6. The Seventh Seal
Ingmar Bergman delivered one of cinema's most powerful experiences with the Seventh Seal, a harrowing meditation on religion and human nature. The Seventh Seal follows a knight and his squire who return from the Crusades and while resting on a beach, the Knight challenges Death to a game of chess, confident in his ability to delay his demise as long as he can. Filmed in less than a month, The Seventh Seal offers some of the most iconic scenes in cinema history. First and foremost would be the scene where the Knight and death play Chess on a beach, with the ocean in the background. Another well-known scene occurs when the Knight goes to confession where he states his religious crisis before realizing that the priest is none other than death, who wants to continue the chess game. The Seventh Seal used visuals to to portray themes of doubt, faith, and religion in a way that few, if any films, have ever achieved.