Textual analysis on Se7en
- 1. Textual Analysis Se7en A filmaboutcrime,mysteryandthe sevensins,Se7en’stitlesequence followsthe handsof the film’s antagonistJohnDoe,flickingthroughhisnotebook.Hishandwritingsticksoutmostinparticular, conveyingasense of unsettlement and obsessionfordetail aswellas the graphic images of decaying people,suggestingthe character’s desire formurderandmayhem. Overall,thistitle sequence helps the audience graspthe mind-set of the antagonist andthe chaos he will bringtothe plot. Typography The typographyof thistitle sequence appearsetched,handwritten.The effectof thisisthat the titlesare made to lookas if theywere writtenbythe serial killerhimself inthe mostbelievable way.Furthermore, makingthe titleshandwrittengivesita ‘human’feel thatdigital effectsmightso poorlytry to achieve.Inaddition,the chalklike fontevokesasense of roughnessandunsettlement,thusmatchingtothe overall dark, disturbingtone of the plot. Use of Imagery As we can guessfromthisimage alone,the title sequencesystematicallyflashesglimpses of bodies,varyingfromgoryto surgical. Throughthisimages,plusthe oddonesthat are tooquickfor the eye to notice,helpin developingthe audience’sunderstandingof whothisantagonistis mentally.Here the audience cansee inside hismind, the wayhe functions.Noticeable, the killerseemstostudy and documenthisvictims.Thisimpliesthat that the killer’smurdersare purposeful;give meaningortry to expressapoint.Effectively, thisgeneratesquite acomplex minded character whose insane actions,he believes, are justifiable. Titles In Se7en,the sequence startsoutwithinformingthe audience thatthe filmisby‘DavidFincher’and is‘an ArnoldKopelsonproduction’.Next,the names‘BradPitt’and‘Morgan Freeman’appear,the
- 2. twomain charactersthat appearedonscreenbeforehand.Furthermore,the factthatBrad’s name appearsbefore Morgan’sandthat Morgan hadmore screentime before the titlesequence suggest that these are twoveryfamousactors. The title ‘Se7en’thenappears,suggestinganyotheractor’s namesthat appearafterwards,suchas ‘GwynethPaltrow’,are notasimportant in the film. Mostin particularthose namesthat appearin setsof threes,otherwisethey wouldhave theirownslide toconveytheir importance. Secondly,notice thatthe actor’s name of he whoplaysthe killersname isnot shown.Forexample,theycouldhave chosentoplace ‘asJohnDoe’underneathanactor’sname in orderfor the audience toclearlyidentifyhimonscreen.Thissuccessfullykeepshisidentitysecret, thusnot running the filmbefore ithasevenbegunaswell asstrengtheningthe genre of mystery. Shots Since thissequence followsthe handsof the antagonist,the majorityof the shotsare close upsof his hands.Thiseffectivelykeepsthe killersidentifysecretforthe audience.Aswellasthis,the audience witnessthe disturbingactsthatthese handsparticipate in.Forexample, here we see the killerusingarazorto slice off the deadskinfromhis fingers. Thiscreepy randomact effectivelybringsthe audience closer to understandingthisman’s mentallty.Ishe sane?Whydoeshe do this?