7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Dr. Vogler is a hypnotist, a magician, and the leader of a traveling performance troupe known for their apparently supernatural abilities. When Vogler's show arrives in Stockholm, the skeptical townspeople form a committee determined to disprove the supposedly magical abilities of the troupe.
Starring: Max von Sydow, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, Naima Wifstrand, Bengt EkerotForeign | 100% |
Drama | 91% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
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 | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, Ingmar Bergman's "Ansiktet" a.k.a. "The Magician" (1958) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include two interview excerpts with director Ingmar Bergman in which he discusses his work and career and a visual essay with film expert Peter Cowie. The disc also arrives with a 40-page illustrated booklet. In Swedish, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Show me your tongue!
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Ingmar Bergman's The Magician arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
The following text appears inside the booklet provided with this Blu-ray disc:
"This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm fine-grain master positive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system and Pixel Farm's PFClean system, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain, and noise reduction.
Telecine supervisor: Lee Kline.
Telecine colorist: Allan Rogers/Post Logic, New York."
This is an exceptionally strong high-definition transfer. Fine object detail is outstanding, clarity very pleasing, and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. The color scheme is also impressive - the blacks are rich and very well saturated while the variety of grays and whites look natural. Edge-enhancement and macroblocking are never an issue of concern. There are no traces of excessive noise reduction either - the film's grain structure is very much intact. There are no serious stability issues to report in this review either. Truly, aside from a couple of minor flecks popping up here and there, The Magician looks fantastic on Blu-ray. (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 (Mono). 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 monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from 35mm optical soundtrack print. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated audio workstation."
The Swedish LPCM 1.0 track is solid. The dialog is exceptionally crisp, clean, stable, and easy to follow. There are no balance issues with Erik Nordgren's music score either. Naturally, the dynamic amplitude of the Swedish LPCM 1.0 is rather limited, but the sound has pleasing organic qualities. Lastly, while viewing The Magician I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, hissings, or dropouts to report in this review.
Ingmar Bergman - two interview excerpts with director Ingmar Bergman in which he discusses his work and career. The first is from an interview conducted in 1967 for Swedish television. The second is from an audio interview conducted in 1990 by French filmmaker Olivier Assayas and Swedish author and documentary filmmaker Stig Bjorkman.
-- Swedish Television Interview - in Swedish, with optional English subtitles. (4 min, 1080i).
-- Assayas-Bjorkman Interview - in English, with optional English subtitles. (21 min, 1080i).
Peter Cowie - a visual essay in which Bergman expert Peter Cowie deconstructs The Magician and its unique message. In English and Swedish, with optional English subtitles for the film excerpts. (15 min, 1080p).
Booklet - 40-page illustrated booklet containing French filmmaker Olivier Assayas' essay "A Portrait of the Artist" (the essay originally appeared in the October 1990 issue of Cahier du Cinema); Geoff Andrew's essay "Through A Glass Drolly" (the author is head of film programming at London's BFI Southbank and a contributing editor to Time Out London); and "Bergman on The Magician", an excerpt from the 1994 book Images: My Life in Film).
Thought-provoking and genuinely entertaining, Ingmar Bergman's The Magician has received a terrific treatment from Criterion. I really hope that in 2011 we see more of the great Swedish director's films on Blu-ray - The Virgin Spring, my favorite Summer with Monika, and of course Fanny and Alexander would be special. In the meantime, I urge you to add this terrific film to your libraries. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
En passion
1969
Vargtimmen
1968
Tystnaden
1963
Såsom i en spegel
1961
Törst
1949
Riten / The Ritual
1969
Efter repetitionen
1984
Aus dem Leben der Marionetten
1980
Skammen
1968
Hamnstad
1948
Till glädje
1950
Nära livet
1958
Skepp till Indialand / A Ship Bound for India
1947
Kvinnodröm
1955
Kvinnors väntan / Secrets of Women
1952
Kris
1946
2003
Gycklarnas afton
1953
Nattvardsgästerna
1963
En lektion i kärlek
1954