Persona

Ingmar Bergman's 1966 drama about a revered stage actress (Liv Ullmann) who is suddenly stricken speechless and the adoring young nurse (Bibi Andersson) who watches over her at a quiet seaside retreat was a comeback of sorts for the Swedish director, who had not enjoyed an international success in years. Bergman pares down his style to focus on the faces of the actresses, setting them against austere, neutral backgrounds in order to better capture the subtlety of their interactions as the young woman opens her soul to the older actress in intimate monologues and their relationship roles begin to shift. Bergman uses some experimental and avant-garde techniques, but it is the intimacy and the intensity of the camera's focus—shining in the silvery beauty of Sven Nykvist's cinematography—coupled with the increasingly naked confessions and accusations in the dialogue that combine to create one of the most intense character pieces ever put on film. Criterion's Blu-ray/DVD Combo release is mastered from a stunning digital restoration and features numerous extras, including the 2012 documentary Liv & Ingmar, a visual essay by film scholar Peter Cowie, new and archival interviews, on-set footage with audio commentary by Bergman historian Birgitta Steene, and a booklet. One of Bergman's masterpieces and a landmark film of the 1960s, this is essential for any world cinema collection. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (S. Axmaker)