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The Film (5/5)
*There are spoilers for the Virgin Spring in the review. Do not read if you haven't seen.
The Virgin Spring follows the family of Christian Tore (the legendary Max Von Sydow), and his wife Mareta (Birgitta Valberg). One morning they send their virginal daughter Karin (Birgitta Pettersson) to deliver candles to a distant church with the help of her pregnant servant Ingeri. Along the way Ingeri is disturbed by a one-eyed pagan man, and runs away. Karin continues the journey seemingly alone, until she meets up the 3 herdsman 2 older, and one young boy around the age of 12. She offers her lunch to them, and during the meal is raped and murdered by the older men, while the younger watches in horror. As it turns out Ingeri also, was in the woods watching, too horrified to act, and also wishing the actions upon Karin out of a desire for Karin to feel what it is like to be her, in Ingeri's present raped and pregnant state. Ingeri then runs off. The 3 herdsman will later turn up at the home of Christian and Mareta looking for work and lodging, which will set things up for things to come up to a brutal and shocking conclusion.
The Virgin Spring may be one of Bergman's best known films after the obvious Seventh Seal. It is the film that got the director his first U.S. academy award, and was also remade by director Wes Craven into his debut feature film The Last House on the Left (coincidentally, that comes out on SE Blu-ray via Arrow Video next week for those who want to compare the two). Oddly, in interviews and written material it appears that Bergman went on to have less of a love for this one, which is strange as it is quite the powerful film, with many striking images, not all centered around the brutality at the films center.
Of course, the film has a rape around the 30-40 minute mark, but as this was 1960 it is not depicted in overly harsh tones. The true power here, is through the drama, both written, and through the performances both from the actors who played the herdsman, and of course, Von Sydow, who has anguish and pain etched into his every move throughout the film's denouement. As an aside the performances all through the film are marvelous. Birgitta Petersson plays the trusting and innocent Karin, with sheer perfection up until the moment she knows something terrible is afoot. Gunnel Lindblom who plays Ingeri has some heavy moments of dynamic drama from the frightened moments in the woods to the later period where she admits in sadness and distress that she feels that she wished death and pain upon Karin.
Aside from a one-off collaboration on Bergman's pre-international fame Sawdust and Tinsel, The Virgin Spring could be viewed as the beginning of the true collaboration between Bergman and cinematographer Sven Nykvist. This collaboration would continue for over 20 years until the director's retirement film Fanny & Alexander, and immediately one can see why as the images in this film are truly stunning. The black and white cinematographer is crisp and gorgeous, and offers some of the most stunning and well composed visuals of Bergman's career up to this point.
Audio/Video (4/5)
Criterion did wonderful work bringing The Virgin Spring to Blu-ray in a 1:33:1 1080p AVC encoded transfer. Contrast is excellent, detail is solid throughout, and grain is quite organic and natural. There are moments of damage from the source and speckling, but that is rarely distracting.
Audio is handled with an LPCM mono track in Swedish. Everything here sounds crisp and clear with no discernible issues.
Extras (4/5)
The disc kicks off with an introduction by Ang Lee. There is a commentary track by Bergman scholar Birgitta Steene. 2 interviews one with Gunnel Lindblom, the other with Birgitta Petersson. There is also a 6 part lecture with Bergman at the AFI in 1975, and a booklet of liner notes.
Overall
The Virgin Spring is just marvelous. I am a Bergman junkie, I am biased, I am not sorry. The Blu-ray looks and sound incredible. It has a slate of extras taken from 2006, but they're still great. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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