Bergman's Persona (1 Viewer)

[Jason*O]

Hey,

Persona came out on R2 DVD this week and I want to pick it up. Did anyone get it? How is the transfer? How are the extras?

Thanks
Jason
My Website

 

[andrew markworthy]

I've got it but haven't had time to watch it yet (sorry!). However, it is definitely the 'director's cut', with slightly extra dialogue that was considered too 'daring' when the movie was first released in the 1960s.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Finally got round to watching it. The transfer is okay. I've only seen the movie before in not v. good prints at arthouse cinemas and on the TV. Certainly the picture is pretty clean and at times the textures are extremely revealing (the actors' skins at times are revealed as less than flawless!). I thought in places that the contrasts weren't brilliant, but that could be the original print rather than the transfer. Sound is fine - hardly demonstration quality, but clear enough.

The film is the new 'director's cut', for which read that there is a brief glimpse of an erect penis in the opening titles and the English subtitles in the famous 'beach episode' (where Alma recounts her group sex experience) are now *far* more explicit. The movie has a '15' certificate.

Extras are a demonstration of the new explicit subtitles, the previous censored opening titles and a brief set of notes on the movie (if you've not seen the movie before, then don't read these first, because they contain spoilers).

If you like Bergman or have any claims to like cinema, then this is an essential purchase. Persona is up there with Citizen Kane, The Searchers et al as a great movie. However, don't expect an easy viewing. You have to watch this movie several times before you will get any sort of insight into what's going on. Bergman is not the easiest of film makers to follow, and Persona is one of his bleakest and most inaccessible films. However, the effort *is* worth it.

 

[Jason*O]

Thanks for writing up the disc, I love the film and look forward to seeing the dvd.

Jason
My Website

 

[Jason*O]

Hey,
Just noticed that DVDBeaver has a very good review of this film at the webpage.
Here's the link

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Great stuff, guys, I think I'll pick this up now. Astounding, unforgettable piece of Cinema.


Gordy

 

[WaveCrest]

When I read in a DVD review of Persona 'Mulholland Drive', I thought of the possible dream-like similarities to that film. It's a Tartan release I've been meaning to get for a while.