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Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

Edition Details:

• New visual essay on the film’s prologue by Ingmar Bergman scholar Peter Cowie (20:15)
• New interviews with actor Liv Ullmann (16:07) and filmmaker Paul Schrader (10:58)
• Excerpted archival interviews with Bergman, Ullmann, and actor Bibi Andersson from 1966 (19:34)

• Excerpted archival interview with Bergman from 1970 (8:12)

• On-set footage, with audio commentary by Bergman historian Birgitta Steene (18:07)
• Liv & Ingmar, a 2012 feature (1:24:25) documentary directed by Dheeraj Akolkar
• Trailer (2:44)
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Thomas Elsaesser, an excerpt from the 1970 book Bergman on Bergman, and an excerpted 1977 interview with Andersson

 

Blu-ray Release Date: March 25th, 2014
Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 16

ADDITION: Criterion - Region FREE - Blu-ray - February 2014': Criterion's new 2K-sourced transfer looks so impressive. Detail in the many close-ups are jaw-dropping. Contrast is at Criterion's usual, excellent, levels. The transfer is dual-layered with a supportive bitrate. It seems to show slightly more information in the frame than the Tartan. Wonderfully, consistent grain textures are evident. It looks hypnotic in-motion - I could have made screen captures all day.

Criterion stay true to form with an authentic linear PCM mono track at 1152 kbps in original Swedish. It sounds clean and consistent. Lars Johan Werle (Hour of the Wolf) did the score and it sounds flat with a bit of bass notable. There are optional English subtitles on the region FREE-locked Blu-ray disc.

Criterion add some fabulous extras. There is a new, 20-minute, visual essay on the film’s 7-minute prologue by Ingmar Bergman scholar Peter Cowie. It was produced by Criterion in 2013. Originally recorded for Swedish television there is an excerpt from an interview where Person's director and lead actors discuss the evolution of the film and their individual interpretations of it. In an 8-minute interview excerpt with Bergman from 1970 Canadian TV the director recalls a stay in the hospital when the idea for Persona came to him. Criterion have a 2013 interviews with actor Liv Ullmann lasting 16-minutes - she goes into detail about the making of Persona, her connection to the character of Elisabeth Vogle, and what she took away from this life-changing experience. Also from 2013 and by Criterion we get a 10-minute interview with writer director Paul Schrader - who has been a long-time fan or Bergman - he discusses the lasting impact of Persona. Criterion include 18-minutes of silent, black + white footage shot during the production of Persona. It is presented with audio commentary by Ingmar Bergman scholar Brigitta Steene. The 2012 feature documentary, Liv & Ingmar, directed by Dheeraj Akolkar runs almost 1.5 hours and explores the five-decade friendship and working relationship between actor Liv Ullmann and filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, who died in 2007. It is shot primarily on the grounds of Bergman's home on faro Island in Sweden and told, entirely, from Ullmann's point of view. There is also a trailer and liner notes booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Thomas Elsaesser, an excerpt from the 1970 book Bergman on Bergman, and an excerpted 1977 interview with Andersson.

ON THE DVDs: The Tartan is much brighter - and may be partially artificially induced. It still looks quite sharp for a DVD5 - but possibly a notch less-sharp than the MGM. The MGM is cropped on all 4 sides (calculated to be 11.5% of the image!) - a significant amount. Personally I like the high brightness levels on the Tartan. Its whites are ultra-white (like bleach) where there is a dullish brown hazy over the MGMs. The subtitles are very good on both version. Both have quality Extras with MGM's commentary, interviews and short featurette making them the winner in that category. The MGM has a (useless) English dub and more subtitle options. Both offer original 2.0 audio. I won't be trading up from my Tartan, but I suspect many of you may want to, if only for the Extras. I am unhappy about the cropping (enough removed to make me mention it) on the MGM and I am not bothered enough by the brightness (too bright!) of the Tartan.