Ingmar Bergman does 'Invaders From Mars'? - :its not as improbable as it might seem, particularly in the first half of the film, with its significant emphasis on the child's sense of wonderment and awe, a perspective heightened by the various long shots, overhead shots, and of long-distance tracking shots down a hotel corridor, a la 'The Shining'.
This isn't so much Bergman the Austere, as Bergman the Enigmatic, or of the lover of theatre.
In its enigmatic, and even occasionally surreal nature its more in keeping with the type of art-house director, then in vogue, such as Antonioni, and even reminds me of Polanski, of his wonderful early shorts and later films such as 'Cul De Sac', 'Repulsion' and 'The Tenant'.
(and, for the scenes in the train, perhaps a nod or two to 'The Phantom Carriage')
I suspect also in its central theme of the two very different sisters, and how they vie for the attention, and affection, of the son of the more sensual sister, Anna, its something of a pointer towards one of his great Masterpieces, 'Persona', as one often gets the sense of them being two sides of the same coin, and almost of certain elements of their personalities being interchangeable.
I love the way he also portrays the hotel where the sisters seek temporary refuge as some kind of hermetically-sealed environment: outside there is commotion, and vibrant street sounds, and suggestions of imminent warfare; inside there is chamber music and careful whispers.
Although the performances of Ingrid Thulin as the sickly Ester, and Gunnel Lindblom as Ana are never less than competent, this is more of a directors films, aided and abetted by his cinematographer lieutenant and his particular box of tricks.
I won't claim, as with say Bob Dylan's more obscure lyrics, to understand the significance of every shot, or even scene, but its a smorgasbord, enhanced rather than diminished by Bergman's frequent abrupt changes of pace and tone
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