‘Get Out’ (2017) is a modern horror film, directed by Jordan Peele, that earned him nominations for best director and best picture at the Oscars. The film, on the surface, is a horror/thriller with a modern spin. However, the overarching message of the film explores that of Neo-slavery and an underlying racism in liberal America. In this essay, I will explore how social and cultural contexts in the production are crucial in shaping the formal choices of the film. To do this, I will delve into certain scenes, and aspects of the film, looking more specifically into the mise-en-scène within the film, exploring mainly colour and symbolism. The film itself struggles to classify as an exact genre, as it lacks the pace and action of a thriller, but also the jump scares and physical terror of a typical horror film. The failure to give the film an exact classification plays into its feeling of a surreal daydream. It is not quite believable, but just enough so to make us question our society. The picture explores slavery as a modern practice, much like how the horror element to the film has been modernised, making us doubt our equal society and showing that ‘history shapes the nature of our fantasies and dreams’ (Holmes 2018, p.306).

The formal choices within the film look to challenge traditional values in modern films containing multiple ethnicities. Movies such as ‘BlacKkKlansman’ (2018) and ‘Mississippi Burning’ (1988) look to unify both Black and White characters, by expressing their shared values or morals and beliefs. ‘Get Out’, however continually contrasts Chris, played by Daniel kaluuya, with Rose Armitage, played by Allison Williams, and other members of the Armitage family through the use of colour. Chris is a black man, living in America, with his girlfriend, Rose, ‘whose skin is lit and shot in a way that underscores her whiteness’ (Adams 2018, p.171). Already before the two have interacted, there is already an emphasised difference in the physical appearance of them. At this introduction to the characters, there is the beginnings of ‘an obvious racial undercurrent that drives the film’ (Jeffries 2018, p.148). Other ways in which colour is shown to contrast Black and White people is through items of clothing. Chris and Rose venture down to her parents house in rural America. A party takes place at the house, where Chris is in the minority, surrounded by dozens of White middle-aged men and women. Everyone present at the party wears at least one red piece of clothing, except Chris. Red represents ‘danger’ (Bourn 2011), and is an immediate sign not to trust the those characters. Rose wears a striped white and red jumper, showing a mix of ‘purity’ and ‘danger’ (Bourn 2011), representing the audience’s mixed emotions towards her, torn between whether to trust her or not. In contrast, Chris wears a blue jacket to the party, a direct opposite to red, and also a sign of ‘freedom’ and ‘trust’ (Bourn 2011). At this point in the film, the exact agenda of the characters is still unknown, but the colours help to establish the trustworthy amongst them. Another way in which colour within the film helps to create a contrast between the characters comes at the end of the same scene previously explored. When Chris and Rose come together at the party, Chris’s blue , and Rose’s red and white stripes represent the American flag, a symbol of freedom. However, others may view the flag as a symbol of the past, a symbol of slavery. Although seemingly unifying the characters at this point, there contradicting views of the flag become clear, with Chris believing in freedom and loyalty, juxtaposed to Rose, and her family’s belief in modern day slavery. ‘the pose of the post-racial masks liberal whites’ active complicity in the oppression of African Americans’ (Landsberg 2018, p.635).

As the agendas of characters are slowly unveiled, it becomes clear that the elderly White people have their consciousness put into the mind of a Black man, namely Chris, through hypnosis. Rose’s mother hypnotises Chris, leaving him in a state of paralysis, able to see everything, but control nothing. While in this state, he is floating in a black vacuum, wrapped in white clothing. The colours and clothing here are foreshadowing what is to come. through contrast. While Chris wears all white clothing, only showing his face, the White man that is to inherit his body will essentially wear Chris’s Black skin, showing a complete contrast between the two characters, and their seemingly inevitable fates. Through psychological aspects, such as hypnosis, ‘the film literalizes an exaggerated version of white exploitation of blacks’ (Landsberg 2018, p.633), much like in the past. The use of colour in film develops already existing techniques involving colour in film. Movies have always used colour as a way to tell a story, however Peele develops this practice, showing the versatility of colour in film.

