The Seventh Seal — A Review

5th May, 2020.

It’s got to be said: lockdown’s a pain.

Right at the moment, the UK’s in the sixth week of the Covid-19 outbreak.

And, frankly?

It’s generating talk, panic, conspiracy theories … and — for me — a lack of a haircut.

You can possibly tell, can’t you … ?

At any rate … ?

I do know that, tonight, I fancied watching a film.

And that, with the recent death of Max von Sydow … ?

The Seventh Seal, seemed an appropriate film to watch.

~≈⌘≈~

Set in Sweden, at around the time of the Black Death, The Seventh Seal* introduces us to Sir Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) and his squire, Jöns (Gunnar Björnstrand): back in their native country after ten years in the Crusades.

Block?   Has his chess board out: practising games as the pair rest on a beach.

Only to have his rest interrupted by none other than Death (Bengt Ekerot) himself … 

Death, it seems, is after souls: and likes chess.

Block … ?   Is keen to live.

And challenges Death† to a game.

While the game is on, Block cannot die.

If Block wins, he lives.

If he loses … ?   Death takes a soul … 

~≈⌘≈~

Travelling with someone playing Death at chess?

Is potentially a bad thing: and yet Antonius Jöns pick up company.

Traveling players, Joe, Mia and Skat (Nils Poppe, Bibi Andersson and Erik Stransmark), a mute girl (Gunnel Lindblom) and Plog (Åke Fridell), a smith.

A group of travellers who shares their fear of the Plague … and see flagellants, witch-burnings and bar fights … 

Until, in a grove near Block’s castle … ?

The final move in the game get played … 

~≈⌘≈~

Now … 

What did I make of The Seventh Seal?

Was it good … ?   Bad … ?   Indifferent?   Cheese flavoured?

I think I’ve seen … 

No, scrub ‘I think,’ there’s no ‘I think’ about this.

I have seen possibly one of the most visually striking films I’ve seen in a long time: one that — from its opening shots on a deserted beach, to its closing shots in the castle — is downright beautiful to watch.

Possibly in ways I couldn’t even begin to express.

The characters that are just as beautiful, and realistically drawn: Block’s gloominess, Jöns wry observations on their travels, Joe and Mia’s obvious joy in their relationship, Death’s own determination to do his job.

The sound track?   Minimalist, yet thoroughly complementary to the on screen action.

Lighting, editing … ?

I have seen gorgeous films: The Awakening and Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead spring to mind, as does The Babadook.   We can add Wheatley’s A Field In England to that list.

It strikes me The Seventh Seal … is in the same field: and possibly the film that’s the most enduring of them all.

You need to see The Seventh Seal.

The Seventh Seal.

★★★★

*        The title comes from the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible.   It’s from Ch.8, v1, KJV: “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour‡.”

†        That scene is something Terry Pratchett parodies in at least one of his Discworld novels: the Discworld Death can never remember “how the little horse shaped ones move …”

‡        I like that bit: it was “ … about the space of half an hour.”   In the immortal words of the Tenth Doctor?   “WHAT?!”