The Seventh Seal
A game of chess with Death, and you'll never forget it.
A Knight and his squire are home from the crusades. Black Death is sweeping their country. As they approach home, Death appears to the knight and tells him it is his time. The knight challenges Death to a chess game for his life. The Knight and Death play as the cultural turmoil envelopes the people around them as they try, in different ways, to deal with the upheaval the plague has caused.
Where to watch The Seventh Seal (US)
A month, a hill, and Death
Ingmar Bergman shot it in about a month on a modest budget. The famous dance of death on the hill was filmed in a hurry, near the end of a day, with whoever was still around. The image of a knight playing chess with Death has since been copied and parodied everywhere.
The dance that was shot in a rush
A knight returns from the crusades and challenges Death to a game of chess, to buy himself time. It sounds heavy, and it is, but it's also funny, strange and beautiful. Short, simple and unforgettable, it's the best place to begin with Bergman.
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Cast and crew
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Cast: Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand, Bengt Ekerot
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