This leads on to the idea of modern slavery through symbolism, and how these aspects portray, but also go against typical ideas of slavery. The film represents a ‘dystopian view of Neo-slavery in the fifth wave’ (Adams 2018, p. 169). The way in which White people look to use Black people’s physical traits in the film represent a modern form of slavery. However, a blind character, Jim Hudson, played by Stephen Root, looks to use Chris’s body for his ‘eye’, as Chris is a budding photographer, while Jim, ironically, is a blind art collector. Whereas in the past, Black people were taken as slaves purely for their strength and use for physical labour, Jim looks to use Chris for the skills he possesses aside from the that. This goes against traditional representations of slavery in film, much like in ’12 Years a Slave’ (2013), where the vast skillset of the protagonist is widely ignored. ‘the traditional slave system needed Black and Brown bodies to fuel the nations 2nd Wave agricultural system and to fund the 3rd Wave industrial revolution’ (Adams 2018, p.170). In contrast to this form of Neo-slavery, however, is the way in which Chris is sold is through an auction with bingo cards. This is extremely representative of how slaves would have been sold in 19th century America, and develops existing beliefs of slavery through film. Although the ways in which slavery is represented contrast in the film, what is apparent is that the film is ‘a treatise on contemporary race relations and white supremacy’ (Adams 2018, p.170).

Other symbolism within the film representing traditional and contrasting views on slavery include the use of a camera phone and cotton. In the party scene, Chris comes across another Black man who seems to be acting extremely odd. Chris attempts to take a picture of the man, however mistakenly leaves the flash on alerting eccentric man. This causes the man to panic, while enduring a nose bleed. The man is eventually revealed to be a White man in a Black man’s body, and the flash returned the Black man to primary consciousness within his own body. Although darkly humourous, the fact the camera phone was used to export the secret has a much deeper meaning in American society. Many cases of police brutality have been brought to light through the media, by people who have filmed such acts on their camera phones. Issues in America relating ethnicity and police brutality are rife. ‘Black and Latino men are significantly more likely than Whites to be killed by the police’ (Alang 2018, p.1127). This is where the setting of the film also comes into play. The film is set in a rural area of America, in a house with a large plot of land, vaguely similar to the plantations of the 19th century. Police brutality is often associated with metropolitan areas, however ‘they dispel myths about cities by demonstrating that police kill black men in rural areas too’ (Along 2018, p.1128).

Cotton in the film, although representative of slavery, is used in a way that challenges traditional belief. At the climax of the film, Chris is tied town to am armchair, being forced to listen to a tape that is hypnotising him. In order to free himself from the situation, he scratches the chair and picks the cotton out of it, stuffing it into his ears. Cotton is representative of the slave trade of the 19th century as picking cotton was a task typically performed by slaves, however, in this case, a material that epitomised captivity was used to free the protagonist from it. This further enhances Peele’s clever method of combining traditional slavery while putting his own spin on his idea of Neo-slavery in the film. This sort of act by the protagonist is typical of a horror film and therefore ‘uses the clunky and often artificial mechanics of the horror genre in order to expose actually existing racism’ (Landsberg 2018, p.633).

Another use of dual meaning in the film, much like the rough depiction of the American flag is shown through a deer. On Chris and Roses’s journey down to her parents house, a deer runs infront of their car, and is subsequently killed. Chris goes to find the dead dear in the woods, creating an intense emotional scene showing Chris’s vulnerability. However, upon arrival at the Armitage’s house, Rose’s father insists the death of the deer was a good thing, and that they are better without them. He also reveals his passion for shooting deer. From the father’s perspective, the deer represents Black people, and his deep hatred for them. Rose’s father’s wealth is very apparent from their large house and land, in addition to the fact that Rose’s grandfather was an olympic athlete. Shooting is a sport highly associated with the wealthy, and this is what summarises Peele’s depiction of Neo-slavery and underlying racism. ‘Neo-slavery demands fewer Black bodies to what is needed to insure the comfort of the top ten percent of the population’ (Adams 2018, p.170). Peele’s idea of modern slavery challenges traditional ideas of slavery as his depiction shows a covert operation, withheld from the public through the use of power and influence within a White community. Within the film, only the rich and powerful figures who are at the helm of their community are allowed to own these bodies.

