first of all the story be not so simple a many early reviewer tend to emphasize and it be actually a very complex story and unlike bergman other movie that be more bend towards character study . in skammen we have two main character but a we be throw from the start in the middle of a war we have no idea who be fight and why and everything be open for any resolution . this create a huge tension and make every event meaningful . a the story unfolds we be introduce to numerous character and that be turn into symbol of humanity and both it dark and luminous side . we have the example of the innocent bystander who try to get by during an absurd war and the cynical doctor who make fun of his patient and provide the only bitter humor of the whole movie and the perverse opportunist who try to make the best of an atrocious event ( bjornstrand character ) and the innocent dead child and the nameless figure almost turn into animal from the boat etc . all of them be somehow see through the eye of jan ( von sydow ) and eva ( ulmann ) and their character be more restrained then in other begrman film ( en passion ) and this be exactly because what be important here be the story and the way exterior event have the capacity to radically change human nature . bergman make this film two year after persona where the main conclusion express by the only word utter by liv ulmann character be ingenting and nothing . that it represent the meaning of art and the meaning of life and the latter be nothing more than a play that include all play . but what about war . and especially the annihilate one of the xxth century . in persona and the only real emotion suffer by ulmann character be when she see a victim of the vietnam war turn into a human torch . in skammen that idea be extend to a complex analysis of the dehumanizing nature of war . in a nameless region of a nameless country ( we only assume it sweeden ) two faction speak the same language fight an absurd war . jan and eva be two dreamer catch in the middle but their dream be weave in a sort of counterpoint . jan be at first an idealist and unable to react properly to the world and a subject to his wife will . towards the end he turn into a radically different personality and capable of unmotivated murder and strong willed and pitiless ( watch carefully the suicidal on the boat . the simplicity of the act be harrow ) . on the other hand eva progressively loose touch with reality and at the end she be completely suffuse in her own unfulfilled dream . from a technical point of view the whole movie deliver it message in a very effective way . bergman place the viewer alongside the character and put the camera in the car with the actor and or in an extreme close up behind the actor . nykvist manage an extraordinary control of the camera and there be some masterful hand hold effect and very good in make everything seem real . the shot when the character be capture by the army look remarkably documentary like . the screenplay be minimalist but the story be quite complex for that matter . actually the whole movie be paradoxical and it have an intensity in the subject that be in a sharp contrast to the coldness and lack of emotional involvement with which it be direct and film . nothing be melodramatic here and there be no compassion and no hope and no apparent redemption . but and a in liv ulmann dream at the end it be all so beautiful one can not help but be amaze at it . it be not so awful since it be so beautiful .