Dreadfully Boring

Best movie ever!

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Torment is most recognised as the screenplay debut of young Ingmar Bergman. And while there are signs of a script-writer who had more than great potential, Torment does deserve to be known for more than the debut of one of the best and most influential directors in film. For it is a very fine film indeed. It looks great, with gorgeous photography and evocative scenery. Alf Sjöberg's direction is clever and sustained, while Bergman's screenplay has both its dark and affecting moments and shows great thought and insight. The story does show signs of a chilling atmosphere, affecting melodrama(without being overly so) and also of a writer early on in his career showing what he could do while developing it to even greater heights later on in his career, the film is always involving pacing wise and the character development is subtle while always making the characters interesting. The music has moments where it is too intrusive but is overall hauntingly-composed and fitting, while the acting is marvellous, especially from Stig Järrel and Mai Zetterling. In conclusion, very, very good. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Swedish screenwriter and theatre and film director Alf Sjöberg's seventh feature film was written by Ingmar Bergman, his first screenplay for a feature film, who was also assistant director making it his directing debut. It was shot on locations in Stockholm, Sweden where it also had it's premiere and is a Swedish production which was produced by Swedish screenwriter, actor and director Victor Sjöström (1879-1960). It tells the story about Jan-Erik Widgren, a young student who lives with his father, mother and younger brother. Shortly before his graduation he is given a remark by his teacher who is called Caligula and who likes to humiliate his students. One night on his way home after having been to the cinema with his friend and classmate Sandman, he meets a girl whom he recognizes from the local cigarette store named Bertha Olsson and walks her home to her apartment where she tells him about a man who she is afraid of who has been there and who is spying on her. He stays the night with her and leaves her promising that he'll come again.Distinctly and precisely directed by Swedish filmmaker Alf Sjöberg (1903-1980), this finely paced fictional tale draws an incisive portrayal of a struggling student's relationship with a lovely girl and a sadistic teacher during a spring in the mid-20th century in Stockholm, Sweden. While notable for it's naturalistic and mostly interior milieu depictions, fine production design by production designer Arne Äkermark, black-and-white cinematography by Swedish cinematographer Martin Bodin (1903-1976), costume design by costume designer Mimmi Törnqvist, editing by film editor Oscar Rosander and use of sound, this character-driven and dialog-driven drama triangle depicts an in-depth study of character and contains a prominent score by organist, concert pianist and the first Swedish modernist composer Hilding Rosenberg (1892-1985). This somewhat romantic, forebodingly atmospheric, at times humorous and visceral psychological thriller from the early 1940s about a lonely high school student and his classmates' experiences with an inhumane and terrorizing teacher two months before their graduation, is impelled and reinforced by it's cogent narrative structure, subtle character development, colorful characters, mindful dialog and the memorable acting performances by Swedish actor and director Alf Kjellin (1920-1988), Swedish actor and director Stig Järrel (1910-1998), Swedish actress, screenwriter and director Mai Zetterling (1925-1994) and Swedish actor Carl Olof Magnus Winnerstrand (1875-1956). A dark, humane and dense character piece.

Considered as a legendary coming-of-age work for Swedish film-making, and I can clearly see why: Scripted by Ingmar Bergman, it's a psychologically intriguing drama of morals and authority abuse, with a thriller aura, that's effectively placed in a high school setting.Two of its story- and directorial strengths are: 1. Not turning into a standard young-lovers-on-the-run melodrama as I feared along the way. The two harassed youngsters indicate romance, indeed, but are mainly portrayed as identity strugglers on the brink of adulthood. 2. Painting a believably two-dimensional portrait of the tormentor - is he sick... or just plain evil? We also get a captivating look at school & teaching methodology. Great scene in the map room!! And by a 1944 standard, it holds a surprisingly fresh, naturally flowing dialog for my Swedish ears! Stark B&W photography that is reminiscent of Hitchcock, contributes to its emotional tension, as well. I think the old Master would have loved making this! 7 out of 10 from Ozjeppe.

This is a Swedish version of "Rebel Without A Cause". The screenplay by Ingmar Bergman is about a youth caught up in a complicated romance and tormented by his Latin teacher. It is a taste of things to come from Bergman. Well ahead of its time.