Peele’s choice of story and setting for his picture mimic those of classic horror movies, developing existing practices and traditions in the horror genre. The formal choices of the film are shaped by movies such as ‘The Shining’ (1980), and ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968). ‘The Shining’ portrays the protagonist trapped in a house, facing an ongoing threat, similarly to that of Chris’s story in ‘Get Out’. Elements of Peele’s film can can also be seen in Roman Polanski’s film, ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, ‘a film Peele admired’ (Landsberg 2018, p.635). Chris loses control of his body in ‘Get Out’ through hypnosis, reflecting Polanski’s horror, in which ‘the protagonist’s body is used against his or her will’ (Landsberg 2018, p.635). In addition to these, Peele has also taken inspiration from the ‘Blaxploitation’ films of the 1970s. The core component to these films was the idea of a Black protagonist taking down an evil corporation or establishment. These films emerged at the time due to a combination of the rising popularity of Black activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., and the decline of cinema, making room for African American filmmakers and audiences. Peele has taken inspiration from certain elements of both genres, but has also challenged the traditional practices of a horror, or blaxploitation film. The film, however similar in setting to previous horror films develops its own genre through its importance on psychological terror, in preference to ‘jump scares’ and physical terror. Additionally, he uses the values of a blaxploitation film, through the concept of a Black protagonist taking down an evil corporation, however Chris’s character challenges the traditional portrayal of a blaxploitation protagonist, as in he is much more toned down than the stereotypical blaxploitation hero, or anti-hero.

Films such as ‘Get Out’ are hugely important in modern films and culture. throughout the late 1980s and early 90s, the growing popularity of Black culture amongst youths in America lead to films such as ‘Boyz n the Hood’ (1991), that depict what growing up in urban American is like for African Americans. Hip-Hop groups and artists, such as NWA appealed to the younger generations, but were shunned by the mainstream media, due to their controversy. In the modern day, the group is celebrated through film, most notably in the 2015 film ‘Straight Outta Compton’, directed by Felix Gary Gary. The biographical film depicted the struggles of African Americans, but also portrayed their rise to the top. This has inspired films such as ‘BlacKkKlansman’, ‘Get Out’, and ‘Black Panther’ (2018). All films portray Black protagonists and earned rave reviews. Peele depicts ideas of an underlying racism, because as his film shows, there are still those of different generations who will not accept the the work that figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela have worked have done to make equality normality. However, in contrary to Peele’s ideas, the growing emergence and popularity of these modern Black protagonists show how far society has come in the last few decades. The films produced have gone from showing the hardship and downfall of African Americans in urban areas, to their rise in society. During the party scene of the film, White characters humourously bring up their favourite Black iconic figures in order to prove their apparent admiration for African Americans. The people listed include Barack Obama and Tiger Woods. American figures like this, and their popularity are part of the reason why films like ‘Get Out’ have amounted to so much success. The scene itself is ironic in the fact that it looks to prove the hidden racism in America, but instead, lists icons who have brought Black and White people together.

In conclusion, the film strikes a perfect balance between developing the classic story formats in film, but also contradicting them, or changing them into an almost entirely new entity. The way in which Peele uses colour is a practice that has been used since the emergence of colour in film, yet he takes it to a new level in terms of a metaphorical message. It develops the already existing technique and yet makes it into its own technique entirely. In addition to that, the combination of elements from different genres such as comedy, horror, and blaxploitation cause the audience to reminisce on the classic films they have grown up with, but also are witnessing a unique genre being developed. The idea of Neo-slavery and overarching racism is still an issue that is apparent in America, but much like the deeper meaning of the film, it is hidden under a visage of freedom and equality. This issue is the reason why the film was so successful and why it was so relevant. Overall, Peele has created a modern classic that both enhances and contradicts classic film practices.

