Thursday, November 11, 2010
Post #8
The concept of playing chess with death is very interesting to me. Chess is a game which requires the right amount of daring and caution, much the same way that life does. Block is also playing as white in the game, the color that moves first. In chess, the player using the black pieces must often follow and react to the moves of white. I think the fact that Block is playing as white symbolizes the way that everything we do in life causes something else, and that our actions always have a reaction. Death is also playing as black, which is ironic because it is very similar to the term "black death" which was destroying Europe at the time. I also think that the fact that the film was shot in black and white is significant. It is another example of the ideas that i have listed above.
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I agree with the action and reaction thing (I wrote about that in my blog as well). Also, I do not think that Death playing black is ironic, it would be ironic if death was playing white. (I think) . That would be interesting actually.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point nice analysis. I thought the fact that death was playing black was just humorous but your right black always goes right after white just like death always comes after life.
ReplyDeleteOops I meant to type symbolic, not ironic. My mistake haha
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which color is ironic. Death himself remarks that it's "appropriate." An example, I think, of the whimsical nature of the film. Had Bergman left the film without a lot of humor, it would really have been grim. And, of course, it mirrors his own attitude toward life, serious at core, but full of fun in practice.
ReplyDeleteI think you make a good point about the way death hovers behind every move life makes, just like in chess. I also like the point Mr. Bennett makes about the lighthearted side of the film, afterall chess IS only a game.(I wrote more on this idea in my blog post)
ReplyDeleteChess isn't a game lol it is THE Game.
ReplyDelete