Wild Strawberries (1957) + Extras [The Criterion Collection]

Traveling to accept an honorary degree, Professor Isak Borg – masterfully played by the veteran filmmaker and actor Victor Sjöström – is forced to face his past, come to terms with his faults, and make peace with the inevitability of his approaching death. Through flashbacks and fantasies, dreams and nightmares, Wild Strawberries dramatizes one man’s remarkable voyage of self-discovery. This richly humane masterpiece, full of iconic imagery, is one of Ingmar Bergman’s most widely acclaimed and influential films.



Audio Commentary with film scholar Peter Cowie. Mr. Cowie offers an in-depth analysis of Wild Strawberries and discusses its production history. Also, there is interesting information about the Swedish director's personal life and how it influenced the look and message of the film. The commentary was recorded for Criterion in 2001.

Extras:
– Behind the Scenes of Wild Strawberries - silent footage filmed by Ingmar Bergman on the set of Wild Strawberries. Jan Wengstrom, curator of archival film collections at the Swedish Film Institute, comments on the footage. There is some particularly interesting information addressing the working relationship between Ingmar Bergman and Ingrid Thulin, as well as the many scenes the Swedish actress had with Victor Sjostrom. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).
– Ingmar Bergman on Life and Work - a documentary film from 1998 featuring a lengthy conversation between director Ingmar Bergman and writer and filmmaker Jorn Donner. The documentary was produced for Swedish television. In Swedish, with optional English subtitles. (91 min, IMDB).