References

Adams, JQA., 2018. Get Out By Jordan Peele. Critical Questions in Education [online], 9(2), 169-175.

Along, SA., 2018. The More Things Change, the More Things Stay the Same: Race, Ethnicity, and Police Brutality. American Journal of Public Health [online], 108(9), 1127-1128.

BlacKkKlansman, 2018. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Spike Lee. United States: 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, Legendary Entertainment, Perfect World Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment, Monkeypaw Productions.

Black Panther, 2018. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Ryan Coogler. United States: Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios, Motion Pictures.

Bourn, J., 2010. Color Meaning: Meaning of the Color Blue [online]. Available from: https://www.bourncreative.com/meaning-of-the-color- blue/ [Accessed 15th May 2019]

Bourn, J., 2010. Color Meaning: Meaning of the Color Red [online]. Available from: https://www.bourncreative.com/meaning-of-the-color- red/ [Accessed 15th May 2019]

Bourn, J., 2010. Color Meaning: Meaning of the Color White [online]. Available from: https://www.bourncreative.com/meaning-of-the-color- white/ [Accessed 15th May 2019]

Boyz n the Hood, 1991. [Film, DVD]. Directed by John Singleton. United States: Columbia Pictures.

Get Out, 2017. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Jordan Peele. United States: Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment, Monkeypaw Productions.

Holmes, NH., Lang, FL., 2018. One year later to Black and White perspectives on Get Out. International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies [online], 15(4), 305-310.

Jeffries, JLJ., 2018. Jordan Peele (Dir.), GET OUT [motion picture] Blumhouse Productions, 2017. Running Time 1h 44min. Journal of African American Studies [online], 22(1), 139-149.

Landsberg, AL., 2018. Horror Vérité: politics and history in Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017). Continuum [online], 32(5), 629-642.

Mississippi Burning, 1988. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Alan Parker. United States: Orion Pictures.

Rosemary’s Baby, 1968. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Roman Polanski. United States: Paramount Pictures.

Straight Outta Compton, 2015. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Felix Gary Gray. United States: Legendary Pictures, New Line Cinema, Cube Vision, Crucial Films, Broken Chair Flickz, Universal Pictures.

The Shining, 1980. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Stanley Kubrick. United States, United Kingdom: The Producer Circle Company, Peregrine Productions, Hawk Films, Warner Bros.

12 Years a Slave, 2013. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Steve McQueen. United States, United Kingdom: Summit Entertainment, Regency Enterprises, River Road Entertainment, Plan B Entertainment, New Regency Productions, Film4 Productions.

In this essay, I will aim to give an in-depth textual analysis of the film, ‘Seven’ (1995). More specifically, I am looking to explore how the film’s depiction of a generic urban, American city ties into the overall theme of the film. To do this, I will identify the factors that shape the film’s narrative, and critically assess the possible interpretations afforded by the storytelling. Following this introduction, I will present certain scenes and characters, looking at how elements such as music, editing, and dialogue, among others, can contribute to the themes of the film. The story follows two homicide detectives, William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and David Mills (Brad Pitt), as they track down serial killer, John Doe (Kevin Spacey), who kills according to the Seven Deadly Sins. Steve Macek argues that ‘Seven’s metropolis decisively shapes the motivations, beliefs and behaviour, than more than one of the main characters’ (1999). Using this theory and others produced from academic works, I will aim to explore how multiple elements in the film come together to create a sense of apathy.

