Scenes From a Marriage Blu-ray

Search DVDBeaver

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

(aka "Scenes from a Marriage")

Sweden 1973

Marianne (Liv Ullmann) and Johan (Erland Josephson) always seemed like the perfect couple. But when Johan suddenly leaves Marianne for another woman, they are forced to confront the disintegration of their marriage. Shot in intense, intimate close-ups by master cinematographer Sven Nykvist, the film chronicles ten years of turmoil and love that bind the couple despite their divorce and subsequent marriages. Flawless acting and dialogue portray the brutal pain and uplifting peace that accompany a lifetime of loving. Originally conceived as a six-part miniseries for Swedish television.

***

Scenes from a Marriage chronicles the many years of love and turmoil that bind Marianne and Johan, tracking their relationship through matrimony, infidelity, divorce, and subsequent partnerships. Originally conceived by director Ingmar Bergman as a five-hour, six-part television miniseries, the film is also presented in its three-hour theatrical cut. Shot largely in intense, intimate close-ups by cinematographer Sven Nykvist and featuring flawless performances by Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson, Bergman’s emotional X-ray reveals the deep joys and pains of a complex bond.

Posters

Theatrical Release: April 11th, 1973 - Sweden (TV Premiere)

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Criterion (3 Disc) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. SF (Svenska filmindustri) (2 Disc) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion (2 Disc) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

NOTE: SF (Svenska filmindustri) is only the Television version!

Big thanks to Per-Olof Strandberg for the SF (Svenska filmindustri) screen captures!

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT

2) SF (Svenska filmindustri) - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE

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

Box Covers			Part of Criterion's Bergman Blu-ray Boxset coming out in November 2018:
Distribution	Criterion - Spine # 229 - Region 0 - NTSC	SF (Svenska filmindustri) Region 2 - PAL	Criterion Collection - Spine # 229 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	Approx. 2:43 US Theatrical and 6 hour Swedish Television version	part 1: 49:28, part 2: 39:26, part 3: 49:22 part 4: 49:25, part 5: 49:26, part 6: 48:46 (4% PAL speedup)	Disc One - TV Version: 4:59:50.806 Disc 2 Theatrical: 2:49:56.186
Video	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.43 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: unknown PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	Disc One - TV Version: Disc Size: 49,921,268,312 bytes Feature Size: 49,730,912,256 bytes Average Bitrate: 18.71 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P Disc 2 Theatrical: Disc Size: 48,675,728,593 bytes Feature Size: 43,971,422,208 bytes Average Bitrate: 30.58 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P
Disc One - TV Version: Blu-ray
Disc 2 Theatrical: Blu-ray
Audio	Swedish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	Swedish (Dolby Digital 1.0)	LPCM Audio Swedish 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, and none	Swedish HoH, Norwegian, Finnish , Danish and none	English, and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion / Home Vision Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.37:1 Edition Details: • SPECIAL EDITION THREE–DISC SET FEATURES: • New high-definition digital transfers of both the television and theatrical versions, with restored image and sound • Comparison between the television and theatrical versions by film scholar Peter Cowie • Exclusive new video interview with stars Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson • Video interview with Ingmar Bergman • New essay by author Phillip Lopate • New and improved English subtitle translation • Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer editions DVD Release Date: March 16th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters: 9 + 8 + 8 = 25	Release Information: Studio: SF (Svenska filmindustri) Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.37:1 Edition Details: ONLY THE TELEVISION VERSION Details: DVD Release Date: December 10th, 2003 Keep Case Chapters 6 X 6 According to the cover: The film is restored from original film-negative and original sound mix	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Disc One - TV Version: Disc Size: 49,921,268,312 bytes Feature Size: 49,730,912,256 bytes Average Bitrate: 18.71 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P Disc 2 Theatrical: Disc Size: 48,675,728,593 bytes Feature Size: 43,971,422,208 bytes Average Bitrate: 30.58 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P Edition Details: Disc Two • Interviews with Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson (24:44) • "Ingmar Bergman" (15:12) • "On the Versions" (15:02) An essay by author Phillip Lopate Blu-ray Release Date: September 4th, 2013 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters: 47 / 23

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Criterion Region 'A' Blu-ray - (August 2018) Criterion bring Bergman's "Scenes from a Marriage" to Blu-ray in this new 2-disc set. The first disc houses the film's original 5 hour Swedish Television version (in NTSC not original PAL.) The second disc has the theatrical cut. The bitrate on the first disc is understandably low, but the image looks much better than the DVD, especially in motion. Detail levels are significantly improved and there is heavy grain present, as it should be (the film was shot in 16mm). Where the previous Criterion DVD was ever-so-slightly cropped at the top of the frame, this seems to be fixed on the new Blu-ray transfer (see candle at the top of the chandelier in the second cap, or the strand of hair now visible in the third cap). The bitrate is much higher on the second disc and the image looks very similar, if not better, when in motion.

Criterion have also included the uncompressed mono soundtracks for each version of the film. These are 24-bit 1.0 tracks. There are optional English subtitles on this Region-A Blu-ray.

Criterion carry over the extras from their previous DVD. These include the 2003 interviews with actors Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson. The two actors both had prolific careers working with Ingmar Bergman and other esteemed directors and both went on to direct projects of their own.

The success of Scenes from a Marriage catapulted them to international celebrity. Liv Ullmann was interviewed in New York and Josephson in Stockholm. "Ingmar Bergman" is a 1986 interview for Swedish television, with Bergman reflecting on the making of Scenes from a Marriage, discussing the characters he created and the strong responses they elicited from their audience. Scenes from a Marriage was originally filmed as a six-part television series; it was then edited by director Ingmar Bergman into a feature film. "On the Versions" is a 2003 program with Bergman biographer Peter Cowie discussing the two versions of the film and the choices the director made in the editing process.

This is a very nice improvement on the previous DVD, thanks to Criterion. It should be noted that this film will also be included in the upcoming Bergman boxset from Criterion that is coming in November 2018. Strongly Recommended to fans of Bergman.

Colin Zavitz

***

ON THE DVDs: When the film was shot for television, and afterward re-cut to cinema, the cinema print is most probably made from an inter negative from the original negative, and then made a new 35 mm inter-negative for the film-copies, therefore, I suspect that the TV version should have better picture quality than the cinema print!

Opposite to Rohmers 16 mm films, this is NOT MADE FOR THE SCREEN. Therefore it's made as most of the Nordic TV series in early 70'. I have seen it in television, and it looks exactly the same. Most of the 16 mm films shot for the screen uses more lightning than the television productions!

Per-Olof Strandberg

The image quality of these editions don't seem very different. The Criterion is cropped on top the Svenska filmindustri on the bottom - both negligibly. The Criterion has English subs and the SF version does not. The SF looks a little green and a little 'heavy', but nothing untoward. This looks pretty acceptable from both sides. Criterion will nip ahead in the image, Extras and menus.