Se7en Analysis

Se7en Analysis

Se7en stands alone from all of the thriller openings that I have analysed, due to it being the only one of which I have also chosen to analyse the opening titles. This is because I felt it was important to gain an understanding of how the codes and conventions of a thriller - i.e. tension, suspense and enigma - could be created through only the opening titles of a film, without the use of narrative or distinct action. Se7en is still very noticeably a thriller in the opening seconds of the film, and the whole opening completely connotes through genre and in style how the film will pan out. The film is a psychological crime thriller hybrid and this is the kind of thriller I myself would like to create for my opening as I believe psychological thrillers allow for a greater range of opportunities in which to play with the audiences emotions and mood through the use and abuse of the codes and conventions of a thriller. This is due to the fact that psychological thrillers are often unpredictable in their nature as they deal with both the mental and emotional states of a character whom is often clearly unstable. Se7en creates this tense and suspenseful atmosphere through use of sound, camerawork, mise en scene and editing.

Sound
The sound in the opening of Se7en conveys many illocutions indicating the nature of the film. The sound creates a dark, tense atmosphere - creating suspense and enigma, all of which are main features of a thriller. It does this by using a variety of different soundscapes. From the very beginning and throughout the opening sequence, there are heavy bursts of distorted electronica which immediately fills the audience with a sense of foreboding due to the fact that the sound can be associated with impending doom. As it is loud it encompasses all other sounds, thusforth making the foreboding sense feel even more ominous. Even in the opening seconds of the film, through only the use of sound, codes and conventions typical of thriller have been applied to the audience. Behind the electronica is a distorted percussion sound keeping what can only be described as a satirical beat. As the music begins to build and the tension grows, we as the audience gain the impression that we are in fact inside the mind of a killer, with the echoing of the percussion reminiscent of the emptiness inside the killers head. The fact that this is a piece of distorted electronica that differs to the norm further enforces the ways in which the killer is much different ourselves. The music continues to build as further electronic sounds are layered into the mix. The use of electronica itself is of note, as it is a foreign music type, meaning it cannot be immediately labelled as being part of a particular instrument grouping. Use of more traditional instruments, such as a  guitar or a piano, would give the audience a sense of normalcy as they have a distinctly recognisable sound, whereas  in contrast, electronic music gives the audience a sense of surrealism, thus creating enigma. There are high pitched scratches that are reminiscent of screams, or perhaps frenzied writing. These sounds representative of the madness or danger imposed by the killer. The whole soundscape rises and falls in what appears to be an unstructured format - there is no distinguishable pattern - , creating a shifting soundtrack which connotes the fact that the killer is deranged and unpredictable. As a result the audience will naturally feel uncomfortable and henceforth tension would be created further meaning that the mood of the audience would have been shifted to one of suspense. At the end of the opening we revert to silence. The silence in light of the crushing soundtrack gives a sense of absence, that something is going to happen, which is highlighted by the piece's imperfect cadence.  Henceforth, Trent Reznor uses the typical codes and conventions of a thriller through sound alone in order to create an atmosphere that is to be expected of a thriller so as to captivate the audience from the first bar.

Mise en scene

The mise en scene in the opening of Se7en serves to immediately set the tone of the film as it utilises many of the codes and conventions of a thriller, unsettling the audience, forcing them to ask questions, thus creating suspense and enigma. Superimposed upon the opening, the titles denote a massive amount about the film to the audience. They fade and flicker in and out of shot, and are written in two fonts – one a handwritten scrawl and the other an old-school type writer style font - the use of differing typography portraying contrasting connotations. The handwritten scrawl connotes madness, seemingly as a direct reference to the serial killer, whilst the more formal font is used in regards to the traditional detective. The two different fonts being placed together in the opening represents the battle that will rage between the law enforcement and the serial killer - a key convention of crime thrillers. The propositions used within the mise en scene are mostly shadowed, stained objects coated in what may be described as filth or grime. These objects are abstract in their nature and include razor blades, images and drawings of sinister body parts or children as well as journals filled with cramped, illegible, scribbled writing. All of these props unsettle the audience and raise questions against the opening,  due to the varying connotations associated with each. The razor blades way be seen to convey implications of self-harm suggesting that the antagonist is a danger to him/herself and others, whereas in contrast the pictures of children are arguably representative of paedophilia, raising the question as to why are the children so upset/deformed? Already the opening creates many enigmas alongside the suspense, enticing the audience to watch further, as they do not know who it is in the footage, or what they intend to do. 

