Sawdust and Tinsel [Criterion Collection]

Director: Ingmar Bergman Ingmar Bergman

Overview

1953's Gycklarnas Afton (aka Sawdust and Tinsel and The Naked Night) predated the films that earned Ingmar Bergman his international reputation by several years -- Smiles of a Summer Night, The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries, which appeared between 1955 and 1957 -- but it was one of his first pictures that truly displayed the master's confident touch, and gave Bergman's favorite themes of longing, despair and the cruelties of fate an intelligent and imaginative airing, earning the film a potent reputation among his admirers. The Criterion Collection have given Sawdust and Tinsel a long-overdue release on DVD, and the results live up to the high standards Criterion set for their previous releases of Bergman's work. Sawdust and Tinsel has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the sensuous play of light and shadow in Sven Nykvist's cinematography has been captured in all its glory in this release, sourced from a print that's practically spotless. The audio for the film has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono, and the quality is admirably strong given the age of the source materials. The dialogue is in Swedish, with optional English subtitles. Compared to many of Criterion's releases, this is a bit short on bonus materials; the film is prefaced by an introduction Bergman shot for a Swedish television broadcast in 2003, and critic and film historian Peter Cowie contributes an informative alternate commentary track. (The booklet also includes essays from John Simon and Catherine Breillat.) But if this edition of Sawdust and Tinsel isn't packed to the brim with additional material, the transfer is beautiful and this pivotal film from Ingmar Bergman is finally given a quality DVD release in the United States, which makes it a must for students of the international cinema.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/19/2007
UPC:	0715515026628
Original Release:	1953
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:32:00
Sales rank:	43,144

Special Features

New, restored high-definition digital transfer of the film, featuring five minutes of material not included in previous US releases; Audio commentary by Bergman scholar Peter Cowie; Video introduction by Bergman from 2003; New and improved English subtitle translation; A new essay by critic John Simon and an appreciation by filmmaker Catherine Breillat

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Harriet Andersson	Anne
Ake Gronberg	Albert Johansson
Hasse Ekman	Frans
Anders Ek	Teodor Frost
Annika Tretow	Alma Johansson
Kiki	Agda
Gudrun Brost	Alma Frost
Gunnar Bjornstrand	Sjuberg
Erik Strandmark	Jens
Ake Fridell	Officer
Curt Lowgren	Blom
Vanjek Hedberg	Ekberg's Son
Lissi Alandh	Actress
Naemi Briese	Mrs. Meijer
Agda Helin	Actress
Goran Lundquist	Agda's son #1
Majken Torkeli	Ekbergskan
Hanny Schedin	Asta
Karl-Birger Blomdahl	Composer

Technical Credits

Ingmar Bergman

Ingmar Bergman	Director,Screenwriter
Rune Waldekranz	Producer

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Sawdust and Tinsel
1. Traveling Circus [7:12]
2. Frost and Alma [4:19]
3. Humiliation [4:22]
4. Rain in a New Town [3:33]
5. Unrest and a Brainstrom [4:09]
6. The Circus Visits the Theater [6:12]
7. Frans Is Smitten [4:13]
8. Cirkus Alberti Causes a Stir [3:20]
9. Anne Is Jealous [2:42]
10. Reunion [6:27]
11. Rehearsal [3:49]
12. Power and Seduction [5:49]
13. A Proposal Rejected [3:16]
14. Anne's Prize [1:49]
15. Confession [5:11]
16. Albert Feels Sorry [4:51]
17. Albert and Frost [3:16]
18. Clowns and Actors [3:05]
19. A Duel in the Ring [5:48]
20. Albert Responds [6:01]
21. The Caravan Moves On [2:52]
1. Background [7:12]
2. Themes [4:19]
3. Close-ups/Strindberg [4:22]
4. 1953/The Passing of the Torch [3:33]
5. Team Spirit/Harriet Andersson [4:09]
6. Performer and Audience [6:12]
7. Hasse Ekman/Jealousy [4:13]
8. Bergman and the Authorities [3:20]
9. Writing Sawdust and Tinsel [2:42]
10. Marriage and Bergman [6:27]
11. Actors and Rehearsals [3:49]
12. One-on-One Scenes [5:49]
13. Variety [3:16]
14. A Business Transaction [1:49]
15. No Religion [5:11]
16. Strindberg/Nykvist [4:51]
17. Frost and Albert [3:16]
18. Symbols/The Bear [3:05]
19. Clashes and Humiliation [5:48]
20. Parallels [6:01]
21. Reception and Reputation [2:52]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Sawdust and Tinsel
   Ingmar Bergman Introduction
      Play
   Play the Movie
   Chapters
   Color Bars
   Commentary
      Commentary: Off
      Commentary: On
      Index
      Color Bars
   Subtitles
      Subtitles: On
      Subtitles: Off