The Seventh Seal (1957) Det sjunde inseglet (original title)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writers:

Ingmar Bergman (play)
Ingmar Bergman (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 October 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

A man seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Knight | Chess | Plague | Grim Reaper

Awards:

7 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Gunnar Björnstrand	...	Jöns, squire
Bengt Ekerot	...	Death
Nils Poppe	...	Jof / Joseph
Max von Sydow	...	Antonius Block
Bibi Andersson	...	Mia / Mary - Jof's wife
Inga Gill	...	Lisa, blacksmith's wife
Maud Hansson	...	Witch
Inga Landgré	...	Karin, Block's Wife
Gunnel Lindblom	...	Girl
Bertil Anderberg	...	Raval
Anders Ek	...	The Monk
Åke Fridell	...	Blacksmith Plog
Gunnar Olsson	...	Albertus Pictor, Church Painter
Erik Strandmark	...	Jonas Skat
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Siv Aleros	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Sten Ardenstam	...	Knight (uncredited)
Harry Asklund	...	The landlord (uncredited)
Benkt-Åke Benktsson	...	Merchant at the inn (uncredited)
Catherine Berg	...	Young woman kneeling for the flagellants (uncredited)
Lena Bergman	...	Young woman kneeling for the flagellants (uncredited)
Tor Borong	...	Farmer at the inn (uncredited)
Gudrun Brost	...	Woman at inn (uncredited)
Bengt Gillberg	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Lars Granberg	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Gunlög Hagberg	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Gun Hammargren	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Tor Isedal	...	Man (uncredited)
Ulf Johansson	...	Knight Commander (uncredited)
Tommy Karlsson	...	Mikael, Jof and Maria's son (uncredited)
Uno Larsson	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Lennart Lilja	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Lars Lind	...	The young monk (uncredited)
Monica Lindman	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Gordon Löwenadler	...	Knight (uncredited)
Mona Malm	...	Young pregnant woman (uncredited)
Josef Norman	...	Old man at the inn (uncredited)
Gösta Prüzelius	...	Man (uncredited)
Helge Sjökvist	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Georg Skarstedt	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Ragnar Sörman	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Fritjof Tall	...	Man (uncredited)
Lennart Tollén	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Nils Whiten	...	Old man addressed by the monk (uncredited)
Caya Wickström	...	Flagellant (uncredited)
Karl Widh	...	Man with crutches (uncredited)

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		play "Trämålning"
Ingmar Bergman		screenplay

Produced by
Allan Ekelund	....	producer

Original Music by
Erik Nordgren

Cinematography by
Gunnar Fischer

Film Editing by
Lennart Wallén

Production Design by
P.A. Lundgren

Costume Design by
Manne Lindholm

Makeup Department
Nils Nittel	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lennart Olsson	....	assistant director (as Lennart Ohlsson)

Art Department
Carl-Henry Cagarp	....	props

Sound Department
Evald Andersson	....	sound effects
Lennart Wallin	....	sound
Aaby Wedin	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Åke Nilsson	....	assistant camera (as Åke G. Nilsson)

Music Department
Sixten Ehrling	....	conductor
Erik Nordgren	....	music arranger

Other crew
Katinka Faragó	....	script girl (as Katarina Faragó)
Else Fisher	....	choreographer (as Else Fischer)

Production Companies

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Distributors

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1957) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Janus Films (1958) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1976) (USA) (TV)
• Tartan Video (1993) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1997) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Manga Films (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Gutek Film (2007) (Poland) (all media)
• Tartan (2007) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Criterion Collection, The (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (????) (Germany) (theatrical)
• New Cinema Enterprises (1961) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Cinetel (????) (Hungary) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Cult Filmes (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Emerald (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Det sjunde inseglet" - Sweden (original title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish | Latin

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:16 | Spain:13 | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | South Korea:15 | Italy:T (re-rated) | Italy:VM14 (original rating) | South Africa:PG | USA:TV-PG (cable rating) | South Korea:12 (2012) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Gustavsberg, Värmdö, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Trivia:

The church which Jöns and Antonius Block arrives at 15 minutes into the film is actually a model hung in the dead tree in the foreground.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the witches' forest, you can see the windows of apartment buildings between the trees.

Quotes:

Death:Don't you ever stop asking?
Antonius Block:No. I never stop.
Death:But you're not getting an answer.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Lexx: The Game (#4.18)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

DET SITTER EN DUVA

One of the most extraordinary movies ever made. I cannot recommend 'The Seventh Seal' highly enough.

'The Seventh Seal' is universally regarded as a masterpiece. It's one of those classics like 'Citizen Kane', 'Rear Window' or 'The Godfather' that has subtlety entered popular culture, so even if you haven't actually seen it you recognize references to it in other movies, TV, magazines and everyday conversation. The thing is like the aforementioned and 'Rashomon' and 'Sunset Blvd' it isn't regarded as a masterpiece for nothing, it really is one. I think anybody who loves movies will be totally knocked out by 'The Seventh Seal'. It's still one of the most extraordinary movies ever made. Visually it's stunning, the acting is first rate, and the end result is mesmerizing. Once seen never forgotten is a cliche, but it's the perfect description for this amazing film. Max von Sydow brilliantly plays Antonius Block, a knight returning from the Crusades who challenges Death (Bengt Ekerot) to a chess match. He is accompanied on his journey home by his cynical squire Jons (Gunnar Bjornstrand). Jons is my favourite character in the movie, and as good as von Sydow is Bjornstrand's performance is even better. I also was very taken by the traveling actors who become part of Block's entourage, Jof (Nils Poppe) and his wife Mia (Bibi Andersson), and confess to developing quite a crush on Mia. I cannot recommend 'The Seventh Seal' highly enough. Don't be put off by Bergman's highbrow reputation, this is a movie that can be appreciated by anybody, especially by old school horror fans. While it isn't strictly a horror movie itself anyone who admires the James Whale and Val Lewton classics of the 1930s and 1940s will find much to enjoy here.