Se7en (1995)
David Fincher: Rules of the Game, Part 3
“Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.”
After his disastrous experience on ALIEN 3, David Fincher retreated back into the world of music video and commercials, vowing to never again direct a feature film.
That is, until a script by a young, first-time screenwriter named Andrew Kevin Walker crossed his desk. That script — about a serial killer who chooses his victims based on the Seven Deadly Sins — would prove to be the perfect canvas for Fincher's dark, exacting sensibilities.
Making SEVEN (or SE7EN if ya nasty) didn't come without its share of headaches or interference from the studio. The now-iconic ending was a particular point of contention. But Fincher, having learned his lesson on ALIEN 3, was determined to make the film his way, no compromise.
On this episode, we dive into the history behind SEVEN, from the evolution of Walker's script, through the difficult shoot and battles with the studio, through the film's release and ultimate success.
SYNOPSIS:
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Sommerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer's mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
Up Next: David Fincher — Rules of the Game, Part 4: THE GAME.
CAST & CREW
Directed by: David Fincher
Screenplay by: Andrew Kevin Walker
Produced by: Arnold Kopelson | Phyllis Carlyle
Cast: Brad Pitt | Morgan Freeman | Gwyneth Paltrow | John C. McGinley | R. Lee Ermey | Kevin Spacey | Richard Roundtree | Mark Boone Junior | Leland Orser
Cinematography: Darius Khondji
Edited by: Richard Francis-Bruce
Music by: Howard Shore
Release Date: September 22, 1995
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop & Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net