The Seventh Seal

Starring: Max Von Sydow, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Bengt Ekerot, Nils Poppe, Bibi Andersson, Inga Gill
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Drama
1957

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After returning home from the Crusades, a weary knight (Max Von Sydow) battles his own demons of doubt and faithlessness, as he plays Death in a game of chess.

Review:

Tim: The Seventh Seal is widely regarded as an existential masterpiece, one of the greatest movies of all time. There is so much that can be (and has been) said about of the major film classics of all time. I almost feel silly giving my own little opinion, as if it matters in the grander scheme of this film. I appreciated the beauty and the haunting questions this film asks. I don't believe I understood it nearly as much as those who have spent considerable time trying to understand it, but I do recognize genius when I see it.

The importance of this film cannot be overstated. It is one of the most influential films of all time. The story is simple and poignant- a knight plays chess with Death. The story itself is almost secondary, simply a vehicle for Ingmar Bergman to pose some of the biggest, unanswerable questions about life. What is the meaning of life? What happens after death? Why does God remain so silent when cry out for him? Why do we find no answers, no matter how desperately we seek them? Articles and books have been written about this film's importance. I don't have any answers, but I appreciate this film asking the questions.

The cinematography in this film is nothing short of astounding. The movie is so crisp and beautiful, so stark in black and white. The landscape shots, the views of our protagonists, and the unforgettable figure of Death himself all come to life so vividly. The look and tone of the film is incredibly memorable.

The performances are remarkable. Max Von Sydow gives one of the best performances I've ever seen as Antonius Block. You believe his existential crisis, as he gives a world weary, defeated performance. And yet, underneath the surface, he retains a sense of hope and love. This complicated performance is haunting in its beauty. I loved Sydow in this film. I also really enjoyed Gunnar Bjornstrand in this film. As Block's squire, Bjornstrand is a very different type of person. He is mesmerizing on film, a great companion to Sydow. These two men, with their similarities as well as their differences, work together better than almost any pairing I've seen. They have little on-screen time together, but you feel that they are connected, a one-two punch of terrific performances that makes this film what it is.

While there was so much to love about this film, I don't think it is perfect. The beginning and the end are truly masterpieces of film making. The middle is less effective. Bergman spends a strange amount of time developing the secondary characters, none of whom are as interesting as Block or Death. There is a scene involving the actors putting on a play that is almost painfully long and annoying. The middle of the film felt less focused than the bookends, and I believe that hurt the overall effectiveness of the film.

I am sure the deeper I go into this film, the more I will understand, and the more I would appreciate. The allegories are heavy in this film, and I'm sure there are some that have escaped me. I'd love to spend the time studying this film, but life is short, and I have so many other films to see. The Seventh Seal isn't a particularly entertaining or exciting movie. It is a slow, different animal. Bergman, however, wasn't trying to keep the audience entertained. He was trying to make a statement- about faith, religion, life and death, about God and man, meaning, nothingness, and all our human questions that seem to go answered in the dark. That is powerful, that is important, and that is why this film is rightly deemed a classic.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



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