O Sétimo Selo

Painting a grim portrait of the western world plagued by the Black Death, threading together several norms of the medieval era into a single setting, and addressing its themes by observing them through contemporary lens, The Seventh Seal is a fable of life, death, religion, faith & existential angst that, despite the allegorical treatment, makes sure its narrative remains somewhat accessible.

Written & directed by Ingmar Bergman, one of the first things that stands out about this sermon is the dark & deathlike atmosphere the plot comes drenched in. Add to that, the whole premise of playing chess against the Grim Reaper with one's life on the line sounds interesting on paper. The story however piles on more subplots and digs deeper into the philosophical & spiritual elements that only slow down the ride.

The crisp black n white cinematography is captivating throughout. Characters of all moods are present in the picture. The period details may not be appropriate but the gloomy aura is finely captured. And comfortably steering the film past the finish line are the sturdy performances, led by Max von Sydow who plays a knight locked in a game with Death itself, latter personified by Bengt Ekerot. And the scenes between the two are easy standouts.

Overall, The Seventh Seal is actually easier to navigate than what I was expecting, and the parallels viewers can draw between the medieval pandemic and one we're dealing with currently makes the journey rather intriguing. Nonetheless, the relaxed pace & numbing speeches still made it a frustrating sit for me and failed to strike an emotional chord. As is the case with previous Bergman entries, I do get its legacy & repute but don't feel any personal love for it.

An abstraction of your fears, conjured progressively through years, walks beside you every day, may cause some to halt, then pray; it's a demon that's passed on, through generations come and gone, as fixed and certain as the tide, nowhere for you to run, or hide; is there a game that you can play, that extends your time and stay, with instructions and some rules, that don't leave you, as the fool; can the clock that's counting down, tick half as fast before you frown, and gaze with stoical askance, as you begin, your macabre dance.

Signed, sealed and delivered as many times as you may care for, but the curse of existence is never knowing how the story really ends, or why it was started in the first instance.

This classic is filled with a lot of memorable images - from the opening scenes on the seashore to the effective concluding shots, creative thoughts are combined with some fine camera work. There are several significant or interesting questions raised by the characters - from the imagery of the "Seventh Seal" in Revelation, to their simple but important concerns about eternity - but it is the way that the visuals play off of the ideas that make the movie so worthwhile.

The recreation of the medieval world is convincing and effective, with a lot of detail to set off a varied assortment of characters with different personalities and perspectives. The characters are not necessarily very deep, but most are interesting, and are worth caring about. The ways that they deal with their discouraging situation make you wonder what it would have been like to live in their world. It's also a movie that in some respects is even better to watch over again, after you already know what has happened and can then pick up even more of the detail and imagery.

No doubt the somber tone and slow pace will always keep it from being widely popular, and it's not perfect, but it's satisfying in a different way, and deserves its reputation as a classic.

Death, Death, Death. No matter the moves you make, Death will, in time, have you in checkmate. The Seventh Seal is a rightfully highly regarded film. It is a unique film, and unlike any I have ever seen. I have just finished my second viewing of the film. I have watched several Bergman films since I first saw this, but this is the one that has always stuck out to me the most. I would describe it as a dark and powerful film. There is nothing lacking in this film, in my opinion. The soundtrack is perfectly subtle, acting is agreeable, cinematography fitting and well done, etc. My favorite aspect of this film is simply the premise. A game of chess that is a matter of life and death. If nothing else, that concept is enough to make an interesting film at the very least. Death is the most persistent theme throughout the film, and is often juxtaposed to stark scenes of life, often quickly and without warning. This film was one of the first I watched in my everlasting pursuit of classic cinema, and I would readily recommend it as a starting point for anyone interested in classic or foreign films. Bergman will not disappoint in this one or elsewhere in his filmography. This is probably his most famous and accessible films. This is a staple of classic cinema, watch it and find out why.

The mysteries of religion and death have long been a popular focus among artists of all media, including film. And while many films question these mysteries, they seldom provide any real insight into the world of the unknown. In Ingmar Bergman's THE SEVENTH SEAL, these mysteries are not only questioned; they are dissected, splayed, and scrutinized.

THE SEVENTH SEAL could very well serve as sort of a manifesto for existentialism. Its deep acuity and haunting imagery is powerful enough to jar even passive viewers out of their complacency and force them to examine their own reality. The delicately crafted story centers around a 14th century knight named Antonius Block and his ongoing game of chess with a shadowy, hooded figure: Death. Bergman uses this allegory not just to personify death, but to illustrate the lengths man will go to in order to avoid it. In the end, however, Death is a much better player than any of us, and though he may humor some of his opponents by letting them think that they have the advantage, the end result is inevitable: Death always wins. No matter how skillfully we plan our moves or how determined we are to win, we can never beat Death.

In Antonius's search for answers, he encounters a variety of very unique characters, each with their own outlook on life, death, faith, fear and love. Their commentary on such matters is often dryly funny and always brilliant, continuously and effectively challenging our perceptions of the world around us. For me, the dialogue was definitely the high point of the film, as it was extremely thought-provoking and carefully constructed throughout. Almost every line spoken is, in one way or another, daunting and unforgettable. Jöns's description of love as "the blackest of all plagues" is a quote that will forever be engraved in my mind.

THE SEVENTH SEAL truly is a remarkable accomplishment in the world of cinema. It is a deep, mesmerizing, and darkly beautiful work of art. More importantly, THE SEVENTH SEAL is one of those rare movies that doesn't just entertain, but also has the power to change the way one thinks.