The main ideology that shapes the film’s narrative is apathy. This is the idea that people have a general sense of not caring about what is going on around them. Somerset speaking to Mills in the film says ‘people don’t want a champion. They wanna eat cheeseburgers, play the lotto, and watch television’ (Seven 1995). Although the genre of the film is that of a murder mystery, the underlying themes of the film focus more on people not caring. Freeman’s character has resigned himself to the idea of apathy, but in turn, accepts that he has succumb to this ideology, admitting to Pitt’s character, ‘I didn’t say I was any better’  (1995). On the other hand, Pitt’s character refuses to reside himself to this dull way of life. This comparison is subtly hinted to show the way in which the two handle outside noise in their apartment. The film abides to the idea that ‘cities are cesspools of contagion, spreading faster than TB’  (Taubin 1996, p.23), fulfilling this stereotype by portraying the characters in run down apartments, littered with noise from the vicious city which they both despise. Macek suggests the noise in Somerset’s apartment consists of ‘the sounds of people shouting at each other, of tires squealing, of a dog barking, and finally a car alarm blaring’ (1999). This is epitomises the inescapability of the ‘ambient violence’ (Macek 1999) within the city. Somerset uses a metronome to take his mind off the noise, suggesting that he has accepted it and has learnt how to deal with it in his own way. On the other hand, when we see Somerset at Mill’s apartment, a train passes by outside the house, shaking the house and making a big noise. Mill’s wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) proceeds to joke that she thought they had moved away from all that noise. The underlying meaning behind this scene exemplifies the characters perspectives even further. The noise is a metaphor for apathy, and the fact that it is passing into their homes further reinforces the inevitability of it. Somerset has become accustomed to it, openly admitting to despising the culture of the city, but nevertheless, partaking in it. The mise-en-scene in Somerset’s apartment is extremely clever. The metronome isn’t just an object to take his mind off of the noise, the repetitive rhythm is a sign of regularity in his life. Although he unwillingly conforms to this idea of apathy, his home is a space where he can return to normality. On the other hand, Mills refuses to accept the apathy culture. Although he is surrounded by people that abide to this way of life, he refuses to give into it, trying to remain, what he perceives to be the, ‘hero’.

Further emphasising this underlying theme within the film is through the depiction of the urban area they are in. At the beginning of the film we find Somerset at a murder scene investigation. The scene is shot at night and it’s raining. David Fincher, the director, uses dragged out cuts to linger on certain aspects of the scene, showing the grim reality of this city. We see that the ‘camera lingers for two or three seconds more on his furrowed, bone-tired face’ (Macek 1999). The urban environment is portrayed as ‘an expressionist labyrinth, one which perpetually threatens to enmesh, engulf and overwhelm the hero’ (Christopher 1997, p.16-17). The idea is that however passionate and optimistic Mills can remain, the city and its apathetic culture will eventually win out. In addition, the darkness of the scenes really isolates the characters. Scenes shot outside, mainly due to the chiaroscuro effect, are often solely focused on the main protagonists, giving the viewer the feeling that, besides Mills and Somerset, no one is interested in these killings. The darker tones become most apparent in at scenes of the biblical-inspired crime scenes and during the chase scene. Taubin described it as a ‘chase scene so dark that we can’t tell one good guy from another’ (1996, p.24). This effect shows that Mills, the good guy in the chase scene, is gradually starting to blend in more and more with the apathy of the city, becoming indistinguishable from other characters. The darkness gives an air of mystery to the city, much like we see in films like ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008). The depiction of the city is a widely used generic interpretation of crime-infested urban areas in America. The way in which Fincher portrays the city as if there is a constant ominous threat helps to tie into the idea of the underlying theme of apathy in the story. John Doe suggests there is ‘Deadly Sins on every street corner’ (Seven 1995), yet nothing is being done to stop them, this proving how the city has fallen victim to an apathetic culture.

