Recently, we were asked to analyse the beginning of the thriller film se7en. In order to do this we focused on the four main areas in movies. Below is the analysis we came up with.
Sound:
Within the opening of the movie, there is an emphasis upon the dietetic sound in the room where Morgan Freeman's character is. The sound includes the sirens of emergency vehicles typical in the busy American cities. Also the key rail in his apartment where he lives. In transition from this sequence to the sequence where detective Somerset meets with detective Mills sounds like a gun click, this may foreground and forebode future events of the movie to the audience. The ambient car sounds return when Somerset and Mills are working on the first crime scene, following the hugely emphasised steps of Mills running up the stairs in order to show his youth, arrogance and easy going nature. Can also show his flaws as a professional. The dialogue between the detectives follows the lexical field of homicide (murder) and outlines further the course of the film and their duties.
This section is followed by the title sequence in which some of the sounds in the sound track seem similar to screams which represent and evoke fear among the audience. The sound track also represents a very bass filled beat which can represent a heart beat and the fragility of life itself. The tempo an pitch of the music increases as the images on the screen become more intense. At the very end of the opening credits and title sequence, the only lyrics of the track are played at the start of the main segment of the film and are "you're coming closer to god" which clearly represents the factor of religion often visited in the film.
Camera angles and movements:
At the beginning of the movie, there is a still medium shot placing the people present in the environment and setting the scene for the audience. This is followed by a close up of Morgan Freeman tying his tie upon his detective uniform, and the camera shot slowly moves up so that there is a close up of his face in order to show his expression at the time. Another close up follows this but is of the character's work related objects lying neatly upon the table, showing they can possibly be of some importance to the movie as it progresses. There is a use of shot/reverse shot within the conversation between Mills and Somerset. This not only allows the audience to place the characters in their surroundings but also allows them to see the facial expressions upon both detectives' faces. When the two begin walking back to the precinct, there is a use of a low camera angle in order to make them appear to the audience larger than them and also shows importance. The camera tracks the two and matches their movement before a long shot in the bedroom. A close up of Somerset's glasses emphasises his intellect and systematic way of thinking throughout the film before a similar shot of his metronome slowly pans out to create tension and meaning of the metronome. Within the title sequence, there is little in the way of camera angles and shots except that they are almost all disoriented and grainy. Also, nowhere within the sequence is the head or face of the character present, this adds tension among the audience as the ominous and illusive character's identity is wanted by them.
Mise-en-scene:
Within the opening, there is a part in which the personal life of Somerset is illustrated, something that is rarely seen from this character is his personal life and feelings. The emphasis upon his uniform and his work related objects all being perfectly organised and applied perfectly show his attention to detail and prove he may be of great use in the investigations. It is clear that the two detectives wear very stereotypically detective clothes in order to illustrate their role in the movie and the community. The juxtaposition between Somerset and Mills' facial expressions outlines the difference in experience within their roles. Inside the first crime scene, the blood upon the blinds shows the violence no doubt soon to present itself to the audience. When walking, Brad Pitt's character is seen having his hands in his pockets, which can show either laziness, youth, inexperience or complacency with the crimes that surround him.
Finally, in the title sequence, there are many shots of who the audience believe to be the killer, without ever seeing his face. He is seen to be making many notes, selecting many images and many words sand sections from books, this really outlines the sick and systematic way in which he works. The most disturbing of all of these clips is the one where he is seen to be cutting the skin from his fingertips, showing that he removes his traces through destroying his fingerprints, not only making himself untraceable but almost removing his entire existence. It shows also that he may take pride in what he does, that he may think that what he is doing is right, even though the audience know that it is completely sick and morally wrong, no matter what he might think.
Editing:
The start fades in from black to the pre-credits opening scene, and quickly cuts to the important work relayed objects on Somerset's table. Lots of quick cuts are used in this segment in order to outline the confusing nature of the film. These cuts go to the murder scene, where we see the bloody blinds and the dead body. The same idea of quick cuts is used in the title sequence as well but the cuts are in fact a lot quicker and more shaky in order to further emphasise the confusion here and possibly allows the audience a peek into the mind of the killer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4YV2_TcCoE
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