The new Criterion Blu-ray of A Ship to India is part of their Ingmar Bergman’s Cinema 100th Anniversary 30 Blu-ray Boxset (reviewed, as a work in-progress, HERE). It shares the dual-layered Blu-ray with Crisis. We have compared it below to Artificial Eye's Classic Bergman 5-disc Blu-ray set reviewed HERE. The Criterion has a higher bitrate and shows more information in the frame.

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

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ON THE Artificial Eye Classic Bergman 5-disc Blu-ray set: Wonderful. I am immensely impressed with Artificial Eye's Blu-ray package of Classic Bergman. I was overjoyed  to see some of the director's work I had never seen before - and in solid 1080P transfers.

I did some comparisons below - where applicable - to SD versions. In short - the Criterion Sawdust and Tinsel was picture-boxed, modestly cropped and the Sandrew PAL editions were boosted, muddy and very video-like. The Artificial Eye Blu-ray image improve as the films get younger with So Close to Life looking the best. It has fabulous contrast, excellent detail, a pleasing sheen of grain and even some depth. Sawdust and Tinsel and Dreams are likewise excellent for presentation appearance. There is minor frame specific damage marks and scratches and It Rains on Our Love has fluctuating contrast in the beginning. But overall I am very happy with these transfers (essentially single-layering for the features) with mid-20's or higher bitrates.  

I think AE should be very proud of this package. I was floored by the films and thrilled with the a/v of the Blu-ray rendering. This is really a valuable use of the new format - creating a supremely important film-like package fir your Home theater enjoyment. It overflows with value and we give it our highest recommendation.