Seven Analysis

"Seven" is a detective thriller starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey. David Fincher, the director did many good things to make this a worthwhile film. The setting, music, and intertextuality makes this film jump off of the screen.

Because the setting of the movie is mainly urban, the director uses a few strategies to connote feelings of an urban environment. Many of the places that the two detectives, Pitt and Freeman, visit are very dirty. Even the interiors of many houses and buildings seem filthy and dark. Many people think of dirtiness when they think of big cities. Another approach used by the director is the use of lighting. The light in many scenes is very minimal, making the environment of the film more unsavorable. This makes one think of dark alleyways in cities. This creates a dreary mood that is fitting of a murder mystery story.

The music of this film also adds to the mysterious nature of this film. The movie uses many slow instrumental pieces. Bach's "Air in G-String" is used which is a very slow, ominous piece. While many of the murders are being investigated, the slow music makes the viewer feel dreary. Another musical effect employed by the director is the use of tension filled music when the directors are about to find something. Violin music is used heavily during these scenes which causes the viewer to be on edge when the strings of the violin are stroked in eerie ways.

This film is very intertextual in regards to older books. The books "The Canterbury Tales", "Dantes Inferno" and other older texts are referenced in regards to the seven deadly sins. This intertextuality causes the viewer to reference these other works and find out additional information about the storyline. This is great for people who yearn to learn more about things.

I thought this movie was a masterpiece. The ending was the icing on the top of the cake to make this film a must watch. Setting, music, and intertextuality all come together to make "Seven" a five star film.