Ingmar Bergman - The Seventh Seal

"The Seventh Seal" film by the great Swedish Director Ingmar Bergman is a masterpiece of the seventh art and cannot be overlooked by those seeking a better symbolic understanding.

Mid-fourteenth century, the knight Antonius Blovk and his squire returning to their native Sweden after 10 years fighting on far lands in the Crusades. They found their country ravaged by the Black Death and religious fanaticism.

  In their way back, the Death manifesting in human form to Blovk  and tell him that his time in this world is over. Before Death take his live, Blovk challenged it to play a chess game, if he win, Death let him to live, otherwise, he will dead.

Blovk knows that is not possible win to the Death, so he want gain a few time and try to respond his deep questions. The chess match occurs parallel to daily life and Blovk continue with his way back to home.

He meets a couple of artists, who impressed him, they represent the life, which has not been caught by the darkness of the times. While sharing with them a simple lunch outdoors, he mentions feel at peace, and that moment will not ever forget, he is ready to die.

Just a moment before he loses against the Death, he helps to  escaping to his young friends of Death while it is concentrated with the chess game. Thus, freeing his friends, he also has been released.

This black and white film from 1958 did not require the advanced special effects to address some important issues inherent in human nature and offer to the viewer the chance to see a symbolic type of ideas contruction.