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THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957) (****)

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I love this film! This Swedish classic from Ingmar Bergman is a captivating journey into the time of the Black Plague. Most people will know this film from its human-looking version of Death (Bengt Ekerot, THE MAGICIAN), with his pale, hairless face and black hooded robes. He makes appearances in films like BILL & TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY and LAST ACTION HERO.

In this film, Death engages in a chess match with a soldier named Antonius Block (Max von Sydow, THE EXORCIST). Going into the film, I was expecting something very artsy and metaphorical. It is those things, but not at all in a pretentious way. The most surprising thing about the film is that it's often funny. Block and his squire Jons (Gunnar Bjornstrand, AUTUMN SONATA) are journeying back home after being involved in the Crusades for the past 10 years. Block is questioning his faith and Jons is convinced there is no God. They meet up with various people along their way — most notably an acting troupe led by Jof (Nils Poppe, THE ACTOR) along with his wife Mia (Bibi Andersson, PERSONA) and infant child Michael.

Jof is clearly the comic relief of the film, but also a display of simple, blind faith. He sees visions and loves his wife and child. Jons is the exact opposite. He's very pessimistic about everything, making sarcastic remarks quite often. Jof and Jons were my favorite characters, but the true heart of the film is Block, who struggles between both Jof and Jons' way of looking at the world. As the characters witness the world around them, the audience is subtly partaking in a theological debate, which is fascinating. The conclusion is simple, but works on so many levels. I just can't think of a better way to end to this film.

Everything about this film is first rate from the compelling performances to the stark black-and-white cinematography. Bergman does an amazing job of balancing the humor with the drama, which is all the more powerful because it is preceded by a funny scene. A great example of this is the scene between an actor up a tree and Death leads into a heart-wrenching scene of a young woman (Maud Hansson, WILD STRAWBERRIES) being burned as a witch. This film has made a huge leap into one of my all time favs list. It's just that good. It makes a big impression right from the start. It sucks you into its world and never lets go. It rightfully deserves its place in the annuals of best movies of all time.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks