Rating: 
Summary: The stars are given based on the movie itself
Review: This is one of the two movies, among his 50+, that Ingmar Bergman himself is most proud of; in a recent interview, given before his retirement from the theatre (in January 2004), he said that with "Persona" and "Cries and Whispers" he pulled off something he thought would be beyond his capability, and indeed - to this day both films, and many of his others, keep impressing audiences.
This movie was shot on the island of Fårö (Bergman's residence for the past 40 years), by cinematographer Sven Nykvist, who had been Bergman's regularly used cinematographer for all his movies since "The Virgin Spring" (1960). "Persona" tells the story of actress Elisabeth (Liv Ullmann), who has chosen muteness, and her nurse Alma (Bibi Andersson), who observes her, keeps her company, and is trying to "cure" her, while they live together in the archipelago during the summer. As always both these actresses do convincing jobs. This was Liv Ullmann's first appearance in a Bergman movie (it lead to a relationship between her and the director), while Bibi Andersson had been reoccurring in Bergman's movies since "Smiles of a Summer Night" (1955).
MGM's presentation is less than professional. They have cropped off 11.5 percentage of the image by presenting the movie in Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 instead of 1.37:1; footage is missing from all four sides, and MGM have announced that they are not going to correct it. Furthermore the quality of the picture is brownish and gray, while the intention was clear black and clear white. This movie is available on a region-free DVD by Tartan, which has less features, but clearer picture, and is presented in Original Aspect Ratio 1.37:1.
MGM's edition features a 27 minute long documentary, short interviews with Andersson and Ullmann, and audio commentary by Marc Gervais, but the extras do not make up for the cropped picture in my opinion. Also, this disc may not work on certain DVD-players. One of my two players cannot open the menu for this DVD, although the player hasn't had such problems with any of my other discs. Zero stars for MGM, full stars for Bergman's landmark.
Rating:
Summary: Persona, unmatched in film history...
Review: Persona brings two very different characters, Alma (Bibi Andersson) and Elisabeth (Liv Ullman), to the screen. Alma is a nurse who has been designated to personally care for Elisabeth, who has had a "breakdown" after performing as Electra which was written by Sophocles. Elisabeth has decided to remain silent forever, and Alma is attempting to nurse her back to speech. The use of Electra adds a subtle touch by Bergman which can help the understanding of Liv Ullman's character in the film, since the whole film is an artistic event as it displays the convergence of Alma and Elisabeth. As the two women come together Bergman maximizes the situations and atmospheres by balancing contrasts, which enhances the emotional experience in the film. In addition, Persona offers a cinematic experience with contrasts as the story is compassionate and callous, which appears through the magical touch of Bergman's direction. The film presents several personal interpretations as well as several common interpretations as great art is known to do. Therefore, Bergman puts forward a brilliant cinematic experience which is unmatched in film history.
Rating:
Summary: In response to the *Warning*
Review: In response to the previous !*warning*! about the cropped 1:33 aspect ratio; if you look at the product description above it states "aspect ratio 1:33" and "full screen format"- which IS the correct aspect ratio for "Persona". Please wait to actually see the DVD before rushing to scare people off.
Rating:
Summary: Is Everything OK With This DVD Already?
Review: Wasn't this recently recalled for transfer rate problems ? Or does this mean everything's OK already? Anyway, a masterpiece.
Rating: 
Summary: Warning - DVD has cropped image
Review: Persona was made with a standard aspect ratio of 1.33:1, but the MGM DVD apparently has cropped the top and bottom of the film in order to create a fake widescreen image of 1.66:1. See http://www.mastersofcinema.com/ and http://207.136.67.23/film/DVDCompare2/criminal.htm for details and a comparison of the correct, full frames with the cropped versions on the MGM DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Abortion
Review: PERSONA is among my top 5 favorite films of all time - there is nothing like this very strange, mysterious film. I saw it 16 years ago and it continues to haunt me. Watch the film without any expectations and with an open mind. Take PERSONA for what it is and you will be rewarded with one of the rarest cinematic moments you could ever experienced. Every single person takes PERSONA differently ... and my take is that it's infused profoundly with the guilt of one woman for abandoning/aborting her child. The woman breaks down and we get to experience her madness through stunning, haunting images and sounds. The boy searching for his "mom" on the screen is one of the most breath-taking, unforgettable images ever conceived. Be warned: this is the kind of film that you will NEVER forget. Buy the DVD because this film requires multiple viewings.
Rating:
Summary: BORING
Review: I fell asleep four times trying to watch this self-gratifying, enigmatic masterpiece. The only thing that could have wrapped this mess up would have been a car crash killing the two leads. Instead, at the end, what we get is this flash of a movie crew to further frustrate the totally disintested and removed viewer. What was that all about? I would have rewound the tape, but was tired and ready for this project to come to an end. How can so many people like this?! What about a story for crying out loud?! The most interesting scene is when Bibi Andersson freaks out and repeatedly slaps Liv Ullman in the face. It's kind of over-the-top--something you'd see in a Saturday Night Live skit. And please, no comments about how I'm missing the meaning, the poetry, the depth. First spark my interest, move me in some way, and then we'll discuss depth. In a word, BORING.
Rating:
Summary: One of those great movies that just haunts you
Review: I've never been much of a Bergman fan. I mean, there are some of his movies that I loved, some that I liked, and a lot I just didn't care for (this includes The Seventh Seal). But Persona... I don't know. It's just, for lack of a better word, incredible. I know Bibi Andersson gets a lot of the praise for the film, because her performance was both engaging and haunting in its delivery. But for me, it's Liv Ullmann (who I always look forward to seeing in Bergman movies). She says only a handful of words throughout the entire film, and then relies solely on her expert ability to express herself through her eyes and body movement. Both women just managed to amaze me with their performances, something I can hardly ever find in contemporary American acting. So, to sum up this review, I just want to say that as far as foreign movies go (and I've seen my fair share), Persona is one of my very favorites and I'm more than glad to see it finally come to DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Bergman is a bad director
Review: Bergman is a terrible director. All of his movies have horrible dialog and next to no story. He rarely has a resolution to what little story he does provide. Most of his films just force symbolism down your throat like so much tripe. I don't understand how he became world famous. Persona is especially the case, the only good thing about this film is the cinimatography, which alone does not make a good movie.
Rating:
Summary: No comparison.
Review: There is nothing to say about PERSONA, other than that is one of the greatest acheivements in film history. I couldn't say enough about this film, you should just see it as soon as you can.
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