Autumn Sonata Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Autumn Sonata" or "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.

Posters

Theatrical Release: October - 1978

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Comparison:

Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Continental Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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

1) Criterion- Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Continental Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Criterion Collection - Spine # 60 Region 0 - NTSC	Continental Home Video Region 0 - NTSC	Criterion Collection - Spine #60 Region 'A' -Blu-ray
Runtime	1:32:36	1:32:24	1:34:05.848
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	1.66:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,389,502,515 bytes Feature: 19,828,672,512 bytes Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: Continental
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	Swedish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dubbed) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	Swedish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	LPCM Audio Swedish 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit DUB: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English, and none	English, Spanish, Portuguese and none	English, and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion 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	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,389,502,515 bytes Feature: 19,828,672,512 bytes Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Introduction by director Ingmar Bergman from 2003 (6:21) • Audio commentary featuring Bergman expert Peter Cowie • The Making of “Autumn Sonata,” a three-and-a-half-hour program examining every aspect of the production (3:26:33) • New interview with actor Liv Ullmann (18:54) • A 1981 conversation between actor Ingrid Bergman and critic John Russell Taylor at the National Film Theatre in London (39:24) • Trailer (2:30) • English-dubbed track • Liner notes booklet featuring an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme Blu-ray Release Date: September 17th, 2013 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 18

Comments:

NOTE: These Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (August 2013): Firstly, while I remember, the original Criterion non-anamorphic DVD, had the English title card where this Blu-ray has the Swedish. The DVDs had a very earthy tone which I presumed was correct - but the new 1080P shows blue-leaning with greens and reds becoming vibrant while flesh tones cool. The DVDs look horribly faded beside the Blu-ray which tightens incredibly showcasing impressive detail in the many close-ups. Texture is also evident and is even and consistent. It is such a different look that it was like viewing the film, one of my favorite (in my Top 10 for many years), for the first time. I was seeing things that I never had before in SD. This is from a new 2K digital film restoration and Autumn Sonata desperately comes to life in your home theater!

The original Swedish audio (some English) gets the lossless treatment with a monaural linear PCM track. Dialogue remains perfectly clear. Criterion include the same Dolby English DUB as found on their 2000 DVD. I've never listened to it. There are optional subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Criterion's extras are some of the most abundant for any package this year. The film is about 1.5 hours and the extras total almost 4.5 hours not even including the excellent audio commentary featuring Bergman expert Peter Cowie (author of Ingmar Bergman: A Critical Biography). For starters Criterion have included an introduction by director Ingmar Bergman excerpted from the summer of 2003 interview conducted by reporter Marie Nyrerod for SVT Svensk Television - it runs 6.5 minutes. We get The Making of “Autumn Sonata,” a three-and-a-half-hour program examining every aspect of the production. It charts the process of bringing the film to the screen, from the extensive rehearsals with cast and crew to the actual shooting of the film. It runs almost 3.5 hours and is informal - great footage here for Bergman fans! It takes up more disc space than the feature! There is a new 20-minute interview with actor Liv Ullmann shot in 2013 by Criterion in New York - she discusses working with Bergman. Included is a 1981 conversation between actor Ingrid Bergman and critic John Russell Taylor at the National Film Theatre in London. It is interesting and runs 40-minutes. A trailer is added as well as a liner notes booklet featuring an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme.

I couldn't wait to watch and review this as it is such a favorite film. Ullmann may give one of the great performances in all of film. It shatters me. Our highest, and strongest, recommendation for this Blu-ray!

***

ON THE DVDs: 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.