Should be possible to order it online from a European distributor, right?

Great review, BTW. Almost made me feel I was watching the film, and thereby made me want to be really watching it.

I saw "Day of Wrath" a couple of decades ago. It was back in the age of film, and I believe that the film society director sacrificed the sound track in order to show it at the proper speed.

It was worth it. It is utterly, painfully gripping from beginning to end.

I am glad that a restored version is available.

Criterion's Dreyer boxset is a bit old, and the company is releasing it's first blu-ray titles in November. Hey, a guy can hope!

After "The Passion of Joan of Arc", my favorite Dreyer has always been "Day of Wrath", although I'm always swept up and amazed by "Ordet", even moved by that final scene (and I don't buy into the miraculous). If you can play PAL format discs, Eureka's "Masters of Cinema" line has a great DVD release of the Dreyer silent, "Michael".

Interesting review on a movie I'm interested in seeing. Pasolini's "Salo" is also coming out on a Criterion collection edition DVD. I've never seen "Salo" but have heard of its legend for about 20 years or so. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the picture that has been described as so disturbing it goes beyond mildly purturbing. I have to see "Salo" for myself. I love Pasolini's other movies, particularly his earthy and hilarious adabtation of "The Decameron." Thanks for the review.

Ordet is the quintessential Dreyer opus.

DAY OF WRATH was the first film I ever saw that made me think of the cinema as an art form. That was over 45 years ago, and I still think it's one of the handful of greatest films ever made.

I saw Day of Wrath within the last 12-18 months, probably on IFC. I don't know if I saw the (relatively) unrestored version used by Criterion but even if it was, it was an amazing experience. I was struck at the time how much Bergman was the child of Dreyer, especially in the use of the camera, framing, etc.

For Dreyer fans, Lars von Trier directed Medea from Dreyer's script. I personally like it very much, in no small part due to the script, and also because I like von Trier and see much of Dreyer's cinema sensibility in how he made this film. Von Trier said that he didn't set out to make a 'Dreyer film.' Maybe much of the look of Medea was in the script itself, or maybe Lars just couldn't help himself. Whatever the reason, I think it stands as a splendid tribute to Dreyer.

Sounds like a masterpiece and I'm not being flip.

I'm also not likely to watch it as too disturbing.

For all the tremendous feedback, that is.

I have no inside info to answer these questions with, but I'd be very surprised if a Criterion DVD -- and yes, maybe Blu-ray -- of this restored version weren't somewhere in the pipeline and not all that far away. For the moment it's only available as a theatrical print; I imagine they want to milk the dozen or so venues in the country that will screen it.

For the reader that suggested Salo: Absolutely. I've got it. Haven't mustered the courage to watch it yet. I've seen the film before, and it pretty much merits its reputation.

And yes, all the magnificent shots in Day of Wrath are precursors to Bergman's work, to an amazing degree. It didn't make me think less of IB, I think; all art is derivative of what's come before. But it certainly reminded me *why* Dreyer is in all those film textbooks.

Pop "Salo" in your DVD player and share some imressions. I've heard about "Salo" for so very very long. Pasolini's film of greatest infamy, it's so infamous in so many numerous ways, that it's nearly an infamy symphony. I also want to see Pasolini's "Arabian Nights," which as I gravely understand it, is not for the uptights.

Thanks.