The Seventh Seal (1957)

'The Seventh Seal' is one of Sweden's greatest triumphs, along with IKEA and ABBA. It is not only a masterpiece for its picturesque black and white cinematography that leaves you wondering why colour was ever introduced to cinema, but the humorous script is timeless for its provocative dissection of atheism. Religion is central in the film, its portrayed as ridiculous through the burning of a supposed witche whilst idolised for its power through the depiction of the devil/death. The characters are all pawns to death, leaving you to question the significance of life. During the plague Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) plays chess with death, during the intervals of their intense match Antonius Block leads a group of actors and a blacksmith to safety. Their journey completely contrasts a leisurely walk through the Derbyshire moors with witches being burnt, adultery, drunken antics and groups of self-sacrificing nutters. What's clear, other than that the dark-ages were miserable and frightening, is that Bergman's unique style remains to be one of huge ingenuity.