Rent The Seventh Seal (1957)
3.9 of 5 from 352 ratings
1h 32min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
As the Black Death continues to wipe out the population of Europe, knight Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) returns from the Crusades, disillusioned and worn. When suddenly Death (Bengt Ekerot) appears before him, he asks for the chance to live, proposing a game of chess to decide his fate. The knight takes his squire, a troupe of traveling players and a deaf and dumb girl under his protection as the game is played out. One by one Death exacts his toll, and it is up to Block to stall his opponent for as long as possible if he is to help save the lives of those he is trying to protect. All the while, the villages and towns about them fall further into ruin and religion takes a stranglehold on those desperate for a means of survival. - Actors:
- Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand, Bengt Ekerot, Nils Poppe, Bibi Andersson, Inga Gill, Maud Hansson, Inga Landgré, Gunnel Lindblom, Bertil Anderberg, Anders Ek, Åke Fridell, Gunnar Olsson, Erik Strandmark, Siv Aleros, Sten Ardenstam, Harry Asklund, Benkt-Åke Benktsson, Catherine Berg, Lena Bergman
- Directors:
- Ingmar Bergman
- Producers:
- Allan Ekelund
- Writers:
- Ingmar Bergman
- Aka:
- Det sjunde inseglet
- Studio:
- Tartan
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch if You Like All Is True, 21 Reasons to Love, 21 Reasons to Love... Ingmar Bergman, 21 Reasons to Love... Ingmar Bergman: Part 2, Award Winners, Films to Watch If You Like..., Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: Jack Nicholson, People of the Pictures, Remembering: Max von Sydow, Roger Corman's Poe Cycle, The Biggest Oscar Snubs: Part 1, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to Carl Theodor Dreyer, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Ridley Scott, Top 10 Award Winners at the London Film Festival, Top Films
- Countries:
- Sweden
- Awards:
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 19/07/2007
- Run Time:
- 96 minutes
- Languages:
- Swedish Dolby Digital 2.0
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
- Colour:
- B & W
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 01/11/2021
- Run Time:
- 96 minutes
- Languages:
- Silent, Swedish Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
- Subtitles:
- English
- DVD Regions:
- Region 2
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.37:1
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary on 'The Seventh Seal' by film critic and editor-in-chief of Diabolique magazine Kat Ellinger (2021)
- Karin's Face (1984, 15 mins): Ingmar Bergman's short film based on pictures from his personal photo album, particularly those of his mother, Karin
- Behind the scenes footage from 'The Seventh Seal' (1956, 15 mins): rare silent footage with optional audio commentary by film scholar Ian Christie
- Original trailer
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Reviews (2) of The Seventh Seal
Striking and Powerful Drama - The Seventh Seal review by CD
Very impressed with this fantastically powerful Mediaeval drama set in Sweden in the 14th century at the time of the Black Death. The photography, casting, acting and narrative are all brilliant and this 1957 film fully deserves all of its accolades. The scenes of the Mummers Play, the Flagellants and the cruelty and humour in the alehouse, and the feeling of darkness at the stake are all memorable. The modern relevance is strong to a society that is losing faith but feels the loss, and the lack of anything with which to fill it in the face of death.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Strong Thematic Historical Drama - The Seventh Seal review by GI
The films of Ingmar Bergman are very celebrated and this one is possibly his most famous. It's a moody, dark and brooding film that visually shows the influence of the films of Akira Kurosawa. There's complex mix of ideas here about the meaning of death, the questionable influence of religion and has a range of perspectives driven through the various characters. Set in the 14th Century during the Black Death and a knight (Max Von Sydow) and his squire (Gunnar Björnstrand) are travelling across Sweden on their way to the Knight's castle in a journey of return from the Crusades. The Knight encounters the Grim Reaper (Bengt Ekerot), who has come for him, and challenges him to a game of chess which if he wins he can live on. As their journey across country continues they are joined by an entourage of fellow travellers and witness death, suffering and all the range of human emotions until the chess game is finished and all their fates are then decided. In many ways the themes outlined here are timeless and the allegorical structure of the film makes it contemporarily significant so it's worth seeking out if you've never seen it.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.