Further exemplifying the increasing feeling of apathy throughout the film, is the cinematography and editing of the different biblical-inspired crime scenes. At the beginning of the movie, Mills and Somerset are taken to the first crime scene. The scene takes place in a vile, dark house, that is barely visible inside. The scene has a strong chiaroscuro effect, with a high contrast between the dark shadowy backgrounds and silhouettes, and the areas lit up by the detectives’ torches. The effect of this is that the audience is made to feel they are discovering what is to come simultaneously with the detectives, only seeing what they see. As we progress further into the story, it would seem that the crime scenes are shown to us in a decreasing amount of detail. The first two crime scenes are explored with great depth by the protagonists. In contrast, as we draw towards the climax of the film, these crime scenes almost become a normality to Mills. The last crime scene is almost solely portrayed by a tracking shot following Mills into the room. It is illuminated through a red flashing beam. The colour red represents ‘blood and fire’, but also ‘passion and lust’ (Bourn 2011). The killer has based his murder not he fact that the victims were lustful, therefore committing a Deadly Sin. Cleverly, Fincher used the intense red beam to emphasise the combination of blood and lust in the scene. However clever the wise-en-scene us however, the scene only lasts for a matter of seconds, showing this sort of crime as almost normality now for Mills. The beginning of the film, where the crime scenes were explored, and scrutinised by the detectives, is heavily contrasted to the end, where the cuts of the crime scenes have a very short duration. When we encounter the first crime scene, there is a slow, ominous music playing, not only building suspense, but representing the tension within Mills. At the last crime scene, Mills bursts in, loud music blasting over the top, and proceeds to shout at the other officers present. This representing the fact that Mills is almost fully immersed into this vile urban metropolis, and its culture of apathy.

Another scene which plays into the sense of apathy, is the scene where Mills and Somerset are simultaneously looking over evidence late at night, in different locations. Somerset is exploring the library, looking at books to do with Biblical killings, while Mills looks over crime scene photos at his apartment. At the library, Somerset is shown walking past column after column, while regularly checking back to the security guards. The guards are all sat around at a table, gambling, clearly disinterested in their jobs. The shelves at the library are shown to be very large, casting a large shadow, creating an overwhelming feeling. Somerset and Mills continue to go over evidence, however, contrary to a typical murder mystery, where the pace fastens when the ‘good guys’ start to catch on, or find an important clue, the scene is long and drawn out, with a very calming classical music piece. The shots are very quite long, fading into each other, creating the sense that the two detectives feel burdened by this case now. The cinematography really isolates Somerset in this scene, as he walks by the columns, and in-between these large bookshelves, the grid system almost feels like a metaphorical city or prison. The underlying message in this scene is the representation of the disinterested guards and the bookshelf grid. The guards represent the apathy of the city, notably placed on the first floor of the library, while Somerset explores the block-like shelves from the ground floor, glancing up to guards every now and again. The idea that the guards are positioned higher up suggests that they are a dominant power, in this case, the idea that this apathetic culture is looming over the city. Emphasised by the facts that even security guards and police officers are turning a blind eye. People that would supposedly be among the most riteous in society. Somerset continues his investigation of the books, sitting down at a text, illuminated only by a single lamp, while surrounded by a grid of empty desks.

Perceived crime in America during the time period in which ‘Seven’ (1995) was created is a huge historical factor in shaping the narrative of the film. Miethe found that ‘between 42 and 52 percent of survey respondents avoided going downtown, certain neighbourhood streets, or particular locations within their neighbourhood because of fear of crime’ (1995, p.22). Blakely and Snyder found that ’44 percent of residents’ in ‘Orange County, California’ ‘fear being the victim of a crime’ (1997b, p.151). These figures, and other similar statistics contribute to the reason why urban areas of America are perceived the way they are in film, and are why David Fincher chose to portray the city in ‘Seven’ (1995) like this. The way Fincher creates the city in the film, using these darker tones, chiaroscuro, and other techniques, creates a real feel of threat in the city. Although the only main threat in the story is down to one man, John Doe, the urban environment that Fincher has created really does feel like a dark city, full of crime. This historical factor leads into the ideological factor that also shapes the narrative, that is apathy. The idea of this dark metropolis feeds into the underlying message of apathy in the film. The narrative of the story is that of a murder mystery, focused on trying to solve the murders of five sinners, however, underneath all that, Fincher looks at the way the city, and its inhabitants deals with it. And the answer is, they don’t. Like Somerset says in the film, ‘I just don’t think I can continue to live in a place that embraces, and nurtures apathy as if it were a virtue’ (Seven 1995). What he is trying to say is that the city has become so enveloped in this apathetic culture, that people almost deem themselves to have a high moral standards, by simply turning their back on the problems. In Wolfe’s work, ‘One Nation, After All’, he points to the opinion that the ‘problems of America’s inner cities are largely due to people’s lack of personal responsibility for their own problems’ (1998, p.205).

