The defence The Auteur Devotee
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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The Serpent's Egg
Mystery · Drama · Thriller · 1977
In 1923 Berlin, following the suicide of his brother, an American acrobat struggles to survive while facing unemployment, depression, alcoholism, and the social decay of Germany during the Weimar Republic.
Movie details
The Serpent's Egg
“The kind of terror that could never be... until now... until Bergman!”
1977 Mystery · Drama · Thriller 2h 0m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.2 / 10
Community rating
In 1923 Berlin, following the suicide of his brother, an American acrobat struggles to survive while facing unemployment, depression, alcoholism, and the social decay of Germany during the Weimar Republic.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Serpent's Egg?
For the defence
The Auteur Devotee
“You watch the director, not the movie.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Ingmar Bergman
Written by
Ingmar Bergman
David Carradine
Abel Rosenberg
Liv Ullmann
Manuela Rosenberg
Gert Fröbe
Inspector Bauer
Heinz Bennent
Hans Vergerus
Toni Berger
Monsieur Rosenberg
Christian Berkel
Student
Paula Braend
Madame Hemse
Court is in session
Put The Serpent's Egg on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.