Just how influential was Se7en?
 

I've finally gotten this movie on DVD and I'd forgotten how AWESOME it is. I haven't been able to watch it for quite some time, and from what I can tell, it's a pretty popular movie around here. So just how influential was it to other movies and stuff. I think the diary in Red Dragon was based on the one in Se7en, or atleast had some of the same elements.

Hey Zep :)

Long time no type. I think Se7en was quite influential as far as set design was concerned. The detailed, dark sets in the film were top notch.

I loved Se7en, but it was influential in a very BAD way. Now we will never see an end to dark, depressing "serial Killer" movies. I mean Se7en was genius, all of its rip-offs are just sort of depravity presented as "entertainment," or worse, failed attempts to be clever about it....looking right at YOU, Saw....

In terms of things like style and theme I think it was one of the most influential movies of the 1990's. The neo noir concept is perfected in every detail in Se7en. The opening credits alone set the agenda for so many other movies that would follow. The combination of christian fundamentalist values with the typical postmodern existentialist questions (depicting life through death, "What's the point? Is there a point?") I would say was something that Hollywood and others really picked up on.

I love Se7en. It's my favourite Fincher movie.

Its like you took little bits of brain out of my ears and then shmushed them into the words expressing how i feel about this film. Brava :)

that was awesome!

Se7en is one of my favorite movies too, but whoever said something about the rip-offs being pretty sh*tty is right. im sick of all the movies that come out now. They all try to have this weird twist at the end. lame!

Very. I plan all my murders with a theme, now.
Er... yeah, the titles were nifty!

Piddzilla nailed it dead on.

The only thing I could stack on top of that statement is that it illustrated to Hollywood that viewers are ready for and appreciative of painstakingly detailed films. Though Hollywood didn't actually learn that listen too well. I think one of the most important things that Se7en proved was that audiences crave eccentricity in film. I think it also distingushed a big line between respect for a film and ticket sales and solidified the ignored lesson that respect equates to film/buyer loyalty.

No to mention throwing numbers in the middle of titles. Though nerds were doing that long before...

My whole point is in bold so you can skip all the mumbo' jumbo'.
 

Two penny's for dat' ass from my noodle which is also known as my brizzain'.

Se7en. Hmm. Some heads are bout' to roll is right. Right into a brown box at the end. Booya. Anyways, the movie's off da' chain like a granny in a motorcycle gang. Set design, set design, set design + Brad Pitt means this movie couldn't go wrong. I will point out the over used detective stereotypes. Coffee, old papers, stressed family life, so-on and so-on. You see what I'm saying about that? I'd understand if I didn't explain it right and you were angry for it. Influence? Maybe not so much influence but rather raising the already existing bar of detective movies. That's what I was getting at. Yes. I made it bold just in case you wanted to skip everything and go straight to it. I should write that at the beginning.

Not very.

I'm glad you agree. I was getting nervous.

Remind me not to go near Delilah anymore :)

I think it's pretty much been said already, so I'll simply agree and save Chris some bandwidth.

Se7en is definitely a classic, and you just can't avoid other movies copying the classics.

Ah, you got me. I did take bits of your brain... But I'm not saying what I did with them. ...I ate them with some fava beans and a nice chianti...

The problem with Se7en being such an influence is that it influenced a lot of film makers to consider style more important than substance.

Do you feel that's true of Se7en?

I would say that's the "problem" with all influential films that are stylish in some way. Together with Se7en in the 1990's we have the Tarantino films that (even though I know there are some around here that think his films too lack substance) influenced billions of other films of which most were crap compared to Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.

I think just as well as style you can see this when it comes to trends in certain themes. I have no stats to back this up but I'm guessing that Silence of the Lambs must have started some kind of mass murderer trend in films. Not to mention what Scream did to the slasher genre.

I must admit that I am hopelessly unhip and unaware of what's going on today in new american cinema and Hollywood, but has anyone of you guys seen anything that might have been caused by Donnie Darko?

Oh, and hello era of american remake of asian horror flick

I wouldn't have said it if I didn't. What are you...new? ;)

There are a number of films that have come out since Se7en did that may not have tried to replicate the noir-ish element of the storyline, but have indeed tried to emulate its style...to little effect.

It reminds me of when Pulp Fiction came out. Shortly afterwards, films like Two Days in the Valley, and the like followed it. Yet, none of them could capture the essence of style and substance that made Pulp Fiction so good.

Not that any of this is uncommon. Producers follow whatever is making the big bucks and has the most water cooler conversation. Meh...that's my opinion anyway.





Damn...we were creating our posts at the same time and said relatively the same thing...except you said it better.

I can't think what may have influenced Donnie Darko other than the insight that introspective and complicated plotting was popular at the time. Perhaps M. Night Shyamalan could be accused of recreating that trend in Hollywood.

It's funny that you mention the Asian horror remakes. A lot of people I talk to gush on and on about the remakes, so I suggest giving the originals a go...but most of them balk at that.

What r u gonna do?

Make them watch them... I know you've got your own special ways to do that... ;D

I know too many people who just refuse to watch subtitled movies. Oh well...they don't know what they're missing unless they've at least had a taste...and most of them won't even bother doing that. They can go ahead and live on Big Macs while I dine on Walnut, Arugula, and Gorgonzola Crostini, Greens with Goat Cheese Croutons, and Chocolate Jalapeno Cake.