Ingmar Bergman's - Autumn Sonata - Criterion Region 0 NTSC vs Continental Home Video Region 0 NTSC Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar Bergman Autumn Sonata DVD Review Ingmar

(aka "Herbstsonate" or "Sonate d'automne" or "Höstsonaten")

Sweden 1978

A stunning union of two of Sweden’s national treasures, Autumn Sonata pairs Ingmar Bergman with Ingrid Bergman for their only joint effort. Ingrid plays a mother who, after forsaking her family for a music career, attempts a reconciliation with her oldest daughter (Liv Ullmann) through a night of painful revelation. Sven Nykvist contributes glorious Eastmancolor cinematography to this quietly beautiful story of forgiveness.

*****

Ingrid Bergman was a juror at Cannes in 1973, when Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" won a Technical Award. Ingrid coyly slips a piece of paper in Ingmar's pocket reminding him he had promised to do a film with her. Four years later that was to come to fruition with the brutally honest, emotionally powerful production, Autumn Sonata.

Ingmar Bergman directed a series of films in the 70’s that have been referred to as "Chamber films" (or "Chamber pieces" ). They involve only a handful of actors and usually focus on very intense interpersonal relationships and situations. Loosely based on Bergman’s own youth, Autumn Sonata is one such film. Made in forty days during late 1977 it starred Ingrid Bergman in her last theatrical role. She portrays a self-centered and sophisticated concert pianist Charlotte, who visits her passive daughter Eva, played by Liv Ullman. This would be the first and only collaboration of the two Bergmans as cancer would take Ingrid's life five years later. This would also mark Liv Ullman’s last great role with Bergman, whose child, Linn Ullman, she bore and would play the younger Eva in the film. Bergman, known as the greatest director of women along with Eric Rohmer, continues his theme of discordance between females as seen in a number of his previous pictures.

The three act masterpiece ebbs and flows like the Chopin and Bach music that is played throughout the film. This is a healthy introduction to Ingmar Bergman's self created style. The niche of ideas and narration that he has formed has impacted immeasurably on the cinematic world.

Excerpt from Gary Tooze's review found HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: October - 1978

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DVD Comparison:

Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Continental Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Andrey Diment for the Region 0 - PAL screen captures!

(Criterion- Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Continental Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Criterion Collection - Spine # 60 Region 0 - NTSC	Continental Home Video Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:32:36	1:32:24
Video	1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.90 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.43 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: Continental
Audio	Swedish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dubbed) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	Swedish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English, and none	English, Spanish, Portuguese and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by film historian Peter Cowie, author of Ingmar Bergman: A Critical Biography • Theatrical trailer ( widescreen 2:22) • Color Bars DVD Release Date: January 11, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 23	Release Information: Studio: Continental Home Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Main feature - 1.32.26 • Original trailer - 0.02.22 • Biographies DVD Release Date: ? Keep Case Chapters 12

Comments:

Neither are anamorphic, but the colors in the Continental seem faded and washed out. Colors in this film are a keynote to the tone. This is a very easy decision. Criterion offers an English dub as well as the Swedish original track and a commentary. Criterion all the way.

- Gary W. Tooze

NOTE: From Luiz Felipe do Vale Tavares:

This company from Brazil, Continental, makes all their DVDs from imported ones, like Criterion, Image, Kino etc. So, all Continental's DVDs are bootlegs. They use, for example, a Criterion DVD, record all content on an analog Beta tape and send this tape for authoring. The authoring company receives the analog Beta tape and, believing it to be an authorized copy, makes the DVD.

Continental can't just extract the VOB files from the original DVD because the authoring companies won't accept it, because it's a clear illegal act. But now almost everyone knows what Continental is doing and it's facing a lot of lawsuits here in Brazil. It won't last too long. Maybe it will go into bankruptcy by the end of the year.

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(Criterion- Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Continental Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Screen Captures