About.com Rating
The Bottom Line
"Persona" is a visually stunning film that features brilliant acting and memorable dialogue. While this movie defies complete understanding, each time I see it, I find new nuances of meaning. The film takes on slippery issues such as reality and identity. But it has a hypnotic power, and each time I watch it, I'm drawn in deeper. Both emotionally and intellectually, "Persona" is challenging, but it is one of the most fascinating movies I've ever seen.
Pros
Cons
Description
Guide Review - "Persona" DVD Review
While "Persona" defies complete understanding, each time I see it, I find new nuances of meaning. It's a stunning film, and there are things that have always stuck in my mind.
One is the image of a composite face, one half Bibi Andersson's, the other Liv Ullmann's. Another is the remarkable monologue where Andersson?s character describes a sexual encounter and its aftermath.
Although the film is psychologically complex, this is partially offset by the relatively straightforward central story. A nurse (Andersson) is assigned to care for an actress (Ullmann) who has stopped talking for psychological reasons. The two women go to an isolated seaside cottage, where the actress remains silent while the nurse does all the talking. But soon the nurse realizes she is becoming like her patient in ways she finds deeply troubling. The story lends itself to multiple interpretations, and I believe that is the source of much of the movie's power.
Although "Persona" is one of my favorites, I know it's not a film for everyone. The critic John Simon wrote that it was probably "the most difficult film ever made." I think he overstates the case, but I get his point. The movie takes on slippery issues such as reality and identity. But it has a hypnotic power, and each time I watch it, I'm drawn in deeper. Both emotionally and intellectually, "Persona" is challenging, but it is one of the most fascinating films I've ever seen.
Read Full Review
The Bottom Line
"Persona" is a visually stunning film that features brilliant acting and memorable dialogue. While this movie defies complete understanding, each time I see it, I find new nuances of meaning. The film takes on slippery issues such as reality and identity. But it has a hypnotic power, and each time I watch it, I'm drawn in deeper. Both emotionally and intellectually, "Persona" is challenging, but it is one of the most fascinating movies I've ever seen.
Pros
- Landmark masterwork of world cinema
- Emotionally and intellectually engaging
- Features unforgettable imagery and great acting
Cons
- Unconventional structure is too strange for some viewers
- Frustrating for viewers who demand complete understanding
- Melancholy tone of the film may leave some viewers in despair
Description
- DVD containing uncensored version of Ingmar Bergman movie ?Persona? (1966)
- Film stars Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann
- DVD offers both original Swedish and dubbed English dialogue
- English subtitles improved over previous versions
- DVD provides feature-length commentary by Bergman biographer Marc Gervais
- DVD has featurette ?A Poem in Images? (26 min.)
- DVD provides short on-camera interviews with Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson
- Very good picture and sound quality
- Feature run time: 1 hour 23 minutes
- DVD release date: February 10, 2004
Guide Review - "Persona" DVD Review
While "Persona" defies complete understanding, each time I see it, I find new nuances of meaning. It's a stunning film, and there are things that have always stuck in my mind.
One is the image of a composite face, one half Bibi Andersson's, the other Liv Ullmann's. Another is the remarkable monologue where Andersson?s character describes a sexual encounter and its aftermath.
Although the film is psychologically complex, this is partially offset by the relatively straightforward central story. A nurse (Andersson) is assigned to care for an actress (Ullmann) who has stopped talking for psychological reasons. The two women go to an isolated seaside cottage, where the actress remains silent while the nurse does all the talking. But soon the nurse realizes she is becoming like her patient in ways she finds deeply troubling. The story lends itself to multiple interpretations, and I believe that is the source of much of the movie's power.
Although "Persona" is one of my favorites, I know it's not a film for everyone. The critic John Simon wrote that it was probably "the most difficult film ever made." I think he overstates the case, but I get his point. The movie takes on slippery issues such as reality and identity. But it has a hypnotic power, and each time I watch it, I'm drawn in deeper. Both emotionally and intellectually, "Persona" is challenging, but it is one of the most fascinating films I've ever seen.
Read Full Review