Det Sjunde Inseglet (1957)

 

Yes, I full well realize Ingmar Bergman is an absolute legend in the world of cinema. There is absolutely no denying this fact. But this is the only film of his I have seen. 

Hear the sounds of legions of cinema buffs collectively make sounds of exasperation and surprise. 

But yes, I am not well versed in the man's work. Truth be told: it never really appealed to me, even if I completely understand man's impact on the art that is known as 'film'. So why do I have this one in my collection?

Because it is in every single frame an absolute masterpiece. No really: it truly is that good. You can keep 'Citizen Kane'. This one feels better in almost every respect. Feel free to disagree, you know reviews are biased anyway. If not: now you do. 

'The Seventh Seal' is as simple as it is beautiful and thought-provoking. The framing story is that of a knight and his squire returning home from the crusades after ten long years. But now the plague is sweeping across the land, smashing all hope for a better life. On a beach, the knight is met by Death, because it is his time. But the knight decides to stall his demise by challenging Death to a game of chess. As long as he can keep the game going, he can continue on his quest for answers from the great beyond. 

Along the way his company grows: there is a traumatised girl who is taken in by the squire, a couple of travelling entertainers and finally a blacksmith and his adulterous wife. They all head towards the knight's castle, encountering zealots and an ominous forest, all the while evading death yet wondering what the meaning of life and death actually is; even if there is in fact something akin to either a god or a devil. 

If you were expecting something lightly digestible, you're in the wrong place. 

Yet all this doesn't mean the film is enormously heavy and dense. It asks a lot of philosophical questions, but does so in an either lighthearted or clear way. There is even plenty of room for laughter, as a lot of events are darkly comedic in a way. Even though the knight's tale is the framework, the couple of Jof and Mia (and their infant son) are the heart and soul of the story, seeing the good left in the world. Jof actually has visions that no one believes, but which turn out to be extremely real. 

All the actors are absolutely wonderful. Max Von Sydow is a stoic knight, who loves humanity more than he lets on; Gunnar Björnstrand is the cynical squire Jons, almost like an antithesis of Jof (Nils Poppe), who is usually happy and embraces each day. Maybe the best remembered role is that of Bengt Ekerot as Death, who isn't what you might expect. 

But what really sets this film apart, are several exquisite scenes and images that are so enormously famous, they are oft repeated to this day. There's the chilling entrance of the flagellants who completely destroy the happy atmosphere in a small village; the chess matches between the knight and Death; Death's introduction on the beach, which is without a doubt one of the best entrances ever; and of course the unforgettable final vision of Jof, when he sees Death and several others in the distance, dancing along the ridge of a hill. 

You could call it all 'iconic', but you would be doing it a disservice. 

With some films, there is a clear reason why they are still held in high regard. 'The Seventh Seal' is such a film. Every frame is pure poetry, every dialogue or line hits the mark and every thought it provokes is  relevant. This, my dear ladies/gentlemen/gender neutral friends, is what is known as 'an absolute masterpiece'.