Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

The Seventh Seal 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 12, 2023

Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" (1957) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include an original trailer for the film; archival audio commentary by film scholar Peter Cowie; additional featurettes; audio interview with actor Max von Sydow; and more. In Swedish, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

And if I win you set me free?

A knight (Max von Sydow) and his squire (Gunnar Bjornstrand) are returning home from the Crusades. Exhausted, they decide to spend the night on a desolate beach. On the morning after the knight encounters Death (Bengt Ekerot), who tells him that his time is up. The knight isn’t afraid, but before he accepts his fate he asks Death to answer a few questions for him -- Does God exist? Who is He? Is there life after death?

The knight also challenges Death to a game of chess. If he wins, Death will have to let him live. If he loses, Death can have his soul. Death quickly agrees and the two begin playing. Very soon, however, the knight realizes that he might have underestimated his opponent.

As they continue their journey back home, the knight and his squire encounter a group of actors. They also befriend Jof/Joseph (Nils Poppe) and Mia/Marry (Bibi Andersson), a young couple with a beautiful child, who choose to join them. Later on, while passing through a village devastated by the plague, the knight and his squire witness the burning of a young girl (Gunnel Lindblom) who has apparently embraced the devil.

At his castle, the knight is greeted by his beloved wife (Inga Landgré) -- everyone else has run away fearing the plague; she is the only one left. Nevertheless, the knight is moved and excited about the future. However, out of the shadows, Death reappears and declares that it is time that they finish their chess game.

Partially inspired by Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, The Seventh Seal is undoubtedly one of the boldest films ever made. It is dark and notably pessimistic, questioning morality and faith in a manner few films since its release have been able to replicate. Nowadays, it is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.

The Seventh Seal, however, is not a universally praised film. During the years, some questioned its religious symbolism, pointing out how ironic Bergman’s address of God and His existence is, countered only by the suspiciously clueless Death. Some also questioned the knight’s pessimistic view on life (believed to be Bergman’s) -- was it fueled by his inability to accept reality, or was it His fault for not letting him rediscover the joy of life?

The film’s rhetoric, however, remains as fascinating today as it was some fifty-two years ago. The fact that despite all the progress we have made we are still struggling to grasp the same old complexities of life that Bergman’s characters struggled with is very telling. We pretend to have become more tolerant of each other and respectful of our differences -- religious and cultural -- but we have only become better at disguising our weaknesses and bargaining our fears.

Technically, The Seventh Seal is a remarkable achievement. Cinematographer Gunnar Fischer’s panoramic vistas are amongst the best ever captured on celluloid. From the opening scenes where we first encounter the knight and his squire on the desolated beach to the passing flagellants carrying their crosses to the incredibly effective close-ups of Death and the knight playing chess, The Seventh Seal is a strikingly beautiful film. The cast is also fantastic. Sydow, in particular, is terrific as the disillusioned knight. Finally, Erik Nordgren’s soundtrack blends exceptionally well with the film’s dark and moody aura.

The Seventh Seal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion's release of The Seventh Seal is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray disc is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray disc is Region-A "locked".

The following text appears inside the booklet that is provided with this release:

"This restoration was undertaken by the Swedish Film Institute from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative made on a Scannity film scanner. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm magnetic track."

Please note that all screencaptures that are used in this review are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray. Also, the 4K content is not graded with Dolby Vision or/and HDR.

The Seventh Seal was fully restored in 4K in 2018. During the same year, the 4K restoration was introduced via Criterion's Ingmar Bergman's Cinema box set. You can see our review of this release here. Now, this 4K Blu-ray release allows you to see the 4K restoration in native 4K. Fourteen years ago, Criterion also produced this Blu-ray release, which was sourced from a different master.

