I am no authority on Ingmer Bergman, having sampled only a select number of films. Amongst those is The Seventh Seal, and for the first time since I was about 8 or 9 years of age, I sat down to watch this film on DVD, and it is as memorable and as amazing as it was all those years ago.
The Seventh Seal is a great film, but many will find it a bore. The slow paced nature of the film, the allegory of life, the nuances of the characters may seem a little too eccentric for some. Still it is perhaps one of the greatest films ever put to celluloid.
Starring a very young Max Von Sydow, who you may remember as the priest in The Exorcist and a countless number of other starring and co and cameo roles, as a Knight, he is already at a crossroads with death. He sets out to make a deal with the Reaper over a game of chess: Should the Knight win, then the Reaper will leave him be; should the Reaper then the Knight would give in without argument. It’s an interesting proposition and one which the Reaper has never been proposed before. The agreement is made, and death begins a game of chess with the Knight, both on the board, and in life itself.
As the film progresses, we note the decaying life that is besieged by the Black Plague which has suffered its wrath upon the people. It kills indiscriminately, be it child, father, or mother is irrelevant. During the curse of the plague, people incite almost maniacal belief in their religion, resulting in a sort of segregation between those that believe the plague is a message from God and those that see it as nothing more than part of life.
This is a passionate film about life, and very close to Bergman’s heart as a topic
The Knight is not interested in any of this much. His mission, or is ambition is to find an answer to a question that he has. He does so by going from village to village, while journeying home to his wife, who he has not seen in many years due to war. Their meeting is almost detached, as they seem not to recognise each other at first. A man dedicated to his ambition, placing his curiosity before that of his love. It this curiosity that really drives the Knight to discover the truth that he has been searching for, in which he hopes Death will provide answers.
Death is played amazingly well. This is your characteristic stereotype of the non-conversationalist, brooding, menacing Death. This version of Death is perhaps almost human in his approach. He can smile and grimace, but does so with a nonchalant flatness. Like a canvass trying to impersonate emotion. The simple black robe and the white paint, coupled with the tremendously playful acting is exquisite.
At one point, Death also cheats, if it can be called cheating, pretending to be someone he is not in order to gain an advantage. Throughout, and I made it an interest to notice this, no one touches Death, which I found quite intriguing. Even during the playing of chess, when they decide who is who, it is the Knight who makes all the movements of setting the pieces and such, with Death only pointing. It;s intricate and subtle detail that is lacking so much from today’s film making.
The Seventh Seal is a great film, but many will find it a bore
Along his journey with his squire, they encounter behaviour from humans that can only be considered vile. It almost seems a tragedy even with the plague around the corner, people still indulge in nihilistic behavior for their own sadistic pleasures. Coming across a travelling troupe, they groups decide to join in order to escape the plague.
There is no point at which the Knight declares his game with Death to the others, whom he mets at regular intervals, to continue their contest of life and death. The film then takes on a cat and mouse approach, in that the Knight attempts to save the lives of the troupe, distracting Death to the best of his abilities. It’s more entertaining than any thriller with a good guy/bad guy chase, providing some amazing suspense and depth to both characters.
This is a passionate film about life, and very close to Bergman’s heart as a topic. An allegory of life, with delicate characters, some really beautiful scenes by the sea, superbly designed sets and dreary locales. It hangs over you like a fact of life, it haunts you, it provokes you to think and to understand, as well as question and explore. For myself it’s very much a relief to discover a film that attempts to explore humanity and its reaction of struggling to hold on to religion for a means of escape from what most people fear: Death itself.
As a child, this film made me fear Death, haunting me in my nightmares. As an adult it haunts me not with a fear of Death, but perhaps a fear of life. It is the uniqueness of this film that will either provide you with questions and reflection, or it will bore the hell out of you. For me it’s the former, for you it may be the latter.
Verdict: A beautiful, extraordinary, stunning picture from a master of film.