8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
As Agnes slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so deeply immersed in their own psychic pains that they can't offer her the support she needs. Maria is wracked with guilt at her husband's suicide. The self-loathing, suicidal Karin seems to regard her sister with revulsion. Only Anna, the deeply religious maid, seems able to offer Agnes solace and empathy.
Starring: Harriet Andersson, Kari Sylwan, Ingrid Thulin, Liv Ullmann, Anders Ek (I)Foreign | 100% |
Drama | 86% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Swedish: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono (192 kbps)
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" a.k.a. "Viskningar och rop" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an original English-language trailer for the film; exclusive filmed conversation with actress Harriet Andersson; archival raw on-set footage shot during the production of the film; new video essay by filmmaker ::kogonada; archival program featuring Ingmar Bergman and the famous actor Erland Josephson; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by film scholar Emma Wilson. In Swedish or English, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
"I don't want you to do that. I don't want you to be kind to me."
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
Like the rest of the restored Ingmar Bergman films that have already transitioned to Blu-ray, Cries and Whispers has literally been given a new life. The numerous close-ups boast excellent depth and clarity and now one can easily see exceptionally small details that are simply missing on the old R1 DVD release of the film. Shadow definition is also far more convincing, especially during the darker sequences that suffered the most on the DVD release. There are a few areas of the film where minor density fluctuations remain, but they are inherited. In fact, after the restoration it is rather easy to see exactly where and how time has left its mark (see screencapture #3). There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments. Perhaps the most substantial improvements are in the area of color reproduction. Not only are the very important nuanced reds better saturated and healthier, but there are actually completely new color tonalities. Unsurprisingly, the film's entire color scheme is far more convincing and the unusual fade-to-red transitions better balanced and ultimately more effective (see screencaptures #12 and 14). There are no serious stability issues to report in this review. The film is also completely free of distracting debris, scratches, cuts, damage marks, and stains. All in all, this is a lovely presentation of Cries and Whispers that truly allows one to experience the film in an entirely new way. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Swedish LPCM 1.0 and English Dolby Digital 1.0 (official English dub track). For the record, Criterion have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
The lossless Swedish audio track has undoubtedly been remastered because midrange and high frequencies are in fact better balanced. Depth and clarity are improved as well. The overall range of nuanced dynamics is somewhat limited, but this should not be surprising considering the fact that Cries and Whispers is a dialog-driven feature without a prominent music score. The dialog is stable, clean, and easy to follow. The English translation is excellent.
Reactions to Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers can be very different as it touches the heart and provokes the mind in unusual ways. It is beautiful to look at, but the raw pain and suffering at times make it incredibly difficult to endure. I think that the only other director that has been able to explore the same territory Bergman does in his film with a similar authority is Michael Haneke, but his style is indeed drastically different. Cries and Whispers has been recently restored in 2K and it looks magnificent on Blu-ray. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Efter repetitionen
1984
En passion
1969
Riten / The Ritual
1969
Hamnstad
1948
Till glädje
1950
Törst
1949
Nära livet
1958
Skepp till Indialand / A Ship Bound for India
1947
Kvinnodröm
1955
Aus dem Leben der Marionetten
1980
Kvinnors väntan / Secrets of Women
1952
Kris
1946
2003
Tystnaden
1963
Gycklarnas afton
1953
Skammen
1968
Nattvardsgästerna
1963
Såsom i en spegel
1961
Scener ur ett äktenskap
1973
Djävulens öga
1960