Sound in Se7en

Music and sound have a tremendous effect in enhancing our overall reaction to a film.  One way in which it accomplishes this is by reinforcing or strengthening the emotional content of the image, by stimulating the imagination and by suggesting and expressing emotions that cannot be conveyed by pictorial means alone.  In the opening shot for the film Seven the sound effects bring tension to the film as the noises are unclear however the same background sound is carried on throughout the opening sequence which keeps the suspense going.  Then another unidentified sound effect is added over the next shot to create a feeling that something unusual and strange is going on.  Then in a couple shots later the tempo of the music starts to become faster and more tense which creates a more worry feeling.  The use of the soundtrack in the title sequence is used very productively and works excellently to establish a very interesting opening to a great thriller leaving the viewer interested and in suspense all the way through.  There is a huge amount of diegetic sound involved throughout this film.  Diegetic sound is sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film.  An example of this is in the beginning of the first scene as you can hear detective Somerset's neighbors arguing very loudly even when they are not in the room.  Also there are classic noises that you would associate with a big and busy city.  The noises you hear from all the different types of transport you would expect to hear in everyday life as if you were leaving there. I would rate this movie an 8.5/10.

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