Two great directors die

Ingmar Bergman and Michelangelo Antonioni, two of world cinema's most renowned directors have died within a day of each other.

I'm more familiar with Bergman's works, not all of which IMO are as unremittingly lugubrious as many people believe. While we may recall the gloom of The Seventh Seal, occasional shafts of light ease the tension of the chess game; other films such as Fanny and Alexander, Smiles of A Summer Night and Wild Strawberries in their different ways are more life affirming.

I've not seen, or don't remember seeing, many of Antonioni's films, but a couple of years ago I saw Blow Up again. Even allowing for the 1960s ambience this is a memorable film, which retains much of its freshness.

For a much more incisive appreciation of the pair than I'm able to provide see this by David Tiley at Barista. Apart from its own considerable merits it includes some good links.