A Walk in the Sun

(aka "A Walk in the Sun" )

directed by Hans Dahlberg
Sweden/Greece 1978

This was a film seen by a fairly high number of people on it's initial release (400.000) but it has since been forgotten. Now it's finally out on DVD for a new generation to watch.

The film moves around Tore, a 43 year old sports journalist who's depressed after his girlfriend's left him. He decides to take a vacation to Cyprus where most of his fellow travelers are middle aged and retired people. It doesn't bother Tore too much as he's mostly drinking heavily to forget.

The guide is Norwegian and her name's Marion. Tore asks her to go to hell as he wants to be alone, and then goes to swim nude in the sea. He's picked up by the police but released and put to medical care in a quiet hospital/asylum where he's only allowed to drink mineral water, eat regularly and take long walks.

After a while, Tore meets Marion again and they fall in love even though they didn't like each other much to begin with...

This might all sound like a film about - nothing. And in many ways it is, but it actually feels refreshing to see something like this sometimes. It's a very tranquil, literal and relaxing movie with a tragic twist to it.

Daniel Mott

Poster

Theatrical Release: 25 December 1978

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DVD Review: Svenska Filminstitutet - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Daniel Mott for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from: NOTE: Discshop.se only sells to all countries inside EU (except Spain)
Distribution	Svenska Filminstitutet Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	1:36:06 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.23 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	Swedish (Mono)
Subtitles	Swedish, English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Svenska Filminstitutet Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by actor Gösta Ekman and film journalist Ronny Svensson (not subtitled) DVD Release Date: 14 October 2005 Transparent Amaray Case Chapters 18

Comments

This is a forgotten masterpiece that has gotten a well reserved restoration and transfer to DVD. The picture is beautiful, in 1.66:1 (not 1.33:1 as stated on the box), non-anamorphic and virtually flawless other than a faint purple vertical line running for some minute in one scene (see last capture). The original mono sound is clear and crisp. Subtitles are available in both Swedish and English. They're easily readable if a bit jaggy. The only supplement is a commentary, that while very well done, is unsubtitled. I highly recommend this film if you're into a slow, bittersweet '70s film with some of the finest Swedish actors of the time.

- Daniel Mott

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