It's my pleasure Hang! This is a complex film, really enjoyed so many little nuggets. Stay tuned for more!

Sure will and thanks my brotha!

Hey thanks for the insightful comment! My Dad (who was an agnostic for much of my youth, but opening up more now as he ages) is a film grad and chewed my ear off about this film growing up. I did not know that about Bergman, interesting. Ironically, I resisted Christianity until 13 when I had a spiritual experience that literally made my knees quake! Once I reasoned that I was not actually insane, you could say I embarked on a journey to study as much of the Bible and accompanying archaeological/theological data as possible. It's true that I have a lens as you said -- as a Christian I believe that human beings are graceful creatures endowed with God's breath, made in His image and so we are possessed of great powers of intellect, charm, beauty, artistry and a moral compass. However, as illustrated in the eating of the forbidden fruit by Eve in the garden, such a creature through the power of its free will and those previously listed gifts can essentially create reality in its own image, and therefore come to a variety of conclusions to the same issues. I personally believe that many (not all) atheists and agnostics are actually wrestling with the breath of God in themselves, and as artists often do, portray that struggle on the canvas, or on screen here. It's a journey for some, such as C.S. Lewis. The Bible is filled with examples of such struggles, even amongst the so-called "devout", which is what I love about it compared to other books of religion around the world: its transparency. As for the film, yaaas! You're right, it is amazing, I'd love to revisit it actually now that im making videos again.

Thanks for responding to my comment... your thoughtful and well-conceived response made me think about so many ideas. I believe the hope for a better world rests in the hands of those, who despite elemental differences, find ways to exchange and accept. Two things... When I was. young, I did indeed wrestle with the breath of God... which permeated my familial ethos and extended community. I have come to believe now, looking back at 72... that was inevitable - not because there is a god, but because the omnipresent religious messaging flooded my subconscious expectations via every societal fountain... from Sunday school to movies to Christmas to every book, play, and mythological metaphor in Western art. I no longer wrestle with 'existence', but rather quest for 'experience'... And my searcing is not like the Knight's... who keeps looking through the same cupboard over and over only to find it seemingly bare, but rather, like Bergman, who explored hundreds of cupboards, gathering a bone here, a cake there, and a rare bowl of wild strawberries hidden in the recesses. The Bible, for moi, is one cupboard among countless stores of enlightement. Secondly, when you watch the film again (and it's worth a 2nd or 3rd viewing), take note of the Knight's 'quest'... which is to manifest one meaningful act before dying. In the last chess match, the Knight asks Death if anything escapes him. Death responds, "No one escapes me." The Knight then knocks the chess pieces over which distracts Death - allowing the family to escape... thus, the Knight, like Daniel Webster, 'cheats the devil'. This act is the most important moment in the movie. The Knight has 'saved' the family... his 'one meaningful act' is manifested... a 'sacrifice' analogous to a strategic chess move and Christ's sacrifice to save mankind. @@KensCinemaSofa

Hey, thanks for stopping by! It's true that some books may be compiled in their final form in later centuries, but that doesn't mean that they don't use manuscripts from previous eras that were originally written by the original author. For example, Moses dies in the book of Deuteronomy, yet the narrative continues in that book. explaining about his burial in a secret place. How is that possible when Judaism teaches that Moses wrote the Torah? Well, it was an ancient tradition for disciples or followers to finish the writing using what they had from the original writer -- in this case it would have been Joshua son of Nun. He followed Moses up the mountain of Sinai, was very close, and his book, Judges, is next after Deuteronomy. Same for letters in the new testament, it's actually stated that someone else took dictation for the Apostle Paul - Romans 16:22 - "I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord." This explains the changes in style in the bible, it was an ancient tradition for many cultures in the middle-east and Mesopotamia actually: the message is the same, but because it's written by a scribe, the scribe's style shines through. It's just that in the case of Ecclesiastes, its a longer period of time between dictator and writer. Yet, Israel had all of the writings and sayings of past kings and prophets, good example would be the ketef hinnom scrolls discovered in 1979. Those are from 600 B.C. and said to be one of the most significant discoveries ever made. Why? Because up until they were found, researchers said that the book of Numbers was written much later. But as I said, though they may be written and polished centuries later, doesn't mean that the original words weren't spoken, etched in stone, or kept by whatever means ages before. The hinnom scrolls were writings etched on silver, so they survived many calamities throughout the millenia, but had to be scanned using computers to read them. They contain the Aaronic blessing as stated in Numbers, even written in Paleo-Hebrew, instead of Aramaic or Babylonian like later "official" versions, as Numbers as we know it wouldn't be "officially" written until much later of course. The book of Kings makes it clear that Israel had the raw data of the past written down in other forms before a "bible" as we know it came to be, as the hinnom scrolls proved. They had these materials in excess until Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed Jerusalem in 587 B.C., and they were exiled. Check out my books on these subjects on amazon.com, or my missions/exploration website www.frontiersnova.wordpress.com. Thanks for the comment! o Let There Be Light: 50 tough bible questions- www.amazon.com/dp/B09QZYKCH3 o Sands of Time: Easy Guide to Bible archaeological Treasures www.amazon.com/dp/B088ZQD263

@@KensCinemaSofa I didn't realize you thought Moses had written the Pentateuch. Just forget my previous comment.

@@lauterunvollkommenheit4344 No worries, bless you!

hey thanks for the comment Mike! Actually, i meant Cavaliers, here's an entry from Merriam Webster's dictionary: 1 · a gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship ; 2 · a mounted soldier : knight ; 3 · an adherent of Charles I of England Im well aware of the knights Templar, and while they were much more well known for their spirituality, the Cavaliers i targeted because i am writing an adventure story and researched them. Thanks again!