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