What makes a thriller and how is this evident in ‘Se7en’? A macro/micro analysis of ‘Se7en’ (David Fincher, 1995)
In this essay I am going to be examining how Se7en (David Fincher, 1995) is constructed as a thriller and how it creates tension and suspense. I will break down thrillers as a whole and identify and evaluate the sub genres within the thriller genre.
The film Se7en (David Fincher, 1995) was directed by David Fincher who has also directed such films as The Beat Of The Live Drum (1985), Fight Club (1991), Alien 3(1992), The game (1997), Panic Room (2002) and Zodiac (2007).
The New line cinema production made the film. Se7en (David Fincher, 1995) was released on September 22, 1995 in 2,441 theatres where it grossed $13.9 million US dollars on its opening weekend. It went on to gross $100.1 million in North America and $227.1 million in the rest of the world for a total of $327.3 million.
The film was generally well-received by critics and currently has an 84% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
The certificate for this film is 18 and so this film is aimed at 18 to 50 as 50 year old may be able to relate to one of our protagonists, Morgan Freeman's mood and attitude as they may be retiring as his character was in this film. Our other protagonist, Brad Pitt may attract a wider audience as he is a famous well known actor. He would also attract the female audience whilst still attracting the males.
Morgan Freeman would attract an older audience as he is an older actor. He would create a mature feel to the film and the audience would take him seriously as he is a famous actor known for his serious roles.
There is more than one target audience for this film. It may appeal to males because of the death, murder mystery and crime sub genres. It would also appeal to working class people as they could relate to the protagonists as they are both in the living conditions of a working class person. For example Detective Mills, played my Brad Pitt is living with his wife and their house shakes whenever a train passes by.
Narrative is the way the story is told, a word used to emphasise the plot or story structure within a media text. The narrative structure of Se7en (David Fincher, 1995) is liner. The story has a beginning, middle and end and is told in chronological order.
It is seen it both an omniscient and restricted narrative. The majority of the film is told from an omniscient narrative which means the viewer sees the story from more than one characters point of view. The audience sees the story from both protagonists point of views. However in the last scene a box is delivered to the isolated area the detectives are in with the antagonist John Doe, played by Kevin Spacey. Detective Somerset looks into the box and neither the viewer or detective Mills are told what is in it. This would be an example of when restricted narrative is used as we only see it from Detective Mills point of view.
This scene can also be used to show an example of an enigma code the film used. An enigma code is images or a sequence which controls how much that audience knows in the story. This could be an example because the viewer does not know what exactly is in the box although they know it has some relation to Detective Mills. The plot of the story is an enigma code as the viewer does not know who the killer is yet they are given clues, which holds their interest. It poses a question for the viewer.
This film also uses action codes, which are events which take place that give the story an order and meaning, they carry the story forward. The action codes are used as another person is killed and the detectives have more clues as to who the killer is.
Simultaneous action is cross-cutting between two actions happening at the same time in the narrative. This is used in the scene where out protagonists go to the killers apartment, see him in the hallway and detective Mills chases after him. The viewer is shown the chase between Detective Mills and the killer whilst being shown Detective Somerset trying to stop detective Mills. Simultaneous action is also used in the last scene where the viewer sees Detective Somerset distraught after looking it the box then cuts to Detective Mills being aggravated and provoked by the killer.
A closed narrative is when the film has a resolution. This film has a closed narrative as the problem has been solved although it could also be seen as an open narrative which is when the story has no resolution at the end, events are left open for the plot to continue because Detective Mills has shot the killer after finding out he had killed his wife. This would have ruined Mills life whereas the killers’ story had been resolved.
This is a thriller because of the codes and conventions used. The diegetic sound is used to provoke realism. The non-diegetic sounds such as the soundtracks are used to build tension by gradually increasing the tempo. It is set in a big city in America which can relate to Americans as it creates a sense of normality.
Realistic lighting was used to create realism within the film. Most of the most was set at night, in dim lighting and it was usually raining this created a miserable, morbid feel to the film. However in the last scene of the film they were at an extremely isolated location where it was sunny and dry with diegetic sounds of the wind to express the isolation of the area. Non diegetic sound, a soundtrack was used to build tension.
Todorovs theory proposed a basic structure for all narratives. He stated that films start with an equilibrium, a calm period or normality. Then there is a disruption causing a disequilibrium, a period of unsettlement. This is finally followed by a state of peace and a new equilibrium ends the chaos. A new equilibrium is formed for the protagonists.
Todorovs theory of equilibrium applies to this film. The equilibrium started with Detective Mills getting ready for work and Somerset wakes up alone in his bed and follows his routine for work. This is disrupted when a dead body with gluttony carved behind a fridge is found, this was the disequilibrium. It is then resolved as the killer is killed bringing an end to the chaos and creating a new equilibrium for our protagonists.
Our protagonist, Detective Mills is presented as the young reckless amateur. He is the replacement for detective Somerset. He showed his reckless nature when he chased after the killer despite Somerset telling him not to. He also wanted to break into the killers apartment, which required a permit. Somerset had to reinforce the rules to Mills but he disobeyed him again. This shows his inexperience as he did not know that he could not enter the killers house without a permit. His character acts before he thinks, the younger audience may relate to this character. This is a negative representation of Detective Mills.
Our other protagonist, Detective Somerset is presented as the mature, experienced lonely professional. His sophistication shows through his attitude and approach to the case. He did not panic or make any irrational decisions; he stayed calm and played the role of Detective Mills’ mentor. We can tell he is lonely as he says his wife has died and we see him going to bed alone every night with a set routine for waking up and getting to work. This is a both positive and negative representation of him as he is mature yet lonely.
Our antagonist, John Doe, played by Kevin Spacey is presented as a complex yet intelligent person with a mindset. He shoes his intelligence by his way of covering up after every murder. He removed his fingerprints and made himself untraceable to the police. He has a reason for his murders and implies that justice must be fought for. This is evident in the quote “An obese man... a disgusting man who could barely stand up; a man who if you saw him on the street, you'd point him out to your friends so that they could join you in mocking him; a man, who if you saw him while you were eating, you wouldn't be able to finish your meal.
After him, I picked the lawyer and I know you both must have been secretly thanking me for that one. This is a man who dedicated his life to making money by lying with every breath that he could muster to keeping murderers and rapists on the streets! ... A woman... so ugly on the inside she couldn't bear to go on living if she couldn't be beautiful on the outside. A drug dealer, a drug dealing pederast, actually! And let's not forget the disease-spreading whore! Only in a world this shitty could you even try to say these were innocent people and keep a straight face. But that's the point. We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not any more. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed... forever.”
This shows that the antagonist, John Doe feels strongly for justice and targets the sinners, who have an exaggerated version of the “seven deadly sins” and kills them according to their sin. “Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder any more. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.” He believes you cannot tell people that they are acting in an unacceptable way, you must show them and force them to realise.
This is both a positive and negative representation of an antagonist. It is positive because it shows that he had the intelligence to know exactly who to kill, when and how to do it. He could be seen as intellectually superior to the detectives as they could not understand his motive and fell victim to his plan.
It could also be seen as negative because he acted irrationally and had killed all the people he considered guilty of sin, including himself and Detective Mills’ innocent wife and child.
In conclusion a thriller is made by the evidence and usage of the codes and conventions of a thriller. Se7en (David Fincher, 1995) used the conventional narrative structure and narrative devices.
