The past is ourselves: Revisiting Peter Watkins’ Edvard Munch

This contribution picks up from my 2007 journal article, ‘The past is myself’, on Edvard Munch (1974), the seminal film biography of the Norwegian artist, directed by Peter Watkins (1935–2025). It revisits the archival materials used for the earlier research – most notably Watkins’ original 1972 script draft for the film – to examine the ways in which Watkins’ explorations of the past were not just intended to relate to the director’s personal identification with Munch but consciously to draw out parallels with wider society, culture and history. The article traces the development of this perspective through analysis of the original script outline before examining how Watkins’ intentions were then realized with the help of his cinematographer during shooting.