CUBuffsMike41

After hearing so much about Ingmar Bergman, I was really excited to see this. But I couldn't even stay awake through the whole thing. Maybe it's considered such a great film because it was ahead of its time? I'm really hoping that it's different than some of Bergman's later work.

Supermallet

In my opinion, it's still a gripping, powerful film. Not Bergman's best, but way up there. I would say most of Bergman's stuff is like this, but, in fact, this is more active than a lot of his work. Most of his films are about characters in emotional turmoil. The only film of his with more action would be The Magic Flute, I would say, but then, does that really count?

Thinking over it again, the film is really varied. There's the philosophical musings of the knight, the almost surreal sequence with the religious fanatics who whip themselves, the horror of watching someone burned alive for being a heretic, and it's all counterbalanced with the antics of the jesters. Maybe you should give it another view.

QuiGonJosh

I dont find the film slow or anything...even has a kid I could make it through the film...that was when I originally watched it...at the age of around 11 or 12 I think...and I thought it was great back then and it held a grip on me...still one of the best movies ever made...

bdots48

If you can't stay awake for The Seventh Seal, you better steer clear of the rest of Bergman's films. It's one of the most "interesting" in terms of action.

MrN

Makes me wonder if all you heard were superficial reviews.

Bergman films are more about philosophies and emotions than anything else. If you've never felt like living in a world without a God, then I'm sure The Seventh Seal is sleep inducing.

Reminds me of an anecdote I heard about how Bergman visited a Hollywood set. Bergman had never seen a 'squib' and so when Charles Bronson heard about this he asked, "So how do you use machine guns in your films?"

jayson1017

He could give Cries and Whispers a shot. Its cerebral, but still accessible to the lay person.

DVD Smurf

From your DVD collection, you have a lot of Woody Allen (good for you). Did you know that Woody Allen’s favorite directors are Bergman and Fellini. This is apparent in September, which is a Bergmanesque film.

IMHO, Seventh Seal is one of the best films ever, and as François Truffaut stated in his film 400 Blows, "The film had depth." Not referring to Seventh Seal, but it is the point that he makes. Seventh Seal has depth, and it is not a film that comes to you. You have to actively participate in the film as if you read a book or view some art at the Louvre. As you peel away the different layers you find something anew and eventually you breathe the film as you view it.

MrN - the Charles Bronson quote was great.

CUBuffsMike41

The thing is, September is by far my favorite Woody Allen film. Another similar one I love is Interiors. Each about pretty extensive emotional turmoil, and pretty cerebral. Allen's dramas/serious works are by far my favorite, and I expected to have the same immediate love for Bergman (I was aware of Allen's influence from Bergman). I'm also pretty into existentialist philosophy, so I don't think it was necessarily my poor taste or being a "laymen" or themes going over my head that kept me from enjoying Seventh Seal. Perhaps I wasn't in the appropriate mindset to really enjoy it, and I'll watch it again with a more active approach. But I felt like the philosophical musings were a little sophomoric, and the plot kind of dragged. Both Cries and Whispers and the other Bermang film called "problems in Marriage" or something to that effect looked really really interesting to me, so I'll give those a try also.

Groucho

I've found Wild Strawberries to be Bergman's most "accessable" film. Although, looking at the plot summary one might never guess it.

Tarnower

My personal favorite is Bergman's 1983 masterpiece "Fanny and Alexander," an almost Dickensian fable about a Swedish family. It's very long. And every minute is just wonderful. I think this is by far his most accessible film. It was nominated for something like six Oscars, winning something like three). Alas, it's not available on DVD yet. You'll have to scrounge-up a VHS copy.

Supermallet

I agree with you on this one. For the money, I think Wild Strawberries is his best film.

If you liked Interiors, perhaps you should try Through A Glass Darkly.

DVD Smurf

Very true... I saw this a month ago for the first time, what was I thinking? Waiting so long for such a good movie...

Hullo

You should see Winter Light and The Silence.

garmonbozia

Well in that case I would say if you stick with Bergman you'll find things you like. In my opinion, Allen never imitated Bergman more than he did in Interiors. Sure, several of Allen's films have qualities of Bergman, but Interiors always stuck out in my mind as being the most obvious one. I can see how The Seventh Seal may have been not what you were expecting then.

Scenes From A Marriage may be more of what you are looking for, but Criterion's dvd set does not come out until March.
http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=229 I am very excited about this release because I have never seen the 5 hour television version before.

Otherwise, I think I would first recommend either the box set containing Through A Glass Darkly/Winter Light/The Silence http://www.criterionco.com/asp/boxed_set.asp?id=208 or Cries and Whispers http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=101

MASAMUNE2

I thought this film was incredibly boring. The only interesting interactions are between the knight and Death and those are far between and few. Even with the philosophical musings it isn't all that thought-provoking when you consider that any ordinary man has deliberated whether or not god exists, if there is emptiness after death, the terror of that notion, etc...
actually, the musings are quite shallow.

I just don't see how this film is hailed as one of the greatest.

chente

I didn't really like it either. It actually scared me off of Bergman for a while. I haven't seen much by him beside Virgin Spring and the Criterion box set (Through a Glass Darkly, The Silence, Winter Light). I enjoyed the box set very much, particularly Winter Light and Through a Glass...)

I'm looking forward to viewing Virgin Spring again. I saw it during my college years in the late 80's and remember liking it.