Ingmar Bergman’s 1961 Academy Award winner enters the Criterion Collection
Art inspires art. Stories inspire stories. Such is the case with The Virgin Spring, a film inspired by a medieval ballad that later provided the basis for Wes Craven’s Last House on the Left (1972). It’s a curious nexus for a film to occupy, but while Ingmar Bergman’s work is less embracing of the horror genre than Craven’s effort, it takes nothing away from its harrowing potency.
Synopsis:
Winner of the Academy Award for best foreign-language film, Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring is a harrowing tale of faith, revenge, and savagery in medieval Sweden. With austere simplicity, the director tells the story of the rape and murder of the virgin Karin, and her father Töre’s ruthless pursuit of vengeance against the three killers. Starring frequent Bergman collaborator and screen icon Max von Sydow, the film is both beautiful and cruel in its depiction of a world teetering between paganism and Christianity.
Where Craven’s effort ramped up the exploitative nature of the tale, this is more darkly subdued in comparison, a tone that actually serves to heighten the intensity and impact. It’s a simple narrative, immersed in the rural landscape of 14th century Sweden, of brutality and the retribution it unleashes. A young girl is violated and murdered. Her father takes in the unknowing culprits and extracts vengeance upon them. Before, in between, and after offer moments to explore themes of morality, religion, and humanity in general.
Bergman presents an interesting duel within the characters, one reflective of the era, as people are torn between beliefs old and new. Most of this comes from the conflict within Töre, the father magnificently played by Max von Sydow. A man raised in the ways of Paganism, now following Christianity, his moments of regression add a primal level to the film, countered by small moments of penance, seeking to balance the acts he is about to undertake. What’s interesting how it takes the embrace of one to elevate the other, an inner struggle of barbarism and civility (to boldly tag the conflicting faiths so), and a curious imbalance between crimes and punishment, especially in regards to the daughter Ingeri. Bergman paints in broad strokes, seemingly working through his own personal struggles through these characters ,whose flaws and conflicts humanize them as well as set their fate. It’s a bleak and harrowing affair, with an ending that offers a ray of hope, coming from a spiritual awakening that feels somewhat quaint in our day and age, where a bleaker resolution might be embraced, unsurprisingly as was the case with Craven’s take. It’s a final flourish of beauty in a story that dallies with such ugliness.
The Virgin Spring marks the beginning of Bergman’s collaboration with cinematographer Sven Nykvist, who brings an earthy, but austere aesthetic, underscored by the starkness of the black and white palette. It’s a story rooted in nature but given a claustrophobic feel, immersing you in the dirty acts that take place, making them all the more tangible, and making clear why it was awarded the Oscar in 1961 for Best Foreign Language Film.
The Package
The release offers a 2K restoration of a 35mm negative. Some of the patching up of the print can be spotted, which only serves to highlight how impressive the rest of the work here is. Contrast is solid, black levels are deep, and the detail is truly impressive. It’s not overly processed, maintaining a natural grain, looking like a rather pristine 35mm presentation. Very nicely done. Special features are up to the usual high standard you expect from Criterion:
- Audio commentary from 2005 by Ingmar Bergman scholar Birgitta Steene: Author of Ingmar Bergman: A Reference Guide serves up an intelligent and well researched commentary laden with interesting tidbits. Not as slick as some, but makes up for it with the quality of the content.
- Interviews from 2005 with actors Gunnel Lindblom and Birgitta Pettersson: Both share stories about their careers and relationships with Bergman, as well as specific details about working on The Virgin Spring.
- Introduction by filmmaker Ang Lee from 2005: The filmmaker discusses the feature and how it influenced his work. He cites specific aspects and brings his own interpretation of scenes and characters.
- Audio recording of a 1975 American Film Institute seminar by Bergman: The director covers a wealth of topics from production to casting to inspirations and more. The technical insights are strong, it’s just a shame it’s an audio-only addition.
- Alternate English-dubbed soundtrack: If you’re into that sort of thing.
- PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by film scholar Peter Cowie and screenwriter Ulla Isaksson and the medieval ballad on which the film is based: The usual Criterion leaflet is included with quality essays that help frame some of the changes inspiring Bergman during the making of the film, the original ballad upon which it was based, and details on the restoration of the film.
The Bottom Line
The Virgin Spring is a grim tale, but Bergman matches the brutality with beauty, his artistry interwoven with explorations of morality and faith. The film remains a potent experience, and Criterion delivers a stunning restoration of one of the finest works of one of cinema’s most notable directors.
The Virgin Spring is available via Criterion from June 26th, 2018.