SEVENTH SEAL (DVD/COMMENTARY/FILMOGRAPHY/OPTIONAL ENGLISH DUB& SUBTITLES) DVD

The Seventh Seal
Endlessly imitated and parodied, Ingmar Bergman's landmark art movie The Seventh Seal (Det Sjunde Inseglet) retains its ability to hold an audience spellbound. Bergman regular Max von Sydow stars as a 14th century knight named Antonius Block, wearily heading home after ten years' worth of combat. Disillusioned by unending war, plague, and misery Block has concluded that God does not exist. As he trudges across the wilderness, Block is visited by Death (Bengt Ekerot), garbed in the traditional black robe. Unwilling to give up the ghost, Block challenges Death to a game of chess. If he wins, he lives -- if not, he'll allow Death to claim him. As they play, the knight and the Grim Reaper get into a spirited discussion over whether or not God exists. To recount all that happens next would diminish the impact of the film itself; we can observe that The Seventh Seal ends with one of the most indelible of all of Bergman's cinematic images: the near-silhouette "Dance of Death." Considered by some as the apotheosis of all Ingmar Bergman films (other likely candidates for that honor include Wild Strawberries and Persona), and certainly one of the most influential European art movies, The Seventh Seal won a multitude of awards, including the Special Jury Prize at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast Max von Sydow as The Knight, Antonius Block Gunnar Björnstrand as Jons Bengt Ekerot as Death Nils Poppe as Jof Bibi Andersson as Mia Åke Fridell as Blacksmith Plog Inga Gill as Lisa Inga Landgr_ as Block's Wife

Crew Else Fischer - Choreography Manne Lindholm - Costume Designer Ingmar Bergman - Director Lennart Wallen - Editor Eric Nordgren - Composer (Music Score) Sixten Ehrling - Musical Direction/Supervision Nila Nittle - Makeup Carl M. Lundh - Makeup P.A. Lundgren - Production Designer Gunnar Fischer - Cinematographer Allan Ekelund - Producer P.A. Lundgren - Set Designer Evald Andersson - Special Effects Ingmar Bergman - Screenwriter

The Seventh Seal
For filmgoers of a certain age (baby boomers who attended college between the late '50s and late '60s), The Seventh Seal was their first exposure to the films of Ingmar Bergman. And indeed, the film has been referenced by other directors, from Woody Allen to Barry Levinson, as well as becoming the subject of a popular parody short, Dove. Although other filmmakers, such as Jean Cocteau in Orpheus, had dealt with similar concerns, Bergman made them more accessible. The Seventh Seal is a skillful blend of realistic drama (the disillusioned knight returning from the Crusades in a land wracked by plague and madness) and the allegorical (most famously, the chess game and further encounters with a black-robed figure representing Death). The historical setting provides a convenient vehicle for Bergman to deal with issues of death and spirituality that are ultimately timeless. The film also gave major exposure to actors Max von Sydow and Bibi Andersson, who both had small roles in Bergman's Wild Strawberries. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
 

Cannes Film Festival, Special Jury Prize (winner)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: 1: PCM mono 5.1: 5 full-range channels. Includes 3 for the front speakers, 2 surround channels for rear speakers, & 1 low-frequency effects (LFE) channel to carry deep bass effects Additional Features: none specified DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: All Content Length: 96 min   DVD Chapters: Chapters 0. Chapters 1. Logos/Opening Credits [1:29] 2. On the beach [7:01] 3. Jof's vision [7:54] 4. At the church [11:07] 5. The deserted village [5:01] 6. The seduction of Skat [4:05] 7. The procession of flagellants [6:28] 8. Torture at the tavern [5:45] 9. Strawberries and milk at dusk [9:48] 10. "Love is the blackest of all plagues." [3:46] 11. "The deadest actor I've ever seen." [4:30] 12. The burning of the witch [3:01] 13. "Mate at the next move." [8:50] 14. The last supper [7:21] 15. The dance of death [7:59]