Seven (Bfi Modern Classics) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Seven is a study in sin..." (more)
Key Phrases: serial killing, film cuts, Brad Pitt, John Doe, Nine Inch Nails (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It's a model analysis of a film . . . shrewd observations . . . forensically perceptive." -- Empire

Product Description

Illustrated Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Lust, Pride, Envy, Wrath. A serial killer on a warped mission who turns his victims' "sins" into the means of their murder. Seven (1995) is one of the most acclaimed American films of the 1990s. Starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Spacey, Seven is the darkest of films. In it performance, cinematography, sound, and plot combine to create a harrowing account of a world beset by an all-encompassing, irremediable wickedness. Richard Dyer explores in turn the questions of sin, story, structure, seriality, sound, sight and salvation, analyzing how Seven both epitomizes and modifies the serial killer genre that is such a feature of recent cinema.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: British Film Institute (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0851707238
• ISBN-13: 978-0851707235
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #751,745 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some Good Points Despite Academic P.C. Drivel, August 16, 2006

By	Derek Manchette (The South, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

The movie Se7en was an instance of a piece of work taking a tired and worn out genre to a whole new level, raising the bar for the genre thereafter. Both the plot and its execution were more intelligent, thought provoking and tightly presented than we are used to for movies with a subject matter open to cheapness and melodramatics.

Richard Dyer analyzes the movie in this monograph published as part of the British Film Institute's Modern Classics series. The movie incorporates the number seven into the details and this book maintains that pattern by presenting the analysis in seven chapters. It begins and ends on strong ground, providing the reader some excellent interpretations of key scenes that will allow a viewer to better appreciate the subtleties of the characters' interactions.

Dyer takes the position that the concept of sin infuses the movie and that this sin is inescapable. The movie is very unAmerican in tone, without even the promise of a happy ending. Interestingly, the producers did want to use a happier ending but this was thankfully vetoed, as Dyer points out, by Brad Pitt, who insisted on the original, darker ending.

The pervasiveness of sin is demonstrated by the two characters representing goodness. Tracy, the wife, is the embodiment of good in the film and we all know what happens to her. Somerset, the older detective, also represents goodness, and although he gets out in one piece, he is unable to stop evil from taking its course. Instead, he can only watch on.

Dyer missteps a couple times in this analysis. One instance of the number seven cropping up relates to the detail that Somerset is seven days from retirement. This is a tired cliche in movies. Dyer attempts to portray this as simply one more instance of the number seven playing in the details. But this cliche is so worn out that it instead feels artificial in a movie this strong.

More problematic is Dyer's devolvement into academic race and gender analyses, a topic even more worn out and cliched than the cop about to retire in a few days time. Although the killer's body count includes four men and three women, Dyer interprets the movie as misogynistic, a conclusion so ridiculous that it takes an intellectual to reach it. He digs himself in deeper by referring to this misogyny as "unthinking." For those not used to academic jargon, allow me to translate. This means that the rest of us uninitiated may not see it, but thankfully we have academic eggheads, who can read sexism into the word "the," to enlighten us. Andrea Dworkin, whose contempt for men was near pathological, is quoted in support.

Even more wince inducing is Dyer's analysis of race. Like much writing of this sort, it is so convoluted that it is difficult to know exactly what to make of it. Perhaps a taste will be sufficient. Most serial killers are white males, a starting point for Dyer on this issue. Dyer's analysis refers not only to the whiteness of serial killing but also (actual phrase) the "serial killingness of whiteness." Sheesh.

Again, the book has strong points and anyone interested in a better understanding of the movie Se7en will benefit from reading it. Simply be aware that Dyer cannot break away from the identity politics so rife in academics and that this detracts from, but does not negate, the utility of this book. It is an example that the best of the British Film Institute books are from social critics and writers outside the academic arena.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an indepth analysis of this excellent film!, January 31, 2001

By	"birdstuff" (Canada) - See all my reviews

the author has some truly fascinating observations about this movie (ie. 7 motif that appears throughout) and goes into great depth about many aspects of this film (ie. the editing of certain scenes and the effect of a specific technique). he also mentions several anecdotal bits of info that are interesting. for example, the studio wanted to soften and Hollywood-ize the ending but Brad Pitt had it in his contract that they could not change the original ending. this is a really good read if you're a fan of the film and also a solid sourcebook if your a film student. it also doesn't hurt that the author has since contributed to several of the audio commentaries on the special edition DVD of the film!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Companion to the Movie, March 11, 2000

By A Customer

For any fan of the film "Seven" this book is a great companion piece that discusses different aspects and ideas about the movie, which stood out among the action/horror genre as outstanding. Though sometimes long-winded the book is very interesting in anaylizing the movie and features great color photos.