Licensor Information
Svensk Filmindustri
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman
Featuring: Max von Sydow, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, Naima Wifstrand, Bengt Ekerot, Bibi Andersson, Gertrud Fridh, Lars Ekborg, Tovio Pawlo, Erland Josephson, Åke Fridell, Sif Ruud
Ingmar Bergman’s The Magician (Ansiktet) is an engaging, brilliantly conceived tale of deceit from one of cinema’s premier illusionists. Max von Sydow stars as Dr. Vogler, a nineteenth-century traveling mesmerist and peddler of potions whose magic is put to the test in Stockholm by the cruel, eminently rational royal medical adviser Dr. Vergérus. The result is a diabolically clever battle of wits that’s both frightening and funny, shot in rich, gorgeously gothic black and white.
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Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
Blu-ray
Disc:
BD-50 (1 Disc)
Total: 1 Disc
Regions:
A (Blu-ray)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33:1
Audio Options:
Swedish PCM Mono 1.0
Resolution:
1080p/24
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Video Essay, Interview, Booklet
- New visual essay by Bergman scholar Peter Cowie
- Brief 1967 video interview with director Ingmar Bergman about the film
- Rare English-language audio interview with Ingmar Bergman conducted by filmmakers Olivier Assayas and Stig Björkman in 1990
- A booklet featuring excerpts from a 1990 tribute to the film by Olivier Assayas, a new essay by critic Geoff Andrew, and an excerpt from Ingmar Bergman’s autobiography Images: My Life in Film
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Film
Picture
Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Producer: Johanna Schiller
Artwork: Michael Boland
Release Notes on Restoration
The Magician
The Magician is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. 0n widescreen televisions, black bars will appear on the left and right of the image to maintain the proper screen format. On the DVD edition, the pictures have been slightly windowboxed to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm fine-grain master positive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using MTI’s DRS system and Pixel Farm’s PFClean system, while Digital Vision’s DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain, and noise reduction.
The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35mm optical soundtrack print. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.
The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35mm optical soundtrack print. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.

