The Seventh Seal Streaming
Thursday, July 8th, 2010 |
The Seventh Seal Streaming.
Movie Title: The Seventh Seal The Seventh Seal is available for streaming or downloading. |
For the relate, I gain the unique DVD release of The Seventh Seal along with this original HD transfer Blu Ray release and have done a miniature set checking comparisons between the two.
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For those that are unaware of what this film is, it has become an icon in the art house circle of film. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival; a testament to its impact in this arena. I don’t pay mind to “Artsy” films and usually don’t indulge in them, however I took a chance on the new Criterion DVD release and loved it; thus the need and desire to upgrade to Blu Ray.
The record is one of a knight (Antonius Block) and his squire (Jöns) returning from the Crusades only to secure that his homeland is being conquered by the plague. He travels the land towards his goal of being reunited with, what he has stated, is a wife whom he married young and has not seen for the 10 years he spent in the Crusades. In the opening scene Anotonius is greeted by Death. In a sequence that has been parodied in several films (Bill & Ted battling Death at Twister comes to mind), Antonius challenges death to a game of chess. If Anotonius wins, he goes on with his life; if he loses, his life comes to an ruin. The game is not finished in a first sitting and there are several scenes in which the game takes a role.
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As he travels, a rag effect band of people accompany him; a smith, the smith’s wife, a woman whom Jöns saves from death and rape and two actors and their child with whom Antonius shares strawberries and milk in a scene where he begins to feel at peace.
Antonius struggles with his lot in life; questioning the existence of God, begging Death to lend him some of evidence of God’s existence (to which Death offers none) and eventually accepting his fate and using his reprieve to achieve the lives of the actors and their child thus giving meaning to a life which he felt meaningless.
To gather to the Blu Ray specific details, the video is transferred from a freshly prepared and restored film master. At least one sequence I occupy seeing pain in the unique DVD, which is shown in Criterion’s recent “how was it remastered” extra, is no longer damaged in this transfer. In fact, there was no easily apparent harm to be found anywhere and a more pristine print is likely unattainable. Criterion did a fine job on the video transfer and have given the video an upgrade it desperately deserved. It is presented on the Blu Ray disc in it’s unusual aspect ratio of 1.37:1 so anyone expecting a cropped, stretched or otherwise molested image will be disappointed. Everyone expecting a movie presented in its fresh aspect ratio will certainly be ecstatic.
Not being a tall expert on things like film grain and what formats prove more grain than others when transferred to HD, I have to construct it known that there IS grain reveal in this film. I don’t know, however, whether this grain is due to the new format of the masters or if Criterion added said grain during their transfer.
On the audio side, you have the fresh Swedish mono audio remastered and restored in 24 bit LPCM uncompressed format. There isn’t a pop, click or crackle to be found, objective certain audio free of defects and articulate. Also available, and I’m unaware of the format of it or if it has any damage/hiss/pop/crackle, is an optional English language dubbed sound track which I did not listen to.
Subtitles are improved from the recent DVD release as the subtitles are a more literal translation. I admit to not really noticing a titanic inequity in this arena, but if Criterion claims to have improved them, I will win their word for it.
For extras you have quite a few original ones (and all the ragged ones, minus one, detailed below) :
-Introduction to the movie by Ingmar Burgman (originally intended for presentation prior to playing the film on Swedish TV)
-Audio commentary by Peter Cowie (same as the fresh DVD release)
-Afterword on the commentary by Cowie (current)
-Bergman Island (status of mini-documentaries merged to do 1- 83 runt documentary w/ interviews of Bergman; first time on any home video format)
-Archival audio only interview with Antonius Block actor, Max von Sydow
-1989 tribute to Bergman by Woody Allen
-Original trailer
-Bergman 101 (Peter Cowie gives a selected filmography of Bergman’s work)
For packed in extras, you will receive a printed booklet with an essay by film critic Gary Giddins. It’s a very high quality printing.
The only extra that doesn’t seem to have made the transfer to HD, as it was really specific to the current DVD release, was the Restoration Demonstration. Everything else from the novel is included, along with quite a few, very marvelous, additions.
If you gain the current DVD release and want to contain the definitive edition of the movie, you shouldn’t hesitate to capture up this Blu Ray disc.
If you beget the new and don’t really care for the film or don’t feel the need to upgrade, then nothing on this release will change your mind.
If you don’t have the previous release and want to contemplate what all the “fuss” is about and want it in as perfect a presentation as is possible, lift this on Blu Ray.
As a notice, the unusual DVD release is “matted” in order to ensure every TV/display shows off as grand of the release as possible. Only the Blu Ray disc retains the current 1.37:1 ratio.
The film:
Bergman is one of those things. He won’t appeal to everyone. It’s arty, yes. It’s high belief. But really, when you collect down to it, many of his movies are not hard to eye at all. This one might be the most accessible. Max Von Sydow plays a crusading knight returning home wearily after a long campaign. With his servant, he encounters a country besieged by plague and despair. Against this backdrop, he encounters Death, whom he challenges to a chess match. Does he want to live forever? No. He wants answers to his soul-chilling skepticism about God and life.
The performances are all very suitable, especially Von Sydow and Gunnar Björnstrand as his squire. Dialogue is clipped and spare, but evocative. Sydow has some particularly ample scenes in the chapel, confessing his doubts.
Overall, it’s easy to inspect why this film is hailed as a classic. It’s deep, but also brief enough and paced well enough to be delightful. The ending is a bit cryptic, but not in an off-putting scheme. It should definitely be viewed by anyone with an launch mind for “world cinema.”
The Blu-Ray:
This is a astronomical transfer. This is what I’m definite we all hoped “Dr. Strangelove” would be. There is a ravishing, regular grain structure which allows us to spy terrific detail, especially in foliage, facial features, and cloth textures. Unlit levels are solid and consistent, so objects in the shadows are always well delineated.
You MUST beget definite your gamma and brightness are dwelling well! This is a film in which a lot of stuff can be lost in the shadows – it is very high incompatibility. In the opening shot, if your reveal is crushing blacks, the mountains will seek like one sunless blob, when in fact there is a titanic amount of detail and shading on rocks. SO: if you do not have a disc like Digital Video Essentials, at the very least pop in a Lucasfilm disc to utilize the “THX Calibrator.” It has a contrast/brightness pattern that should acquire you dwelling correct.
Extras include a LONG documentary/interview fraction with Bergman in his later life, presented in 1080i. Commentary is provided by a film scholar.
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If you are a fan of Bergman or this film, this is a no-brainer. There is detail here you’d never glance on a DVD, and the dim levels (so critical on a b/w film like this) are considerable deeper and more consistent than any SD presentation could allow. Extras are a nice complement, and for the sign, you really can’t beat this, especially compared to what Criterion releases cost objective a few short years ago.
If you’re more of a neophyte to this kind of cinema, you should rent first. Contemplate if you like this sort of thing. Don’t be daunted by the reputation of this and other Criterion releases. Give it a well-behaved unbiased try. You might be pleasantly surprised.
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