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All rights reserved.Seven (1996, VHS)
| Movie Description Gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, pride, and lust--these are the seven deadly sins that are being punished with unimaginable cruelty and calculation by an enigmatic killer in David Fincher's bleak thriller SEVEN. Set in a perpetually gloomy unnamed city, the film follows Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a retiring police detective, as he experiences his final week on the job, reluctantly working with assertive newcomer Mills (Brad Pitt). When an obese man is found brutally murdered in his home, the seasoned Somerset realizes this is no ordinary killing--someone tortured him because of his appetite. Slayings that reflect the sins of greed and sloth soon follow, leading Somerset and Mills on a desperate search to find the mysterious John Doe, who is responsible for these methodical murders. As the case builds to a startling conclusion, both Somerset and Mills become more involved than they ever could have imagined. After a brief opening scene, SEVEN immediately cuts to a highly stylized title sequence. An intricate collage of books and photos, scissors and razors, and blood and skin eerily captures the dark, graphic tone of Fincher's intriguing mystery. The film cleverly avoids depicting most acts of violence onscreen, focusing instead on the cryptic remains of the crimes, allowing viewers to investigate along with the detectives. An example of nearly flawless filmmaking, the movie features a meticulously crafted screenplay, brilliant photography and design, sure-handed direction, and excellent performances from the entire cast. All of these elements combine to amazing effect in the film's unforgettably stunning finale.
Notes Theatrical release: September 22, 1995. Shot in Los Angeles, California; New York City, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker wrote SEVEN while working as a manager at New York's Tower Records. An original opening sequence features Somerset (Morgan Freeman) looking at a house in the country as a future home. While walking through the house, he cuts the print of a flower from the wallpaper and keeps it. Later, at the Mills apartment, he drops the paper flower, and Tracy Mills (Gywneth Paltrow) makes reference to it. Both of these scenes were cut from the final film. Many works of literature are referred to in the film, including writings by Milton, Chaucer, Dante, and Shakespeare. Richard Roundtree (SHAFT) appears in the film as a district attorney. Brad Pitt and Gywneth Paltrow became romantically involved around the time of the movie's filming. Pitt severed a tendon in his hand when he fell during the rainy chase sequence. In audio commentary on the SEVEN DVD, he explains, "So as I'm pushing myself outta this smashed windscreen, I put one hand down on the edge, then I got up and started chasing John Doe down the street. It wasn't 'til I got 'round the corner that I thought: 'Oops, something went wrong....' I ended up cutting a tendon, a nerve through three fingers....It was the only time I saw Finch go green....It was not pretty." The cast he wore for the injury was worked into subsequent scenes. Pitt's contract stated that the film's grim ending could not be changed by the studio. Richmond Arquette, brother of Patricia, Rosanna, David, and Alexis, appears as the deliveryman near the end of the film. He also plays a hospital intern in Fincher's FIGHT CLUB. Real police officers were used as technical advisers on the film. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association voted Kevin Spacey the runner-up for best supporting actor for his body of work in 1995. Howard Shore was the runner-up for best music. SEVEN was one of the surprise hits of the year, taking in more than $95 million at the U.S. box office. Many in the film industry didn't think the film would be so successful because of its grim story line--and (in some people's opinion) a less attractive Brad Pitt. The film opens with "Closer to God" by Nine Inch Nails (as remixed by Coil) and closes with "The Heart's Filthy Lesson" by David Bowie. Beware: Spoilers! Kevin Spacey was supposed to receive top billing along with Pitt and Freeman at the beginning of the film, but the actor insisted that his name not appear in the opening credits in order to surprise the audience with the killer's identity. To compensate, Spacey is listed first in the closing credits. An unfilmed alternate ending features Somerset shooting John Doe. When Mills yells "What are you doing?" Somerset says, "I'm retiring." Editorial Reviews Rolling Stone - p.76-7 - Peter Travers Sight and Sound - p.49-50 - John Wrathall Entertainment Weekly - pp.71-2 - Ty Burr Premiere - p.129 - Josh Rottenberg Variety - Todd McCarthy Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (09/22/1995) | Find errors in the product description? Submit a catalog update request now. | ||||||||||
Reviews  A+A+A+A+ Excellent movie! A classic! A+A+A+A+ The suspense! It's so explicit! Brad Pitt! The movie keeps you on the edge of your chair. Very clever! Did I say Brad Pitt? There's never been a movie like it. Review ID: 10000000006216306 Was this review helpful? Report this review Seven [1995]Review created: 11/04/07 by: Long is the way, and hard, that out of hell leads up to light ... [John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book II. Line 432] "Seven deadly sins, seven ways to die" is the tagline for this intense psychological thriller directed by David Fincher: ~ Detective Sergeant Mills [Brad Pitt] is set to replace Detective Lieutenant Somerset [Morgan Freeman], a world-weary cop retiring after years on the force. Somerset can see no end to the harrowing crimes he has witnessed, the sickness that is the City. Dealing with murder, rape, abuse, and poverty has become the Lieutenant's life and he now hopes for some small shred of peace. Mills, on the other hand, is new to the city; he is arrogant and brash, having little time for Somerset's thoughtful and analytical techniques. As retirement beckons, so a new spate of killings begin. Like it or not, Somerset is given the investigation by the Captain [R Lee Ermey] while Mills is put on a different case. The murders are soon linked to the same killer - a twisted genius who chooses his victims based on the seven deadly sins in Dante Alighieri's 'The Divine Comedy' - and Mills and Somerset are paired together once more. Despite their clash of personalities Mills and Somerset strike up a good partnership, Somerset's introspectiveness and Mills's self-confidence turning out to be a useful combination. Each one learns a lot from the other; indeed, Mills's wife [Gwyneth Paltrow] thinks Somerset is a good influence on the husband she is rapidly growing concerned about. It soon becomes apparent that the 'sins' killer is playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the detectives, enjoying watching them either stumble or succeed at every turn in the case ... while he continues to kill according to the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, pride, lust. They must stop him before he can finish his murder spree and most probably disappear forever ~ Se7en is not only the most accomplished film by David Fincher [Zodiac] but almost certainly - from a writing and directing viewpoint - the best psychological thriller in the history of film and television. There are none of the stereotypical clichés found in countless thrillers of violence, no room for the predictable, for the viewer is kept constantly in the dark until the very end. And the climax is both ferocious and awe-striking ... for once Hollywood kept the outcome a secret until the day of release, not an easy thing to do. Whatever vision Andrew Kevin Walker had before he took his script to screenwriter David Koepp [Secret Window] was ultimately realized once in the hands of David Fincher. Fincher's dark and rain-driven sewer, his city of sins, has yet to be matched on film. His choice of cast was spot-on. Se7en is a true classic, crossing genres like crime, horror, thriller and police procedural ... dark and moody, harrowing and painful, Se7en will appeal to the darker side within us all. Co-stars John C McGinley as California [captain of SWAT team] Matthew J Lee-Williams, Salisbury, United Kingdom, Review. Review ID: 10000000004632702 Was this review helpful? Report this review |
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