In terms of location, it is dark and obscured – it could be the inside of the killer’s mind or the killer’s lair - which clearly presents the fact that this film is a psychological thriller. When it is shown it seems to be an abandoned industrial facility – un-specific and unidentified, liminal place that will not only cause audiences to ask where it is situated, but may also cause them to associate with the piece – there may be a similar location near them, thusforth creating a false reality within the audiences perception, which in turn heightens their involvement with the opening. Within the opening the audience only really sees the killers hands, which are callused and filthy, reinforcing the connotations previously outlined. The killer is shown to groom his hands with the dirty razor blade, and commits other actions which would imply a nature of violence to the audience. The antagonist cuts pictures and threads a needle, in each shot wielding a sharp, dirty instrument. Immediately the audience will develop ideas and questions about the killer. If the killer grooms themself with a dirty razor blade, the killer is perhaps reckless and un-afraid of harm and/or the consequences of their actions? At the end of the opening, the main question on the audience’s mind would be ‘who is this person? What are they going to do?’ Thus setting up the film through an enigma, creating an air of unease and suspense. Henceforth throughout the whole opening, the mise en scene massively connotes to the audience elements of the psychological thriller to come, whilst utilising many of the codes and conventions of the thriller genre, such as enigma and suspense.

Camera

Camera is used in many ways to connote things specific to Se7en, but also displays some of the codes and conventions of thriller -  for example extreme close-ups. Extreme close-ups are a convention of the thriller genre and can aestheticize objects, or manipulate them so that they appear to be even more ghastly. They are used in thrillers often, as they place the audience almost too close to the mise en scene, henceforth creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. This is shown in the opening to Se7en through the extreme close up of the killer’s hands. This close up would immediately cause the audience to mentally ‘back away’ from the killer, as the fact that they are too close to his dirty hands and the razor blade creates a sense of claustrophobia. Subsequently, throughout the opening sequence, the audience are already distanced from the killer. The extreme close-ups also aestheticize objects, such as the razor at the start of the sequence. It is shot in three second-long takes in extreme close-up. As we do not fully see or recognize the razor, as a result of the lighting and camera shot, we as the viewer can appreciate its aesthetic appeal. This puts us further into the killer’s mind, as he may see objects such as weapons as beautiful. Extreme close-ups as a convention of the thriller genre can be abused, with the opening sequence of Se7en a prime example. There is an extreme close-up of a tea bag being dipped into water, thus lending it an almost sinister air, as the shot makes the tea leaves in water look like another substance in water, possibly blood. This is an example of conventions being played with, as the normal object, a tea bag, is made to appear much darker, manipulating the audience’s shared understanding of a thriller’s codes and conventions. Many of the camera shots are dark and obscured, which represent the killer’s distance from reality and a stable mind. Another code utilised in the opening is the use of obscurity - or shadowed form. This has been a code of the thriller genre ever since it was immortalised in Hitchcock’s infamous Psycho. In the first shot, we see a hand strongly lit from behind in the top of the frame, thus rendering it black. We see other shadowy hands throughout the opening. This code connotes a menacing figure and the thriller’s intended audience would have a shared understanding that an obscured hand normally implies danger for whoever is on the receiving end. Towards the end of the opening we are met with a fast, tracking movement from an eyeline viewpoint creating the impression that the camera is following someone. The obscured nature of the shot suggests that the camera is hiding, and therefore suggests that the purposes for following someone can only be sinister. This type of movement and shot are a hallmark of thriller – as it is a well known code representative of someone’s imminent death. The camera shots and movement not only use the codes and conventions of the thriller genre but also play with them, something I would be interested in trying to recreate through my own thriller opening.

A collection of stills from the opening of Se7en 

Editing

The editing in Se7en brings the audience into the mind of the killer - through usage of shots that replicate eyesight - a convention used in many thrillers. This works to unsettle the audience as they are able view the victims through the eyes of the killer. There are many rapid takes in the opening of Se7en some of which are mere microseconds in length. By flashing a countless number of these over the shots on screen, the opening has a sense of disillusionment and madness, meaning the viewer can’t properly decipher what is going on, and thusforth leaving them disorientated. The shots feature scribbled writing and pictures of children and bodies. They are flashed so fast that they viewer wouldn’t be sure what they are seeing, hence raising many questions which in turn creates enigma. Despite the speed at which the shots are displayed, the content still unsettles the audience. The cuts in Se7en tend to be fade-outs and fade-ins, which gives a sense of the killer slipping in and out of reality, emphasising the fact that he acts outside of the norm. This technique is regularly used in the opening of thrillers, as by using fade-ins and layering of, the audience are unable to logically follow what is going on on-screen, creating an enigma. In contrast, at times, there are harsh cuts so as to shock the viewer. Switching between slow moving shots with fade-in and cuts to a faster pace keeps the audience interested and also plays with their mood, raising the audiences heart rate, which in itself a convention of thriller, also used to create suspense. Ellipsis is also used to jar the audience, in this case creating a sense of awkwardness as it is obvious ellipsis that jumps from one action to the next. This works subtly to make the audience jump, grabbing their attention, but also connotes to them that the killer could become dangerous and strike quickly. All of this goes hand in hand with the sound, camera angles, shots and movement, and mise en scene to create a beautiful, enigmatic opening. It uses the codes and conventions of a thriller and also utilises some techniques that are specific just to Se7en. Furthermore, it also manages to play with the codes and conventions of a thriller, as to create sinister undertones with everyday objects. Henceforth the Se7en opening has many elements I find interesting and may therefore incorporate into my own thriller opening.