7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
A trio of couples meet at a country estate for a weekend vacation, but there, under the idyllic summer moonlight, a series of swapping interludes ensues.
Starring: Ulla Jacobsson, Eva Dahlbeck, Harriet Andersson, Margit Carlqvist, Gunnar BjörnstrandForeign | 100% |
Romance | 17% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.36:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Swedish: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Criterion's Ingmar Bergman's Cinema set.
It understandably may be well nigh impossible to choose an "all time greatest filmmaker" of the 20th century, if for no other reason than that personal
tastes differ, but I can't
imagine any "devoted cineaste" not having Ingmar Bergman at least near the top of their own aggregation. Criterion
has been feting
some iconic creative forces with expansive box set compendia of films, including Essential Fellini and
The Complete Films of Agnès Varda, but in terms of overall offerings and packaging extras, Ingmar Bergman's Cinema may
itself be sitting atop a list of finest Blu-ray collection offerings. Some of the films in this impressive collection have in fact had prior releases by
Criterion, as should probably be expected, but there are a fair number making their Blu-ray debuts. As tends to be the case with Criterion releases,
technical merits are also generally excellent, and the supplements can be very appealing.
Smiles of a Summer Night is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of The Criterion Collection with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.36:1. Criterion's kind of overwhelming insert book offers nice summations of each film's transfer attributes, and the relevant data points for this film are as follows:
Picture element: 35 mm original camera negativeA bit more technical information culled from Criterion's original insert booklet (which is not included with this version) is relayed by Svet in his Smiles of a Summer Night Blu-ray review of that Blu-ray release, and I echo his comments on the release. This is a sumptuous presentation which preserves both an organic appearance and some nicely rendered fine detail levels throughout, with consistent contrast and a very nicely modulated gray scale.
Scanner: Arriscan
Transfer resolution: 2K
Sound element: 35 mm optical track
Picture restoration: SF Studios
Sound restoration: Criterion Post
This release duplicates the LPCM Mono track Svet assessed in his original review. The track boasts good fidelity with regard to music, ambient environmental sounds and dialogue, but is another track that shows the limits of the technologies of its production era. Optional English subtitles are available.
Bergman is often thought of almost reflexively as being unrepentantly (or maybe repentantly) dour, depressed and devastating, but for those wanting an unabashedly ebullient version of the auteur, look no further than this beautifully written and performed film. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
För att inte tala om alla dessa kvinnor
1964
2003
Fårödokument
1970
En lektion i kärlek
1954
Fårödokument 1979
1979
Trollflöjten
1975
Kris
1946
Törst
1949
Riten / The Ritual
1969
Scener ur ett äktenskap
1973
Kvinnors väntan / Secrets of Women
1952
Såsom i en spegel
1961
Hamnstad
1948
Till glädje
1950
Djävulens öga
1960
En passion
1969
Efter repetitionen
1984
Sommarlek
1951
Sommaren med Monika
1953
Skepp till Indialand / A Ship Bound for India
1947