Since it is October, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to analyze a film that had elements of horror and drama. 'Seven' is a crime thriller movie that follows two detectives trying to solve a case of a mass murderer. John Doe, the unknown murderer, has an obsession with the Seven Deadly Sins, and targets specific victims to portray each sin in real life. Doe aims to send a message about the filth and cruelty of the world, and show how corrupt society has become. Detective Somerset, played by Morgan Freeman, depicts a tenured employee at a law enforcement agency. Detective Mills, played by Brad Pitt, is a newer member of the same law enforcement agency and is paired up with Detective Somerset to try and catch John Doe before he finishes his task. The film is originally scored by Howard Shore, the same composer who wrote the pieces for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. He has also had previous experience composing for thrillers, such as 'The Silence of The Lambs' and 'The Fly.' Shore went to Berklee College of Music and studied composition. He has won multiple academy awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. With such a talent and wide range of scoring capability, it was no doubt Shore would make a suitable accompaniment for 'Seven.'
I appreciated the simplicity in which Shore decided to score this film. Following the theme of the Seven Deadly Sins, Shore created a song for each of them. Throughout the film, Detective Mills and Detective Somerset find multiple different crime scenes, each one of them linking up to a specific deadly sin. The first to be revealed is “Gluttony”, where the detectives are met with a man who literally ate to death. As you are watching this gruesome scene, Shore’s track “Gluttony” plays in the background. If the sights on the screen weren’t eerie enough, Shore accompanies the gruesomeness with a symphony of low brass instruments. These horns clash with one another, each representing a discomforting minor tone. The instruments play with no real melody or structure, but rather are there to create an ambience of pure discomfort. Every once in a while, you can hear high pitched screeches in the track, which can be presumed as strings. If it was not clear that something horrible was happening in the film, the music sure makes it clear. As the film progresses, the detectives find four more victims: Greed, Sloth, Lust, and Pride. With each crime scene comes its own song. Each song is slightly different, but resembles the same instrumentation and feeling. The tempo is slow, the horns and strings are drawn out, and there is never a true resolution to the music or the movie’s plot. That is until the ending of the movie, where John Doe reveals himself and is brought in by the detectives.
Three quarters into the movie, John Doe decides to turn himself in, for reasons unknown to the viewers and the detectives. Two sins have yet to be discovered, those being Envy and Wrath. You would think catching the killer is the end to this twisted story, but a serial killer like Doe would not be caught unless he wanted to be. Soon it is realized that Doe had a more sophisticated plan than anyone thought, and it happens to involve Detective Mills. Under an agreement with Doe’s lawyer, the two detectives set forth with John Doe to an isolated field where Doe promises to conclude his task. Doe is brought to the middle of the field, alongside Detective Mills. Doe begins to strike a conversation with Detective Mills, discussing how he envies the life of a normal man. As this sixth sin is revealed, Shore’s accompaniment starts up again, signaling to the viewer that there is more violence to come. The track “Envy” begins in the same way as the other tracks with frightening tones of string and brass. Doe continues to talk about his envy towards Detective Mills’ life and the musical accompaniment becomes more intense. Eventually, it is revealed that Doe had killed Detective Mills’s pregnant wife out of envy for a normal life. In this moment, the horns breakout into a symphony of chaos. This revelation was one of unexpected nature, and causes Detective Mills to reach his mental breaking point. With one sin left, wrath becomes Detective Mills. He cannot bear to hear that his child carrying wife had been killed by this psychotic murderer. As Mills is processing the atrocity, Howard incorporates his track, “Wrath” to show the detective’s contemplation on whether or not to kill John Doe. With more of a structure than previous tracks, a jolting horn pattern begins to play. The viewer waits in suspense to see what the detective does. If John Doe gets shot, it means he will have completed his task. All of the Seven Deadly Sins will have been achieved, and the detective will have forfeited to the evil of the world. As Detective Mills struggles to maintain composure, high pitched strings play in the background signifying his deteriorating morals. Unfortunately, Detective Mills shoots John Doe in the head, letting vengeance become him. All seven sins have now been portrayed and the movie ends in a miserable fashion.
Howard Shore does a great job at maintaining a constant state of fear and suspense for the audience through his original score. Although the songs he created are straightforward, it is a smart choice for the film. The music is ominous, but does not take away your attention from what is happening in the story. The music merely amplifies the acts of barbarities shown in the film and successfully produces a sense of trepidation for the viewer. For me, the most impactful part of the score were the horns. At times they were loud and sudden, catching me off guard. It is for this reason that 'Seven' is one of my favorite thriller movies. The plot is portrayed at a perfect pace to constantly keep you guessing on what will happen next and Howard’s score constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat.
(Peter Sorel / New Line Cinema)
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