I'm confused. It's an interesting film but maybe I need more time to think about it and probably a rewatch.

The most ambiguous, inviting, surreal, whatever-you-can-think philosophical experiment by Bergman.

I gotta just sit down and really think about what I just saw. I don't understand all of it yet but I think it's absolutely amazing

Being finally able to understand "Persona" on a deeper level might have been the only good reason to get old. I used to get overwhelmed by the long series of monologues and the incredibly slow pacing, but it seems that I finally lived enough to understand Alma's psyche and authentically feel for her existential despair. If you think about the title ("persona" refers to the "mask" that people wear in public to conceal their real personalities) and the main character's name ("Alma" means "soul" in Latin), it's not hard to figure out what Bergman wanted to say. However, it's something so hard to conceive for a teenager or a young adult.

It's definitely not a film for everyone, but it's one of the few classics that do not need extra stars just for their status. It's the best example of a truly timeless film, that still looks terrific and explores themes that are still contemporary. The minimalist, yet incredibly stylish and charming, visuals did not age a day. Not to mention that it has one of the most beautiful endearing openings in film history.

If you encountered a version of yourself that was everything you had ever truly wanted to be - a perfect you that never experienced your regrets - would you be able to face it? Would you be strong enough to converse with it or to confront it? Could you swallow your guilt, reach down into your very soul and embrace it?

I spent the first half of the film struggling to grasp what was truly going on, but once the penny dropped, it transformed from psychological drama to pure existential horror.

Wow. Just. Wow.

I might just be too simple to see the deeper meaning of this… the idea itself is noteworthy but the way this is shot gave me nothing back emotionally. Maybe I’m just too much influenced by modern media although I’m watching a ton of old stuff too. This was just not for me.

Damn, you can really see the influence this movie and Bergman in general had on movies. A lot of this film felt shockingly modern. The cinematography is just on point, perfectly supplementing a psychological drama in the truest sense. Andersson and Ullmann absolutely kill it too. They’re magnetic in every monologue or close up, foils in all the right ways.  The film starts to dovetail into this sort of existential crisis, a mental breakdown, and the shifting of the camera, the breezy gowns, the isolated island… it feels like you’re trapped in a deteriorating but beautiful mind, with flashes of memories and emotions and regrets and desire thrown at you. It’s simply stunning.

Level "Fantabuolus" • 10 :heart:• Essential.

Not sure what was really going on here - and a little disturbed by Alma's inability to ever shut up - at least in the first 40 minutes.

Philosophical didacticism – problematic? – probably, yes; but still enjoyable, regardless.

With an erect penis (obviously for a frame or two) and cow entrails (again a flash) in the opening credits I was weary it would be pretentious. It isn't as pretentious as I thought it would be, but it's oj the edge. It's coherent enough as a story, and it does tackle subjects in a character driven way. But it's completely boring on all levels. The dialogue tries to say something deep a lot of the time but it's too poetric and structural to seem natural, and then it's not deep enough to be really meaningful; it's just a style in tne end and it does ho favors. The characters end up empty from an attempt to actual give them depth. Bergman seems to have inspired people I admire so I'll give him that.

Well this was weird. Beautifully shot, surreal, at times sensual and others disturbing. Overall, It's a mesmerizing viewing experience.

An unafraid and raw introspection into the other within ourselves done so in an incredibly surreal tone. Breathtaking performances and strategic cinematography warrant the universal acclaim for Persona. I didn't understand everything and I think I don't need to call this one a masterpiece.

a great reflection existentialist. Amazing!

2 women spending time together. Next