Seventh Seal

Year: 1957

Grade: B-

Country: Sweden

Director: Bergman

Review

it’s a good film, let’s just get that out of the way up front. in a strange way, it’s almost too good. it’s such a layered and philosophical film that it can be tough to penetrate. and, as it turns out, i was a bit tired while watching the movie so i drifted off a little here and there. on the literal level it’s a journey film (like wild strawberries)…we follow the protagonist throughout a plague-ravaged sweden after his return from the crusades. ostensibily it’s a story about him and his squire returning home, but it is really about his quest for answers in the face of death. his philosophy is one of nihilism and near apathy, yet he does care enough about life to challenge death to a game of chess – if he wins then he lives, if he loses then he dies. he only seems to care about life insofar as it gives him a chance to further his knowledge. films like these are tough because the first time you watch them is strictly for the plot and characters, the second time is when you get to really penetrate the philosophy. i suppose if i had a better memory i could recall all the encounters along the trip and the conversations between death and the protagonist, but i don’t so i have to watch it again. here’s the thing though – this film had a compelling enough cast of characters, a unique visual style, and a strong philosophical underpining that made me want to explore the film further. some films may be spectacular in terms of what they do with the camera (triumph of the will) or what they do for cinema (birth of a nation), but if it’s not compelling then i’m not going to spend the time watching the movie the required number of times to get the full benefit. that’s just my demand as a filmgoer – if i’m going to give you 80+ minutes of my life then i demand to be entertained or intrigued at least a little bit. i’ll give this one a for the first viewing.