There is silence, just like in any good Bergman film.

I stole that title from the conclusion of this article. Many bloggers who have covered the death of Ingmar Bergman today have titled their posts “Bergman Loses the Chess Match,” in reference to the film The Seventh Seal, often considered Bergman’s finest work, in which a medieval knight plays a chess game with death.

The Seventh Seal is actually the only Bergman film I’ve seen (although I’d like to watch others) and it was some time ago. It stuck with me. Although I never dream of the character death personified from the film (thank goodness), I frequently dream of a solitary knight riding over a silent, barren landscape. When I wake up, I immediately connect the dream to The Seventh Seal. I’ve always found this interesting because while I strongly associate my dream with the film, it’s never felt menacing, or remotely nightmarish, while the film itself is grim indeed.

The Guardian has many more resources on Bergman, his work, and the news of his death here.