Yet another country from Scandinavia. And the abode of one of the masters of cinema, Ingmar Bergman. I had seen Wild Strawberries just to know more about his cinema. Frankly i was not impressed. (Maybe i missed some inner meaning or symbolism in the movie.) Shortly afterwards it was by chance that i saw The Seventh Seal. I did not even know that this was a Bergman movie when i started downloading it. And then impresson dawned easily without any reluctance.
This black and white movie, set in the middle ages during the time of the crusades in a part of Scandinavia, is a philosophical one. The protagonist is a knight returning back to his homeland after a bout in the crusades. On the way back he confronts Death. Events turn out in such a fashion that he has to defeat Death in a game of chess so that he and all he loves can escape from His clutches. There are various other characters in the movie who include the knight's subordinate companion, a travelling troupe, a woman accused of practising witchcraft and various others they meet on the journey. Each character adds more depth and dimensions to the story.
This movie shows the social structure and the way of life of the people of that time and place. The commoners are simpletons who are deeply superstitious and live their lives with simple joys. The land is riddled with disease, and a lot of human lives have been lost to the war. The whole country is filled with strife but life just keeps going on. The game of chess with Death adds an additional layer of morosity throughout the movie. The director follows a parable pattern wherein there are discussions on the situations that unfurl. Both pessimistic and optimistic views are pushed through the characters of corresponding dispositions, although it is a bit more inclined to the former. Ultimately this is not a thriller movie to be watched for its suspense, it is one which should be slowly savoured in and digested.
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