Light Keeps Me Company (2000)

83% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
56% of users liked it
(337 ratings)

This moving, finely-wrought portrayal of legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist was directed by his son Carl-Gustav Nykvist -- a noted filmmaker himself. Spanning from long forgotten kiddie flick in 1945 to Woody Allen's Celebrity (1997), Nykvist's career came to an abrupt end when he was diagnosed… More This moving, finely-wrought portrayal of legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist was directed by his son Carl-Gustav Nykvist -- a noted filmmaker himself. Spanning from long forgotten kiddie flick in 1945 to Woody Allen's Celebrity (1997), Nykvist's career came to an abrupt end when he was diagnosed with a rare disorder that affected his speech. Though the film explores Nykvist's upbringing and turbulent private life (an ugly divorce, the suicide of one of his sons, an affair with Mia Farrow), the emotional heart of the film is his celebrated collaboration with auteur Ingmar Bergman, with whom Nykvist made some of his most enduring work, including Winter Light (1962) and Scenes from a Marriage (1973). As Bergman recalls his own career, he notes, "I don't miss making films, but I miss the collaboration with Sven." ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 18 min.
Directed By: Carl-Gustaf Nykvist, Carl-Gustav Nykvist
Genres: Documentary, Drama, Television, Special Interest

In Theaters: May 4, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Jan 8, 2002

Critic Reviews

Gunnar Rehlin, Variety
Essential viewing for film buffs -- and anyone interested in the making of quality movies.
Fred Camper, Chicago Reader
A loving but unstinting portrait of longtime Ingmar Bergman cinematographer Sven Nyqvist.
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
[An] affectionate portrait of Swedish cinematographer Sven Nykvist
Jamie Gillies, Apollo Guide
A reserved, quiet, but friendly man as this documentary, made by his son, demonstrates, Nykvist has gradually become as important as Bergman to Swedish film.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
You simply celebrate the man's life, rather than exploring it or analyzing it.

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Walter M

[font=Century Gothic][color=red]"Mr. Death" is an Errol Morris documentary about Fred Leuchter. Mr. Leuchter is an engineer by trade who specialized in building and repairing capital punishment devices(gallows, gas chamber, lethal injection, electric chair, etc) for various… More
[font=Century Gothic][color=red]"Mr. Death" is an Errol Morris documentary about Fred Leuchter. Mr. Leuchter is an engineer by trade who specialized in building and repairing capital punishment devices(gallows, gas chamber, lethal injection, electric chair, etc) for various states. He is a proponent of the death penalty. What he is seeking to do is to create humane and safe executions.(A humane execution being an oxymoron if there ever was one...) I have to admit I learned quite a bit about executions in this documentary and that there is much more involved than just flipping a switch. [/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#ff0000][/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#ff0000]The second part of the documentary shows off Leuchter's lack of ethical thinking to full effect. He went to Auschwitz on behalf of a Holocaust denier(I'm being polite when I use that term), so that he could find proof that there were no gas chambers there.(It is clearly historical fact that there were gas chambers there.) As testified by an expert on the Holocaust, Leuchter is ill-equipped for the task. [/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#ff0000][/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#ff0000]At best, Leuchter never considers what the ramifications his research will have. At worst, he is a full participant in the cause of Holocaust denial which is clearly wrong and hateful. Leuchter goes from something of an eccentric to being a monster in the viewer's eyes.[/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#ff0000][/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=black][/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=black]"Light Keeps Me Company" is a loving tribute to legendary cinematographer, Sven Nykvist, directed by his son, Carl-Gustav Nykvist. The documentary consists of interviews with many of his collaborators including Ingmar Bergman, Liv Ullman, Susan Sarandon, and Woody Allen, along with his fellow cinematographers. I thought this film filled in some of the blanks of his life including personal details.(Although, I would have felt better if they had not mentioned Nykvist's affair with Mia Farrow.) Nykvist retired due to a condition called aphasia which limits his communication skills. I would have liked to have gotten more of his input on the films he helped to make.[/color][/font]