the seventh seal

this movie's the bomb. i love the idea of the actor having visions rather than actually seeing all of these things, or at least that's what bibi andersson always says, because that lends the two stories, merging and diverging, an unreality to each other that i believe. the knight can only glimpse their heavenly world and they his from neighboring hilltops. also, the idea of death leading them in a dance to the "dark lands" is ineffably beautiful.

everything with jons (frederik egerman and vergerus sans facial hair! what a dour mouth that guy has, i never realized) is so funny and excellent and good. that's patter as sublime. you greasy cuckold. and the way he rolls his rs makes me lightheaded with desire.

and max von sydow with his face and his questions, playing chess as best he can. bergman likes the concept more than the actual game, i think. how dyou have the narrative force and central drama of the film turn on such nonsense as "i take your queen" and "i didn't see that coming" or whatever he says. that is pathetic, you've got to notice when someone can simply going to take your queen.

and the tree getting cut down by death, the stump with the squirrel.