The Seventh Seal

Ensconced for decades in the pantheon of art-house classics, Ingmar Bergman's 1957 The Seventh Seal has achieved such a dour and crusty status as an “important” film that it deserves to be seen through fresh eyes, free from the burden of its prestigious reputation. Contrary to popular belief, this isn't the kind of stodgy, “good-for-you” classic that film teachers force-feed to students raised on Hollywood franchises. A challenging yet still-entertaining allegory—chock full of mischief, spiritual provocation, and moral suspense—The Seventh Seal begins with now-iconic imagery on the stark, rocky shores of medieval Sweden, where a battle-weary knight (Max von Sydow), returning from a violent decade fighting in the Crusades, searches for meaning in a state of existential despair. Appearing in a black robe with a skull-like countenance, Death (Bengt Ekerot) comes to claim the knight on a desolate beach, but the knight cleverly challenges Death to a game of chess, hoping for some kind of spiritual revelation before he dies. The high-def digital transfer (mastered from a 2006 Swedish restoration) for Criterion's new DVD and Blu-ray releases is breathtaking (especially on Blu-ray), while the abundant supplements offer a virtual primer on Bergman and his films, especially Bergman Island (also available separately on DVD), which is a feature-length documentary by journalist Marie Nyreröd with extensive interviews of Bergman from 2006, the year before he died. Other extras include Bergman's 2003 introduction to the film, an audio commentary by critic Peter Cowie (as well as his new video afterword and excerpts from his archival audio interviews with von Sydow), Cowie's survey of Bergman's life and career (appropriately titled “Bergman 101”), a 1989 tribute to Bergman by long-time admirer Woody Allen, and an accompanying booklet. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (J. Shannon)