We've all, in our more paranoid moments, had the sneaking suspicion that the Universe is playing games with us - trust Ingmar Bergman to confirm it. This classic Swedish film is about a medieval knight who returns from the Crusades only to find his homeland being ravaged by the plague. The central plot of the story revolves around this knight, who has challenged Death to a game of chess, believing that he can avoid dying for as long as he continues the game. Its overall theme is an exploration of religious faith and all the contradictions contained within, as Bergman had a conflicted relationship with religion - which was an overriding theme in the majority of his works. The knight is tormented by the concept of death without concrete proof of an afterlife, an empty heaven, if you will, and his existential search for answers frames much of the film. But in the end, most viewers will remember The Seventh Seal for its haunting image of Death as the inscrutable chess master from which escape is impossible. Which movies about death do you think deserve to be included in this list? Share your own selections below in the comments thread.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