If you have seen our review of the Blu-ray release that introduced the 4K restoration, you already know how I feel about the work that was done during the 4K makeover. The Seventh Seal looks spotless and its visuals frequently boast tremendous density levels, so it has an undeniably attractive appearance. However, on the 4K restoration, there are small traces of noise reduction and they produce some undesirable side effects. The visuals are still very good, but trained eyes will recognize that they could have spectacular. On my system, darker areas with nuanced shadows tend to expose the side effects the most, but occasionally even daylight footage does. (See screencaptures #3, 15, 25). The higher resolution of 4K Blu-ray hides them a bit bitter -- because 4K tightens up all visuals -- but I was able to notice them just as easily as I did in 1080p. Also, areas that looked very good in 1080p now tend to look slightly better, so some of the most obvious discrepancies are simply replicated in native 4K. The grasycale is outstanding, but perhaps in some areas balance could have been even better without the emerging side effects. (See screencapture #4). This being said, I prefer the less contrasty look of the visuals on the 4K makeover, but the larger your screen is, the easier it becomes to recognize the side effects that are highlited above.

Should you upgrade if you already have the previous Blu-ray release in your collection? Well, the previous Blu-ray release -- the one that introduced the 4K restoration in 1080p -- was available only in the Ingmar Bergman's Cinema box set. So, the 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack is easier to recommend to folks that do not have the box set in their collections. What if you already have the box set in your collection? I would say that the jump in quality from 1080p to native 4K is quite small, or at least it appeared quite small on my system. So, if possible, find a way to rent the 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack and decide whether the jump in quality is good enough for you to invest in it. My score is 4.75/5.00.

The Seventh Seal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: Swedish LPCM 1.0 and English Dolby Digital 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the Swedish track.

I always view The Seventh Seal with the original Swedish track. The LPCM 1.0 track is the same track that was offered on the previous Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration of the film. I think that the quality of the audio is outstanding. There are no technical anomalies or errors to report in our review.

The Seventh Seal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this audio commentary with film scholar Peter Cowie was recorded for Criterion in 1987. It was also included on the label's first release of The Seventh Seal.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this audio commentary with film scholar Peter Cowie was recorded for Criterion in 1987. It was also included on the label's first release of The Seventh Seal.

• Bergman Island - in 2004, Swedish television journalist Marie Nyrerod made a trilogy of revealing and intimate documentaries in which Ingmar Bergman looks back on his long career in film, television, and theater. Those three films were edited into the feature-length documentary Bergman Island, released in 2006 and presented in high-definition. In Swedish, with optional English subtitles. (84 min, 1080i).

• Afterword - this afterword, made in 2008, features film scholar Peter Cowie discussing The Seventh Seal, in a follow-up to his 1987 Criterion commentary track. In English, not subtitled. (11 min, 1080p).

• Max von Sydow Audio Interview - film scholar Peter Cowie conducted several interviews with Max von Sydow in 1988 for his book Max von Sydow: From "The Seventh Seal" to "Pele the Conqueror". Presented here are excerpts from his audiotapes. In English, not subtitled. (20 min, 1080p).

• Woody Allen on Bergman - in this short 1998 piece for Turner Classic Movies, Woody Allen talks about his passion for the great Swedish master. In English, not subtitled. (8 min, 1080i).

• Bergman 101 - in this video piece, film scholar Peter Cowie discusses Ingmar Bergman's career by way of film stills, behind-the-scenes photos, and clips from many of the director's films and television productions. In English, not subtitled. (36 min, 1080p).

• Trailer - vintage trailer for The Seventh Seal. In Swedish, with optional English subtitles. (3 min, 1080p).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins as well as technical credits.

The Seventh Seal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Criterion's upcoming 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack gives you the opportunity to view the 4K restoration of The Seventh Seal that was prepared in 2018 in native 4K. Until now, the 4K restoration was available only on Blu-ray, which was included only in the massive Ingmar Bergman's Cinema box set. The 4K restoration is very good, but I think that it could have been spectacular. If you have in your collection only Criterion's original Blu-ray release of The Seventh Seal from 2009, the 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack should be on your radar. Despite my reservations about some of the work that was done on the 4K restoration, the native 4K presentation is the best presentation of The Seventh Seal that I have seen to date. If you already have the massive box set and are trying to decide whether to invest in the 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack, I think that you need to find a way to rent the latter and see how the 4K restoration looks in native 4K on your system. There is an undeniable jump in quality from 1080p to 4K, but it is not dramatic. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.