Search - Cries and Whispers [Criterion Collection]

Cries and Whispers stars Liv Ullman and Ingrid Thulin as the sisters of dying cancer patient Harriet Andersson. Both sisters have already had brushes with death: Ullman has had an affair which prompted her husband's suicide, while Thulin has long wanted to do away with herself, at one point mutilating her own vagina out of self-hatred. As for Andersson, she has been in pain so long that she feels as though she's in the midst of death-in-life. With her two sisters wrapped up in their own problems, Harriet turns to her housekeeper Kari Sylwan for comfort; Sylwan has herself suffered the death of a child, and has developed a philosophical attitude towards impending doom. One of the most influential moments of the film -- when two of the sisters share the innermost thoughts that they'd kept from one another for so many years -- is filmed without benefit of dialogue, with the music of Chopin (enhanced by cinematographer Sven Nykvist's carefully selected camera angles) "speaking" for the ladies. While Cries and Whispers only won the Oscar for cinematography, the film did very well for itself in international awards contests. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Harriet Andersson - Agnes
Kari Sylwan - Anna
Ingrid Thulin - Karin
Liv Ullmann - Maria
Erland Josephson - David, the doctor

1973	Best Cinematography (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Sven Nykvist
1973	Best Costume Design (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Marik Vos-Lundh
1973	Best Director (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Ingmar Bergman
1973	Best Original Screenplay (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Ingmar Bergman
1973	Best Picture (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Ingmar Bergman
1973	Best Director (winner)	National Board of Review	Ingmar Bergman
1972	Best Actress (winner)	New York Film Critics Circle	Liv Ullmann
1972	Best Director (winner)	New York Film Critics Circle	Ingmar Bergman
1972	Best Screenplay (winner)	New York Film Critics Circle	Ingmar Bergman

Few films have carried such devastating emotional weight as Ingmar Bergman's haunting Cries and Whispers. Winner of numerous international film awards (as well as being nominated for an Oscar for Best Film), the film brilliantly showcased legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist's striking compositions, and allowed much of the film's mysteries to be translated purely through the images and colors. This really is a film that must be seen in the cinema to be fully appreciated. Not surprisingly, the Criterion Collection has taken the utmost care remastering the print for DVD, allowing the lush, almost surreal colors to bloom and resonate on the small screen like never before. It may not be a huge theater screen, but this disc's picture quality makes home viewing a close second. The image is always balanced and sharp, and there is a sense of detail in the picture that was sadly lacking from previous video releases of the film. Memorable for its constant use of the color red, the image is never soft or fuzzy and only occasionally grows problematic. Blacks are always deep and appropriately velvety. The film is available in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and has been enhanced for widescreen televisions. The disc is available in its original Swedish language mono soundtrack with optional English subtitles or in an inferior English-dubbed option. Most notable, though, is the inclusion of a fascinating and rare interview with the director and actor Erland Josephson (who frequently worked with Bergman). Taken from a Swedish television program, the 52-minute interview is insightful, casual, and a definite chalk above your average interview program, due mostly to some rather lengthy, complex, and hard-hitting questions by the host. The sound isn't always the greatest on the segment, but it's nothing too bothersome. Without a doubt, this is a great look at two great artists. ~ Derek Hill, All Movie Guide

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