The Film: The film that truly put Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman on the map was this timeless allegory of love, death and sacrifice. The story begins with a weary Max Von Sydow as he swaps the horrors of the Crusades for those of plague-ridden Sweden. Upon returning, he bumps into Death (played by Bengt Ekerot in a much mimicked role) and in order to beat his wrap, engages him in a game of chess, one that whisks them from Nordic shores into the mainland and atop a fateful hill. Lighting, set design and simple storytelling make this one of the most heralded world cinema releases of all time. Rightly so. Classic Moment: Forget the beach, as nothing floats into the consciousness quite like Bergman's staging of the danse macabre, where Death leads his little lambs for one last waltz.
Shaun is a former contributor for a number of Future Publishing titles and more recently worked as a staffer at Imagine Publishing.
He can now be found banking in the daytime and writing a variety of articles for What Culture, namely around his favourite topics of film, retro gaming, music, TV and, when he's feeling clever, literature.
