Dreams Blu-ray - Harriet Andersson

(aka "Dreams" or "Journey Into Autumn")

Sweden 1955

Given how impossible it is for anyone to really got a handle on the scope of film history (in one country even, not to mention the world), it makes sense that as film discoverers searching through the films of the past we tend to find ourselves drawn towards the films that are held in the highest regard. Yet more often than not, when I'm catching up with a director's body of work, I find that I enjoy some of the lesser-known films as much or more than the best-known ones. The perfect example: a few weeks back I watched four Ingmar Bergman films for the first time - two were earlier films that I wasn't familiar with (Monika and Dreams) and two were "classics" that I felt guilty for not having seen before (Wild Strawberries and Persona). While I enjoyed all four, the film that has stuck with me the most since I watched it is Bergman's 1955 film Dreams, generally considered a minor work in his overall filmography. While the film may lack the visual complexity of Persona or the big, life and death issues of Wild Strawberries, it is such a beautifully constructed and emotionally powerful film - with a personal, intimate atmosphere in terms of both visuals and the plot - that to me it will be impossible to forget.

Excerpt from Dave Heaton's review at Erasing Clouds located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 22 August 1955

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL vs. Classic Bergman (Artificial Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Arvid for the DVD Review!

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL LEFT

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Cover

Distribution	Sandrews Region 2 - PAL	Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray	Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE- Blu-ray
Runtime	1:23:33 (4% PAL speedup)	1:27:20.235	1:28:00.275
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.87 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,269,979,134 bytes Feature: 18,080,338,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,166,690,889 bytes Feature: 23,281,870,848 bytes Video Bitrate: 31.34 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate: Artificial Eye Blu-ray
Bitrate Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE- Blu-ray
Audio	Swedish Dolby Digital 1.0	LPCM Audio Swedish 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit	LPCM Audio Swedish 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	Norweigan	English, none	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Sandrews Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: DVD Release Date: 2003-11-07 Keep case Chapters 18	Release Information: Studio: Artificial Eye 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,269,979,134 bytes Feature: 18,080,338,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • on Dreams disc: 'Women and Bergman' (28:42 in 1080i) • on So Close to Life: 'Men and Bergman' (52:09 in 1080i) Blu-ray Release Date: June 7th, 2012 Chapters: 12 (for each)	Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,166,690,889 bytes Feature: 23,281,870,848 bytes Video Bitrate: 31.34 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • shares the Blu-ray Disc with *A Lesson in Love* Blu-ray Release Date: November 20th, 2018 Custom Blu-ray Case Chapters 15

Comments

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

The Criterion Blu-ray of Dreams is part of their Ingmar Bergman’s Cinema 100th Anniversary 30 Blu-ray Boxset (reviewed, as a work in-progress, HERE). Dreams shares this Blu-ray with A Lesson in Love. See comparative captures, a listing of technical details, extras etc., on this page. The 1080P is a obvious upgrade.

The transfer here is right up there with the rest on this set. This is a transfer from the original 35mm negative - restored in 2017.

The film shares the Blu-ray disc with "A Lesson In Love". The film has a high bitrate, and looks marvelous in motion. The level of detail is impressive, in almost every single frame. The darker scenes are also transferred well, thanks to brilliant contrast levels hosting a wide spectrum of blacks. There are some instances of vertical scratches but they are not at all distracting, and they only add a cinematic texture of the film. When compared to the Blu-ray in the Classic Bergman set from Artificial Eye, the image is a tad brighter, though still with a deep contrast. There is also more information on the left, right, or bottom of the frame depending on the scene. The Criterion Blu-ray boasts a higher bitrate and feature file size.

Criterion present Bergman's "Dreams" with a 24-bit 1.0 Swedish linear PCM track. This is a fine track, with clearly audible dialogue (not that I understand what they're saying) sound effects. There are optional English subtitles on this Region FREE Blu-ray.

There are no extras for "Dreams" on this Blu-ray.

This Blu-ray of "Dreams" boasts an impressive transfer, even by Criterion's high standards. This Bergman Boxset is a must-own and this Blu-ray is gorgeous.

NOTE: Yes, as has been leaked, we can now confirm that this Blu-ray set is Region FREE!

Colin Zavitz

***

ON THE DVD: This movie was released just before Ingmar Bergman's international breakthrough move "Smiles Of a Summernight". It's a story about four women's experiences one weekend in Gothenburg (Sweden's second biggest city.) In big roles we've got the "Bergman stars" Harriet Andersson and Gunnar Björnstrand.

Sweden has been really slow with releasing Ingmar Bergman's movies, and I think this is the only one that's only available in Sweden at present (No other countries). There are a lot of Bergman movies that are released in the US and UK but not in Sweden on DVD.

The picture is really sharp and has good contrast, but there are no extras at all. Hopefully this movie will be released with English subtitles (and why not some extras?) soon, because if you don't understand Swedish (or Norwegian), you won't have much joy with this one.

- Arvid

DVD Menus

Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray

Screen Captures

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Sandrews - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2) Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray - BOTTOM

More Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE Blu-ray Captures

Box Cover

Distribution
Sandrews

Region 2 - PAL
Artificial Eye - Region 'B' - Blu-ray Criterion (Ingmar Bergman's Cinema) - Region FREE- Blu-ray

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