Movies to Make you Think: The Seventh Seal

Plague. In the relatively comfortable suburbs and apartments that we occupy in Bensalem, we rarely deal with plague. We might have a SARS scare or if you can remember the 2009 swine flu outbreak, but it's not often that we come across or even think about the bubonic plague. According to the Center for Disease Control, the last plague outbreak occurred almost ninety years ago on the other side of the country.

Going back a couple centuries, you'd find that plague was nothing to joke about. In an era of little-to-no philosophical or scientific inquiry, the church was the typical be-all and end-all of knowledge and it exerted a very significant amount of power over the incredibly faithful and unquestioning populace. Combining religious fervor with something as erratic and unforgiving as the bubonic plague is a surefire way to cause a lot of existential angst, unconditional religious compliance, and those in power taking immoral or amoral advantage of opportunistic situations. And it makes sense that the plague would serve as inspiration and setting for some of the most thought-provoking works of all time, such as Albert Camus aptly-named The Plague.

This background information sets the stage for one of the most thought-provoking films of all time, Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal. Released in 1957, this Swedish-language film illustrates the journey that Antonius Block (Max Von Sydow), a knight coming home from the Crusades, embarks on when he discovers Sweden is being decimated by the plague.

While walking on the beach, Block crosses paths with Death (Bengt Ekerot), personified in this case by a man wearing a black robe. In an effort to postpone his impending death, Block challenges Death to a chess match. Death agrees and sets the plot in motion.

The plot is relatively straightforward and follows Block and his squire's travels through plague-ravaged Sweden. In their travels they come across such instances as a priest robbing a corpse, a woman being burned alive for making deals with Satan, and a blacksmith's wife running off with an actor. All of these incidents cause the protagonist to question his faith and perception of the world.

Death plays, as would be expected in a movie back-dropped with the plague, a major role in the characterization, mood, and theme of the work. This is not a cheerful “life gets better” affair. It is a dark and gloomy world that these characters inhabit and every single one of them is faced with death, regardless of the strength of their faith. Ultimately, how those characters confront death is what matters the most. Some meet it with stoic reserve, others cry and beg. But it is to no avail, for death comes for us all.

“What is the nature of good?” “Does God exist? If so, why does he not care about these characters?” “Why do bad things happen to good people and why do bad people seem so satisfied?” These are all questions put forth by the film itself and beg to be answered.

 I've seen many movies that people claim would change the way I thought about the world, including films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and A Clockwork Orange, but The Seventh Seal has stuck with me for a long time after viewing it. I can't seem to put it to rest in my mind and I would love for the opportunity to talk about it with fellow Bensalemites.

Next time, I will be exploring how to begin fiction writing in 10 easy steps. I'm also planning on a post discussing one of the ultimate philosophical movies: Fight Club.