Textual analysis of se7en
- 2. Morgan Freeman’s character is seen wearing a suit which conveys that he is traditional and does his job professionally. Also, his apartment is extremely well organised which shows that everything has its own place and he keeps his standards up. Alternatively, Brad Pitt’s character wears a leather jacket which suggests he is more of a laid back, unprofessional kind of cop. During the opening of se7en, Freeman’s character starts a metronome which could represent a countdown to something which is going to happen. Also, it can be seen to symbolise the life Freeman’s character ‘ticking’ away.
- 3. One camera shot which is used in se7en is a tracking shot when Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are walking down the street. Pitt’s character is shown walking into people and comes across as quite arrogant. However, Freeman’s character presents himself as knowing the area well and avoiding people. Another shot which is used is a low-angle shot, this is used to convey Freeman’s character is someone to ‘look up’ to and is presented as being wise. Finally, when Freeman’s character is lying in the bed, a wide shot is used to show his surroundings and how he likes to keep things tidy. This could also show that he is alone and has no one with him.
- 4. The editing of se7en is constantly used throughout the entire opening of it, therefore making it difficult to properly analyse. However, you can establish that the scenes cut very quickly to one another, this could suggest that the characters don’t mess around and get straight to the point of solving a crime.
- 5. In the opening, there is no sound used at all, this could signify that the tension will be built up later on in the film. Also, when the title sequence begins, the music is very eerie to listen to, this suggests that there is going to be a sinister theme throughout the film. Sirens are also heard in the sequence, which can specifies that there will be some sort of crime involved. Using the dialogue, we can understand what type of people the characters are. For example, Freeman speaks very professionally which suggests he is hard-working, whereas Pitt’s character appears very rude and arrogant and would only do things his own way.