Erland Josephson dead...

We were reached by the message that one of Sweden's most remarkable and finest actors of all time - Erland Josephson (Erland Josephson on IMDb) - died this night, the 26th of February.

I will not - and can not - write about everything he has done. I might come back with some minor writing around his career later.

We all know that he worked a lot with Ingmar Bergman (Ingmar Bergman on IMDb) but also Theo Angelopoulos (Theo Angelopoulos on IMDb), Andrei Tarkovsky (Andrey Tarkovsky on IMDb), István Szabó (István Szabó on IMDb), Peter Greenaway (Peter Greenaway on IMDb) and Liv Ullman (Liv Ullman on IMDb) among others.

Aurore and I had the pleasure seeing Erland Josephson in the role of the story teller in the theatre play The Sultan's Dilemma by Tawfiq al-Hakim, in 2005 at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm (Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern). His last role at the theatre.

Two small anecdotes around Josephson:

1.  Erland Josephson, once told a journalist that during the shooting of 'Offret'/'The Sacrifice' ('Le Sacrifice'), Tarkovskij had found "the exact point" in a stone wall where he wanted Josephson to stay during a shooting of a scene. Josephson had asked Tarkovskij why he wanted to position him at that exact spot. Tarkovskij had looked totally inappreciative, asking: "Don't you see why? It's so obvious!". In spite of this "obvious" reason, Josephson did not understood why.

2. Josephson and Ingmar Bergman had promised each other that if one of them became to senile, the other one, still having his faculties, should kill him.
They both died naturally (as far as we know) so they were not able to keep their promises.

R.I.P. Théo Angelopoulos

Théo Angelopoulos (Θεόδωρος Αγγελόπουλος) is one of the most influential directors, not only in Greece but worldwide.
He dominated Greek film industry from the 1970's and forward but he did it justly, in my opinion.
Some characterise him and his style as belonging to the "Slow cinema" movement but this migt be disputed.  His films are very contemplative and told in a 'floating' and sometimes meditative way but of great visual beauty.
I think I have seen almost all of his films and so has Aurore.
He often casted the Greek actor Christoforos Nezer and most often used only Greek actors in his first films. Later in his career though, he also casted non-greek actors of renown like Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau, Harvey Keitel, Maia Morgenstern, Erland Josephson, Bruno Ganz, Isabelle Renauld, Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Willem Dafoe, Irène Jacob, Michel Piccoli, and Christiane Paul.

Lucian Freud est décédé

Le peintre Lucian Freud, est décédé à 88 ans à son domicile londonien selon son agent.
Arrivé en Grande-Bretagne en 1933 après la montée du nazisme, il était le petit-fils de l'inventeur de la psychanalyse Sigmund Freud.

Roland Petit dead

Roland Petit, one of the greatest dancers and choreographers of our time has died at the age of 87.

He was the son of the stylist Rose Repetto (photo above) and he created 'Les Ballets des Champs-Élysées' and 'Le Ballet national de Marseille' among msmu other things he succeeded in achieving during his lifetime.

He cooperated with Serge Gainsbourg, Yves Saint Laurent, César Baldaccini, Jean Carzou, Max Ernst, Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely and others.
He also participated in a couple of French and American films (IMDb).

(Photo Rose Repetto copied from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cUk1i9Y4eHbX0KT6lGrQILDqp3K7UpPwBqDpDNdoUT-_efAmfxwiuny9IIgu_V2W5aXHIMK87x-HD_Pl9wIk6XUI4QZl7PXyqOculdliVMX0qA9QuW0RaEPx_ksLeYOKRM2i/s1600/Rose-REPETTO.jpg)
(Picture 'Dance à Paris. Ballets des Champs-Elysées' copied from: http://www.images-chapitre.com/ima2/original/738/33092738_6724915.jpg)

Annalisa Ericson död

Annalisa Ericson was a Swedish actress and dancer, participating in both light comedies as well as more dramatic roles.
She started off as a ballet dancer at a very young age but later on continued to educate herself to become an actress, first and foremost at theatres and in reviews but later on in films.

One of her most famous roles was that in the film 'Blåjackor' (or 'Sailors'), originally an operetta (light opera), where she danced with the actor Nils Poppe in some of the most famous dance scenes in Swedish cinema. Sometimes they were referred to as the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of Swedish film.

R.I.P. Sidney Lumet

I guess that most of you have seen one or more films by Sidney Lumet and I also believe he is so well known that I don't have to introduce him to you.
He was by some called a "actor's director", somewhat of an honorary title one can say.
He made more than 50 films during his lifetime.

Below I publish some trailers/teasers displaying some of his most well known œuvres.
If you prefer other films by Lumet, films you might think are more important than these, let me know.

12 Angry Men

Long Day's Journey Into Night

Murder on the Orient Express

Dog Day Afternoon

Serpico

Rock-Ragge död

For most of you, not being Swedes or having lived in Sweden, 'Rock-Ragge' might be a name that sounds somewhat strange and I fully understand.

He was actually one of our first 'rock icons' in Sweden becoming nationally known in 1957 when he played with his first band 'Rock-Ragge and his Four Comets'.

He died from cancer.

Wenche Foss död

Svenska:

Den norska skådespelerskan - och i Norge känd som den stora divan - Wenche Foss avled idag.

English:

The Norwegian actress - and in Norway known as the great 'Diva' - Wenche Foss died today.

R.I.P. Liz Taylor

(Photo taken from: http://celebrity-pics.movieeye.com/celebrity_pictures/Elizabeth_Taylor_402355.jpeg)

(Photo taken from: http://earsucker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Elizabeth-Taylor-hospital.jpg)

R.I.P. Michael Gough

Swedish comedian Lasse Eriksson dead

This is a presentation of the Swedish comedian/artist Lasse Eriksson, introduced to those of you who don't know him, by a friend of mine, Björn Jakobsson (Björns Blåa Blogg).

Below an interview in Swedish where he talks about a book he has co-written or edited:

Laila Westersund dead

The Swedish singer, actress/comediènne Laila Westersund is dead. Well known in Sweden but perhaps not a name familiar to others than Swedes and people in the other Nordic countries.
The above example in Swedish unfortunately.

R.I.P. Hans Leygraf

Homepage of Hans Leygraf

R.I.P. Gunnar Bergsten

The Swedish Jazz musician (baritone saxophonist) Gunnar Bergsten is dead, a musician also performing with the group 'Fläsket Brinner', a group he co founded.

R.I.P. Per Grundén

One of the foremost operetta (light opera) singers - Per Grundén - is dead.
In Vienna he's even regarded as one of the best operetta tenors of all time.
He also acted in Swedish theatres and films (IMDb).

R.I.P. Gary Moore

R.I.P. Tura Satana

Tura Satana was a Japanese-born American actress, debuting in a supporting role in Billy Wilder's 'Irma la Douce' but she's probably best known for her role in 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! by Russ Meyer (1965).

R.I.P. Lena Nyman

R.I.P. Maria Schneider

Le dernier Tango à Paris (Last Tango in Paris) was a film that according to Maria Schneider destroyed her career and left her traumatized for a long time.

It was especially due to the 'butter scene' where Marlon Brando 'fist-fucks' her (sorry for the bad language but this is actually what he does) with butter.
She had not been told about this scene before and she has told reporters that her tears in that scene was for real.

Maria Schneider declared that Bertolucci and Brando took advantage of the fact that she was young and innocent, trusting these two men and their seriousness, not prepared being used as a tool for their pervertedness!

R.I.P. Margaret Price