Woody
Allen once said Ingmar Bergman was the greatest filmmaker since the invention
of the cinema, and his favorite of the many masterpieces created by the auteur
is The Seventh Seal (originally
released in Sweden in 1957).While an
earlier edition of the film was released on DVD by The Criterion Collection
years ago, the company has seen fit to restore and re-release it in a special
2-disk set (both on Blu-Ray and DVD).In
short, the results are magnificent.
Extras
on the first disk are the previously mentioned filmed Afterword, a commentary
by Cowie, a narrated tribute to Bergman by Woody Allen, an audio interview with
Max von Sydow, and the theatrical trailer.The bonus disk is the same as Bergman
Island, also a separate release by Criterion (see below).
Any
serious film buff must have The Seventh
Seal in his or her collection.
This
disk is sold separately at a reduced price for those collectors who already own
The Seventh Seal and don’t wish to
buy the new 2-disk restored edition.In
2003, Swedish documentarian Marie Nyreröd sat down with Ingmar Bergman at his
home on Fårö Island to discuss his work, fears, regrets, and ongoing artistic
passion.For nearly an hour-and-a-half,
we are treated to the most intimate and soul-searching look at one of cinema’s
greatest artists.Bergman takes us
through several of his key films and reveals secrets and anecdotes that will
enthrall cinefiles.Beautifully shot in
color, one can understand why Bergman chose to live on Fårö, make films there,
and almost never leave.It is an idyllic
location, fitting for the creator of such works of art as The Seventh Seal, Wild
Strawberries, Through a Glass Darkly,
Persona, Cries and Whispers, and Fanny
and Alexander, just to name a handful.Featured as an extra is “Bergman 101,†an excellent retrospective on
Bergman’s career narrated by Peter Cowie.