In regards to the narrative being shaped by industrial factors, the film has been allowed to be shown due to one of the most important events in the history of film industry, the collapse of the Production Code of the 1930s. In 1968, film censorship turned from the Production Code, to a new age rating system. A film like this would almost certainly have been prohibited from being shown in a pre-1968 cinema. The first reason why the film wouldn’t have been allowed is due to the fact that ‘Brutal Killings are not to be presented in detail’ (Prince 2003, p.294). Throughout the film, the murders of five people are presented in extreme detail. Most showing the half decomposed body, along with an explanation as to how the person was murdered. In addition, at the end of the film, Mills shoots Doe from point blank range in the head, while Doe is unarmed and bound. Secondly, the code states that ‘No film or episode may throw ridicule on any religious faith’ (Prince 2003, p.295). The main narrative of the film focuses on the vile killings of five sinners. The murderer makes it extremely clear that he is of Christian faith. Although the character is clearly not in the right frame of mind, possibly suffering from many mental illnesses, he is still, from various perspectives, painting Christianity in a bad light, which wouldn’t have been allowed, prior to the collapse of the code. Among other smaller elements in the film, such as ‘Profanity’ and ‘Obscenity’ (Prince 2003, p.295), simply add to the reasons why the film wouldn’t have been shown. Due to this, it shows how industrial factors have allowed the production of this film, helping to shape its narrative in the process.

In conclusion Fincher did an excellent job in taking into account real world problems in America, and portraying them in this film. The film has been one of the standout movies of the last 20 years, not only due to its costly twist at the end of the film, but because of its accurate yet inaccurate representation of modern society. Fincher excellently addresses the issue of apathy in the world today, however, used an almost fictional world to represent it. Through industrial factors, such as the collapse of the Production Code, historical issues in society, like the crime problem in urban areas of America, and ideologies such as apathy, have all come together to allow the production of the film, but also shape its narrative. Overall, the portrayal of this dark metropolis helps to further imply the apathetic culture of todays society, through indirect metaphors at certain points in the film, such as the library scene, and noise invading the characters apartments, but also through direct speech. For example, the bar scene, where Mills and Somerset discuss the problem of apathy in the city. Despite Mill’s claims against Somerset in the film for allowing himself to be consumed by apathy, the protagonist himself, is eventually succumbed to it when John Doe presents his dead wife’s head to him. Mills shoots Spacey’s character, allowing himself to become ‘wrath’, signalling that he has not only fallen for Doe’s sick game, but has himself finally fallen victim to the city he fought so hard not to give into. By the end of the film, Mills has put an end to the serial killer that has been terrorising the city, which would have given him his ‘heroic’ status he was after. Somerset’s words about people not wanting ‘a champion’ (Seven 1995) come to mind when explaining how Mills has fallen to apathy, as now, not even Mills himself wants to be a champion, after all that it has cost him.

References

Blakely, E., and Snyder, MG., 1997. Fortress America: Gated ans Walled Communities in the United States. Washington D.C: Brookings Institution Press

Bourn, J., 2011. Bourn Creative [online]. Sacramento. Available from: https://www.bourncreative.com/contact/ [Accessed 10th January 2019]

Christopher, N., 1997. Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City. New York: The Free Press

Macek, S., 1999. Places of Horror. Fincher’s Seven and Fear of the City in Recent Hollywood Film [online], p.80-94

Miethe, TD., 1995. Fear and Withdrawal from Urban Life. AAPPS annals 539, p.22

Prince, S., 2003. Classical Film Violence. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press

Seven, 1995. [Film, DVD]. Directed by David Fincher. United States: Cecchi Gore Pictures, Juno Pix, New Line Cinema

Taubin, A., 1996. The Allure of Decay. Sight and Sound, 6(1), p.23-24

The Dark Knight, 2008. [Film, DVD]. Directed by Christopher Nolan. United States, United Kingdom: Warner Bros, Legendary Entertainment, Syncopy, DC Comics

Wolfe, A., 1998. One Nation, After All. New York: Viking