Andy Gill in "The Independent" gave "The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman" a maximum rating of five stars and included the record among his 20 albums of the year: "Sharply scripted, with that sly, knowing touch so typical of Sparks, it's also scored with scrupulous intelligence, the arrangements drawing on a range of apt influences, from Kurt Weill to jazz, pop and rock, and the orchestrations ingeniously duplicitous, wistful and sinister, as the action dictates. It may well turn out to be the pinnacle of Sparks' career, and certainly has an ambition well beyond the usual remit of popular culture." Sparks said in October 2009 that they were planning to turn the album into a live show and were in talks with Canadian film director Guy Maddin about a film version of the musical. They confirmed in a September 2010 interview on Michael Silverblatt's "Bookworm" show that Maddin and actor Jason Schwartzman were on board, and that they were in the process of seeking funding for the project. The world premiere of the live musical took place on 25 June at the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival, starring Ron and Russell Mael from Sparks, Maddin, Finnish actor Peter Franzén as Bergman, Ann Magnuson as Greta Garbo, with Rebecca Sjöwall, Katie Puckrik, and Tammy Glover reprising their roles from the album. Other actors included Nina Sallinen, Jacob Sidney, Dean Menta, and Sal Viscuso. Showcased at the festival to attract investor interest in the film project, the performance at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre featured Maddin reading stage directions from the film's screenplay. Note: The digital downloads were released as single tracks with a duration of 64:32 (Swedish broadcast version) and 64:33 (English version). Composed, written, and produced by Ron Mael and Russell Mael.