The Seventh Seal is a 1957 film that was directed by famed director Ingmar Bergman. The film is set in Black Death ridden Sweden. The lead role is played by a young Max von Sydow (better known by american audiences for his role as the head priest in The Exorcist). In the film all of the actors and actresses speak their naive Swedish language, so expect to be reading subtitles throughout the films duration. This has to be one of my favorite films of all time. A knight is trying to make it home, but he has to try to beat Death at a chess game if he wants to live his full life. The plot is that simple, yet so captivating. When I first saw this I just expected to become bored within the first five minutes, but alas the first meeting of Death and the Knight kept me interested all the way to the end. Now this isn't a happy movie by any means, due to the bleak and pessimistic atmosphere. The film also questions the existence of god on a few occasions. The man who plays Death also did a spectacular job. He actually and sounded like he could be the personification of Death. My favorite character is a man named Jons. He is the Knight's squire. He has several funny lines and is the most optimistic of all the characters in the movie. This is definitely a movie to watch during the winter when you are all by yourself. It may not have a bunch of special effects (keep in mind this was released in 1957) but the story and characters more than make up for that. This is one of the best movies of all time and any true movie buff wouldn't want to miss this one.
Jean Sibelius is a Finnish composer who live from December 8, 1865 to September 20, 1957. His is known for his symphonies, though he isn't taught in many music history classes. I think he would fit with The Seventh Seal because some of his works have that tragic sound that would fit perfectly with the film's atmosphere. My personal favorite is "The Swan of Tuonela." The song has a saddened tone to it that I think would perfectly match the way the Knight feels in The Seventh Seal.
Songs
The Swan of Tuonela
Finlandia
Violin Concerto in D Minor
Valse triste
