8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.9 |
Famed stage actress Elisabet Vogler suffers a moment of blankness during a performance and the next day lapses into total silence. Advised by her doctor to take time off to recover from what appears to be an emotional breakdown, Elisabet goes to a beach house on the Baltic Sea with only Alma, a nurse, as company. Over the next several weeks, as Alma struggles to reach her mute patient, the two women find themselves experiencing a strange emotional convergence.
Starring: Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Margaretha Krook, Gunnar Björnstrand, Jörgen LindströmForeign | 100% |
Drama | 96% |
Surreal | 17% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Swedish: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (1 BD, 2 DVDs)
DVD copy
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Ingmar Bergman's "Persona" (1966) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an original English-language trailer for the film; Dheeraj Akolkar's documentary film "Liv & Ingmar" (2012); new video interviews with actress Liv Ullmann and writer/director Paul Schrader; archival on-set footage with an audio commentary by film scholar Birgitta Steene; archival video interview with the legendary Swedish director; new visual essay by scholar Peter Cowie; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Thomas Elsaesser, an excerpted 1969 interview with Ingmar Bergman, and excerpted 1977 conversation with Bibi Andersson. In Swedish, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
"Can't you just say one word?"
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Ingmar Bergman's Persona arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
The following text appears inside the booklet provided with this Blu-ray release:
"This new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner from the 35mm original camera negative at Chimney Pot in Stockholm. The film was also restored at Chimney Pot. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 17.5mm magnetic track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.
Transfer supervisor: Peter Bengtsson; Mats Forsberg/Chimney Pot, Stockholm.
Colorist: Mats Holmgren/Chimney Pot, Stockholm."
Digitally restored in 2011 by Svensk Filmindustri, Persona looks very beautiful in high-definition. Indeed, the important close-ups repeatedly impress with outstanding depth. At times definition is so dramatically improved that one can literally see pores and facial hair that are simply missing on the R1 DVD release of the film.The panoramic shots also boast outstanding fluidity (see screencapture #5). Contrast and sharpness levels remain consistent throughout the entire film. The blacks and whites are exceptionally well balanced and there is a tremendous range of nuanced grays (see screencapture #16). Viewers with large screens or projectors will be especially pleased with these substantial improvements since now it is incredibly easy to appreciate the unique use of light and shadow and Sven Nykvist's careful framing. Furthermore, there are absolutely no traces of problematic degraining corrections. Also, compromising sharpening adjustments have not been applied. Dirt, noise, debris, and stains have been removed as best as possible. (Only in the very beginning of the film, during the short sequence where Alma enters the room and introduces herself, I noticed some extremely light grain pulsations, but the effect never becomes distracting). Finally, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. All in all, this is yet another very strong restoration of a classic Bergman film that should make its fans enormously happy. (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 is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Swedish LPCM 1.0. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
The overall dynamic intensity is limited, but depth and especially clarity are terrific. It is also easy to tell that various important stabilization adjustments have been performed because the long monologues remain well rounded throughout the entire film. There are no pops, cracks, problematic background hiss, or audio distortions to report in this review. The English translation is excellent.
It is only February, but I can tell with absolute certainty that Criterion's upcoming Blu-ray release of Ingmar Bergman's Persona will appear on my Top 10 list at the end of year. Recently restored by Svensk Filmindustri, this legendary film unquestionably looks the best it ever has. In addition to a number of exclusive new supplemental features, Criterion have also included Dheeraj Akolkar's excellent new documentary film Liv & Ingmar. Buy with confidence, folks. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
En passion
1969
Tystnaden
1963
Såsom i en spegel
1961
Riten / The Ritual
1969
Vargtimmen
1968
Törst
1949
Aus dem Leben der Marionetten
1980
Ansiktet
1958
Skammen
1968
Efter repetitionen
1984
Hamnstad
1948
Till glädje
1950
Nära livet
1958
Skepp till Indialand / A Ship Bound for India
1947
Kvinnodröm
1955
Nattvardsgästerna
1963
Gycklarnas afton
1953
Kvinnors väntan / Secrets of Women
1952
Kris
1946
Scener ur ett äktenskap
1973