Few films have had as large a cultural impact as Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet), it's iconic imagery recogniseable even to those who have never seen a frame of the film itself. It's also one of the most misunderstood by those who continue to give it a wide berth, convinced they will be in for a rough ride and unaware just how much fun the film is at times.

Disillusioned and exhausted after a decade of battling in the Crusades, a knight (Max von Sydow) encounters Death on a desolate beach and challenges him to a fateful game of chess.

Much studied, imitated, even parodied, but never outdone, Bergman's stunning allegory of man's search for meaning was one of the benchmark foreign imports of America's 1950s art house heyday, pushing cinema's boundaries and ushering in a new era of moviegoing.

The Seventh Seal was one of the first UK Blu-ray releases from the departed Tartan and one that has yet to pbe picked up by another UK distributor, with the result that it will cost you a pretty penny to lay your hands on it now. Given the superb pucture quality on the 50th Anniversary DVD equivalent (which is still available and at a very good price) then I'm willing to be Blu-ray disc was really something. For US viewers help is at hand in June as the film has been announced for release on DVD and Blu-ray by Criterion, the latter kept from our hands by the curse of regional coding. Boasting a new and restored high-definition digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition, both discs will have the following features:

• Introduction by Ingmar Bergman, recorded in 2003;
• Audio commentary by Bergman expert Peter Cowie;
• A new afterword to the commentary by Cowie;
• Bergman Island (2006), an 83-minute documentary on Bergman by Marie Nyreröd, featuring in-depth and revealing interviews with the director;
• Archival audio interview with Max von Sydow;
• A 1998 tribute to Bergman by filmmaker Woody Allen;
• Theatrical trailer;
• Bergman 101, a selected video filmography tracing Bergman's career, narrated by Cowie;
• Optional English-dubbed soundtrack;
• New and improved English subtitle translation;
• A booklet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins.

The Seventh Seal DVD and Blu-ray will be released in the US on 16th June 2009 at the SRP of $29.95 (DVD) and $39.95 (Blu-ray)