The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet)
Monday, May 24, 2010 at 12:00PM 
"We must make an idol of our fear, and call it god."
Release Year: 1957
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Review: Perfect. I racked my brain searching for a better word to describe Ingmar Bergman's masterful existential period piece, but no other adjective so succinctly sums up the brilliance that this film exudes. 'The Seventh Seal' is simple at it's core. A knight and his scribe are traveling through a plague ridden, at some point during the middle ages, returning from fighting in the Crusades. Along the way the knight (Max Von Sydow) engages in a battle of chess with Death, trying to outwit the cryptic foe to save his life.
Bergman brilliantly uses this setting to explore profound themes of life, love, God and death. It is hard to find a single fault anywhere in this film. The acting, led by Sydow, is superb, the pacing impeccable and the dialog smart. And then there is the cinematography. Oh, the cinematography. It is absolutely stunning. Truly a beautiful film. It's a near endless array of insightful metaphors, revealing monologues and iconic scenes. When it's all said and done, there is little reason to go searching for a better adjective. Perfect is exactly what this film is.
Rating: 5/5
Reader Comments (3)
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