7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
An accomplished ballet dancer is haunted by her tragic youthful affair with a shy, handsome student.
Starring: Maj-Britt Nilsson, Birger Malmsten, Alf Kjellin, Annalisa Ericson, Mimi PollakForeign | 100% |
Drama | 86% |
Romance | 16% |
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
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Ingmar Bergman's "Sommarlek" a.k.a "Summer Interlude" (1951) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. There are no supplemental features included on this release. However, the disc arrives with a 16-page illustrated booklet featuring Peter Cowie's essay "Love and Death in the Swedish Summer". In Swedish, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Remembering
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Ingmar Bergman's Summer Interlude arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
Considering the fact that the original negative for Summer Interlude has been lost and that the new high-definition transfer was struck from a reconstruction of 35mm duplicate negative sources, the final result is indeed very impressive. Most close-ups convey enormously pleasing depth (see scnreecapture #5), while the panoramic vistas from the island boast excellent fluidity (see screencapture #2). Viewers with large screens (100'+) should also be especially pleased with the stability of the image, as there are no warps or shimmer to report in this review. Also, a steady dose of well resolved grain has been retained throughout the entire film. There are only a few selected scenes where inherited softness is noticeable. Furthermore, there are no traces of problematic sharpening corrections or contrast boosting. Problematic banding and aliasing patterns are not visible either. Unsurprisingly, despite the few minor fluctuations noted above, the film does have a very strong organic look. Lastly, I would like to quickly mention that a few small scratches and lines have been retained as current digital tools could not fully remove them (see screencapture #19), but they are indeed incredibly easy to tolerate. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: Swedish LPCM 1.0. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
The following text appears inside the booklet provided with this Blu-ray disc:
"The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35mm optical soundtrack print. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation."
There are no serious issues to address in the audio department. The lossless audio is stable and provides the film with the depth it needs. The dialog is crisp, clean, and easy to follow. Also, there are no high-frequency distortions or audio dropouts to report in this review. The English translation is excellent.
There is a good reason why Jean-Luc Godard once described Summer Interlude as "the most beautiful of films" - it truly is a stunning piece of cinema. I personally prefer its simplicity over the more challenging nature of Ingmar Bergman's later films. It is the kind of pure film that a mature director cannot direct, because as one grows older one learns how to hide certain feelings and emotions. Summer Interlude was directed by a young director who had experienced something special and wanted to preserve it. As usual, Criterion's presentation is excellent. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Kris
1946
2003
En lektion i kärlek
1954
Nattvardsgästerna
1963
Såsom i en spegel
1961
Hamnstad
1948
Till glädje
1950
Törst
1949
Riten / The Ritual
1969
Sommaren med Monika
1953
Efter repetitionen
1984
En passion
1969
Nära livet
1958
Skepp till Indialand / A Ship Bound for India
1947
Kvinnodröm
1955
Kvinnors väntan / Secrets of Women
1952
Aus dem Leben der Marionetten
1980
Gycklarnas afton
1953
Tystnaden
1963
Skammen
1968