Title from container. Gunnar Björnstrand, Bengt Ekerot, Nils Poppe, Max Von Sydow, Bibi Andersson, Inga Gill, Maud Hansson, Inga Landgré, Gunnel Lindblom, Bertil Anderberg, Anders Ek, Åke Fridell, Gunnar Olsson, Erik Standmark. Originally released as a motion picture in 1957. Special features: Disc one: Introduction by Ingmar Bergman, recorded in 2003; audio commentary by Bergman expert Peter Cowie, with a new afterword; archival audio interview with Max von Sydow; a 1989 tribute to Bergman by filmmaker Woody Allen; theatrical trailer. Disc two: "Bergman Island:" (2006), an 83-minute documentary on Bergman by journalist Marie Nyreröd, featuring in-depth and revealing interviews with the director; "Bergman 101:" a selection video filmography tracing Bergman's career, narrated by Cowie. Booklet features an essay by critic Gary Giddins.
Summary:
Antonius Block is a knight, who along with his squire, are returning home from the crusades. Black Death is sweeping their country. As they approach home, Death appears to the knight and tells him it is his time. Antonius challenges Death to a chess game for his life. Antonius and Death play as the cultural turmoil envelopes the people around them as they try, in different ways, to deal with the upheaval that the plague has caused.
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