EDVARD MUNCH

By Al Hoff

This epic cinematic journey -- at nearly three hours -- is not content to simply recount the life of Edvard Munch, but seeks instead to probe the mind of the famed Norwegian painter. Originally made for Norwegian television in 1971, the film by director Peter Watkins recreates the Oslo of Munch's youth -- from the class inequities to the burgeoning Bohemian scene that nurtured the young artist and provided a respite from his troubled family, itself a fever pit of repression, illness and madness. As Munch succumbs to his own emotional disturbance, his torment spills out into works of lasting impact, most notably "The Scream." For this film of impressive scope, Watkins uses non-professional actors and employs nonlinear jumps in both sound and vision, ultimately creating a compelling psycho-biographical portrait that's both illustrative and dream-like. Screens in a new print. In Norwegian, with subtitles. 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 18 and Sat., March 19; 3 p.m. Sun., March 20. Melwood