Lundgren, P. A.
LUNDGREN, P. A.
Art Director and Production Designer. Nationality: Swedish. Born: Per Axel Lundgren in Vastra Harg, Sweden, 1911. Career: Worked with Swedish directors, mainly Ingmar Bergman.
Films as Art Director and Production Designer:
- 1944
A Day Shall Dawn
- 1946
It Rains On Our Love
- 1948
Musik i mörker (Music in Darkness; Night Is My Future) (Bergman)
- 1949
Fängelse (Prison; The Devils Wanton) (Bergman)
- 1953
Sommaren med Monika (Monika; Summer with Monika) (Bergman)
- 1954
En lektion i kärlek (A Lesson in Love) (Bergman)
- 1955
Sommarnattens leende (Smiles of a Summer Night) (Bergman)
- 1956
Song of the Scarlet Flower; Det sjunde inseglet (The Seventh Seal) (Bergman)
- 1958
Ansiktet (The Magician) (Bergman)
- 1960
Jungfrukällen (The Virgin Spring) (Bergman); Djävulens öga (The Devil's Eye) (Bergman)
- 1961
Såsom i en spegel (Through a Glass Darkly) (Bergman); Pleasure Garden
- 1962
The Swedish Mistress
- 1963
Nattvardsgästerna (Winter Light (Bergman); Tystnaden (The Silence) (Bergman)
- 1964
491; För att inte tala om alla dessa kvinnor (All These Women; Now about These Women) (Bergman)
- 1966
Syskonbädd 1782 (My Sister My Love)
- 1967
Hagbard and Signe/The Red Mantle; Stimulantia (co)
- 1968
Skammen (Shame) (Bergman)
- 1969
En Passion (The Passion of Anna) (Bergman)
- 1971
The Emigrants (Troell)
- 1973
The New Land
- 1977
The American Dream (Abrahamsen) (+ co pr)
- 1980
Barna från Blåsjöfjället (Sima)
Films as Production Designer:
- 1944
Excellensen; Flickan och djävulen; Mitt folk är icke ditt; Vi behöver varann
- 1946
Ödemarksprästen
- 1947
Skepp till India land (Frustration); Livet i Finnskogarna
- 1948
Främmande hamn; Hammarforsens brus; Lars Hård; Marknadsafton
- 1949
Bohus bataljon; Lång-Lasse i Delsbo; Havets son (Son of the Sea); Gatan; Hin och smålänningen
- 1950
När kärleken kom till byn
- 1951
Poker; Spöke på semester; Motorkavaljerer
- 1952
När syrenerna blomma
- 1953
Glasberget (Unmarried)
- 1955
Ljuset från Lund; Enhörningen (The Unicorn); Våld
- 1956
Den Hårda leken; Ratataa (The Staffan Stolle Story); Sjunde himlen
- 1957
Sommarnöje sökes; Far till sol och vår
- 1958
Flottans överman
- 1959
Himmel och pannkaka
- 1960
På en bänk i en park; Kärlekens decimaler; Bara en kypare (Only a Waiter)
- 1961
Briggen Tre Liljor; Stöten
- 1962
Chans (Just Once More)
- 1964
Svenska bilder
- 1965
. . . för vänskaps skull. . .
- 1967
Människor möts och ljuv musik uppstår i hjärtat (People Meet and Sweet Music Fills the Air)
- 1970
Rötmånad (Dog Days); The Night Visitor (Salem Come to Supper)
- 1971
Lockfågeln (The Decoy); Beröringen (The Touch)
- 1973
Smutsiga fingrar (Dirty Fingers)
- 1974
Jorden runt med Fanny Hill (Around the World with Fanny Hill); En Handfull kärlek (A Handful of Love)
- 1976
Mina drömmars stad
- 1977
Bröderna Lejonhjärta (mini-series—for TV)
- 1979
Den Åttonde dagen
* * *
Though often overlooked, art directors bring much to a film's look and overall feel. Lundgren's sets are almost as much a part of a film as the actors; his carefully chosen locations add a valuable component to the story.
Throughout Lundgren's career, he has been most often been recognized for his work with Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. The two have collaborated on many films, including Smiles of a Summer Night, The Seventh Seal, The Magician, The Virgin Spring, The Devil's Eye, Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, The Silence and Shame. While Bergman's films are often microscopic views of dramatic relationships, the background plays a crucial role in telling his stories. In The Seventh Seal, Lundgren provided Bergman with the perfect setting to tell the story of a 14th-century knight playing chess with Death. The opening shot of waves lapping the rocky beach as the knight, Max Von Sydow, lies beaten on the shore sets the mood for the entire film. Lundgren's stark, bare visuals allow us to understand the bleakness of life and the challenge of a game with Death when there is nothing left to lose. As the film continues, the man is left alone with nature, where he must fend for himself. Bergman's wide shots coupled with Lundgren's scenery make The Seventh Seal what Roger Ebert refers to as "one of Bergman's most visual films."
While Lundgren did not work exclusively with Bergman, he did work mainly with Swedish directors. In 1977 he coproduced The American Dream while acting as production designer.
—Robert Dixter