Price:

The Seventh Seal (1957)

Starring: Max Von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand, Nils Poppe, Bibi Andersson, Bengt Ekeroth, Ake Fridell, Inga Gill

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal is widely ackowledged as one of the most important films of all time. Max Von Sydow, in the role that really cemented his career, stars as a disillisioned knight Antonius Block, returning from the crusades in the 14th century. Despite having fought for Christianity he finds his faith dissipated, and searches for proof of God's existence.

Enter Death. With a black cowl and white face, Death has come to fetch him. Antonius manages to win a respite; he challenges Death to a game of chess. As long as they play, Antonius can live, and should he manage to checkmate Death, he may live a while longer. Antonius is determined to win, and use his time to find a concrete sign that God really exists.

But no matter what he does, Death follows in his footsteps...

This stunning allegory of man's apocalyptic search for meaning remains a textbook on the art of filmmaking fifty years after its original release, and is an essential addition to any DVD colleciton.