controversial artist, the film also flashes back to the death from consumption of his mother, when he was five, his sister's death, and his near death at 13 from pulmonary disease. The film finds enduring significance in Munch's brief affair with "Mrs. Heiberg" and his participation in the café society of anarchist Hans Jaeger in Christiania and later in Berlin with Strindberg. Through it all comes Munch's melancholy and his desire to render on canvas, cardboard, paper, stone, and wood his innermost feelings.

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Plot Keywords:

august strindberg character | death | artist | disease | desire | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Mystery | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Sweden Norway

Language:

French English Norwegian German Swedish Danish

Release Date:

12 November 1974 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Edvard Munch

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,473, 24 June 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$43,539, 12 March 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Norsk Film, Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK), Sveriges Radio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

210 min 174 min (theatrical)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Narrator: I felt as if there were invisible threads between us. I felt as if invisible threads from her hair still twisted themselves around me. And, when she completely disappeared there, over the ocean, then I felt still how it hurt, where my heart bled, because the threads could not be broken.

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Connections

Referenced in Scream: The Inside Story (2011)

User Reviews

Painter's Biopic like no others

Probably the most powerful biography of a painter on film with Tarkovski's "Andrei Rublev" and Pialat's "Van Gogh". The way Watkins handles the narration of his film and of Munch's life and art is simply amazing. A perfect example of life as art and art as life. The commentary is never redundant with what is seen on the screen and like the works of Munch, the shape of the movie is like a spiral, where scenes come back over and over, in a repetitive manner, like the paintings/carvings of Munch, who often drew the same subjects. It makes you want to see more of Munch's works as well as other movies by Watkins. Definitely worth being seen more than once.