El rito

Combine the images of humiliation from The Naked Night with the plan and philosophy of The Magician and you will get a rough outline of what The Rite is all about. A satirical image of art as something on the edge of fairground attraction and real magic, something on the edge of an extraterrestrial ceremony and the lowness of the human body. A grim picture of the clash between the artist and the state apparatus as the stubborn draff of two charlatan and complex worlds. The Rite has a very nice, absolute reduction of the scenery. Everything takes place as if in one space - the interiors are replaced by a minimum of props and a universal canvas. The more attention is paid to the actors, the more the illusoriness of the problems and the constructed world stands out. A trio of successful theatergoers on the one hand, a poor judge on the other. There is no one to feel sympathy for. Only the final ritual arouses a hint of hope – if such an effect can be achieved by art, then surely it must have some inner meaning and power. But its facade is full of dirt, lowness and contempt. Bergman's skepticism about his own world and the world of others grew stronger. The television format aroused him to absolute minimalism, economy and brevity. The emphasis on the sound component increases, whilst the image seems to be subject to the great acting of the central quartet. I suppose I prefer Bergman the esthete to a strict skeptic... (01.12.2008)