The Seventh Seal (1957)
0.2390Canon Score · ranked #73 all time
Aggregated from 11 of 31 authoritative lists, weighted by authority and adjusted for each list's scope and age. How scoring works →
About the film
When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.
Why it ranks #73
Every list on which The Seventh Seal appears, with its position as published.
| List | Authority | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Halliwell's Top 1000 (2005) | Critics' canon | #17 / 1041 |
| Village Voice 100 Best of 20th C (2000) | Critics' canon | #33 / 100 |
| Time Out 100 Best (2026 ed.) | Critics' canon | #43 / 99 |
| TIFF Essential 100 (2010) | Editorial list | #48 / 100 |
| Sight & Sound Directors' 100 (2022) | Major international poll | #73 / 104 |
| Letterboxd Top 500 (2026-07 snapshot) | Editorial list | #136 / 500 |
| Sight & Sound Critics' 250 (2022) | Major international poll | #142 / 264 |
| Empire 500 Greatest (2008) | Editorial list | #335 / 500 |
| Ebert Great Movies (I–IV) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| 1001 Movies (2003-2024 union) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| NYT Best 1000 Movies (2004) | Critics' canon | Selected |