| SE7EN
Special Edition
DVD review
After the success of Fight Club, David Fincher has
finally been recognised as one of the great visionaries of Hollywood,
not that he's had an easy ride. I'm sure many didn't realise, overlooked
or just chose not to remember that his first film was Alien 3, which
isn't a bad thing considering how bad it actually was. Not that
this was Fincher's fault; with a licence as large as Alien creative
control can easily slip from the director's fingers.
However, with his lesson learned, Fincher followed up with the 1995
release 'Seven'. A movie so powerful and unlike anything else at
the time that the director's name stood out and Fincher could try
to start his career over again.
With the popularity of the Fight Club DVD, New Line have clearly
decided that Fincher's other truly great film deserves the same
treatment. And so we are presented with the Seven New Line Platinum
Series.
Seven really did stand out from any other film coming out of the
US at the time. With the dark, dank, gritty realism and moth-eaten
atmosphere and references to the classics such as The Canterbury
Tales, The Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost, it's a surprise the
film was such a success in it's native country. Not that I'm saying
anything about Americans' intelligence, just that in 1995 the appeal
was not for movies of this calibre.
Seven is primarily a detective movie, focusing on aging detective
William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), who, with only one week left
before retirement, is joined by young hotshot Detective David Mills
(Brad Pitt). During his final week of the job, Somerset hopes to
ease Mills into handling the big city. That is until they are called
to Mills' first homicide.
What transpires is a series of murders by a sadistic serial killer
whose focus is on the seven deadly sins. As each homicide is discovered,
Somerset sees the pattern emerging and then it's down to them to
get to the killer before he completes his 'masterpiece'.
Right from the start the mood and pace of the film is set; a slow-moving,
dark piece of cinematography that takes time to let you understand
the characters and build the tension.
The film has wonderful photography and ambience, and is probably
the first movie that really made me take notice of the lighting,
set-design and ambient music. All of these elements combined go
to creating a very real sense of evil and foreboding upon entering
each crime scene; which also seems to have influenced the director
of the 'Breathe' video by Prodigy.
All of the actors concerned give outstanding performances to creating
this nightmare. Some criticised Gwynneth Paltrow's character (Tracy)
for having no relevance to the film, and only served as a convenience
to the end sequence; however her role is understood when you realise
how it is Tracy who brings the initially conflicting Mills and Somerset
together.
The double DVD set is an essential addition to the collection of
any fans of the film. The first disc containing the movie in anamorphic
widescreen remastered from the original negative, with Dolby EX
5.1, DTS ES Discreet 6.1 and Stereo Surround Sound. This also comes
with four separate commentaries by David Fincher with Brad Pitt
and Morgan Freeman, and also three other commentaries featuring
Richard Francis-Bruce, the director of photography; composer, Howard
Shore and production designer Arthur Max.
Like the Fight Club DVD set, the second disc contains the special
features and supplemental material. This includes an exploration
of the title sequence, deleted scenes and extended takes, alternate
storyboard endings, production design and photography stills with
commentaries by the relevant photographers and artists and the usual
trailers and cast bios.
It's a pity that a supplemental presentation booklet wasn't included
in this set, as was the Fight Club DVD, but what is contained upon
these DVDs is a delight to any fans of the film.
Seven is a movie that will make you take notice of the script and
story; it carries a great pace but has no silver lining. Only at
the end does the rain stop, but don't take that as a sign of happiness.
Not that it is a depressing film, it's just something that will
make you think and discuss with your friends. Which is always the
sign of a great movie, not how many bags of popcorn you get through.
Film 9/10
DVD 9/10
david twomey
Got something to add or comment on?
Click here to discuss it in the eyemachine reviews forum.
|
