The Virgin Spring

Still potent after nearly half a century, Ingmar Bergman's Oscar-winning 1960 drama The Virgin Spring—based on a medieval ballad—depicts a world torn between paganism and Christianity, in which an anguished father (played with trademark intensity by Bergman regular Max von Sydow) seeks revenge against vagrants who raped and murdered his daughter on her way to church (presented in a controversial and still shocking scene). Devoutly religious, the father struggles with God's apparent absence, until the killers unwittingly turn up at his door. Filmed by legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist in crisp, vivid black and white, The Virgin Spring is one of Bergman's best, advancing a godless worldview (or is it?) that is still passionately emotional in its depiction of a cruel test of faith. Presented with a pristine transfer, this Criterion Collection edition also includes a host of bonus features: an introduction by director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), who describes the powerful impact of viewing this, his first "art film," at the age of 18; authoritative audio commentary by Bergman scholar Birgitta Steene; new video interviews with lead actresses Gunnel Lindblom and Birgitta Pettersson; and audio excerpts from a lecture Bergman gave at the American Film Institute in 1975. Highly recommended. (J. Shannon) [Blu-ray/DVD Review—June 26, 2018—Criterion, 90 min., in Swedish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.95, Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its debut on Blu-ray and latest appearance on DVD, 1960’s The Virgin Spring features an excellent transfer with uncompressed mono audio on the Blu-ray release. Extras include audio commentary by Ingmar Bergman scholar Birgitta Steene, a 2005 intro by filmmaker Ang Lee (7 min.), the 1975 audio recording 'Ingmar Bergman at the AFI' (41 min.), 2005 interviews with costars Gunnel Lindblom and Birgitta Pettersson (21 min.), and a booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Peter Cowie, reflections by screenwriter Ulla Isaksson, and the medieval ballad on which the film is based. Bottom line: an excellent edition of this Bergman classic.]