Se7en Special Edition

Posted: February 18th, 2001.

A DOUBLE DISC EXTRAS PACKED DVD RELEASE FOR SE7EN

A choice of no less than four feature length commentaries, each featuringdirector David Fincher, tops an exciting range of added value extrasfeatured on Entertainment In Video’s eagerly awaited double DVD Video releaseof ‘SE7EN’.

Intense, dark and deeply disturbing, ‘SE7EN’ was one of the most originalfilms of recent years, and fans of the film will not be disappointed with thisexceptional DVD package set for release in the UK on 26th February.

This stunning double DVD release will include the feature film on Disc One,presented in 16×9 widescreen with the four commentaries and three soundoptions, Stereo Surround Sound, Dolby 5.1 or Dolby DTS, while Disc Two willinclude a whole range of fascinating special features.

Disc One – The Feature with Commentaries

The four audio commentaries cover different aspects of the film as directorDavid Fincher discusses the film making process with those involved in theproduction of ‘SE7EN’ from the stars to the designers.
• The Stars: David Fincher and actors Brad Pitt and Morgan Freemandiscuss their experiences on the production of ‘SE7EN’.
• The Story: Author Richard Dyer analyses the cop-thriller filmgenre while David Fincher, screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, editorRichard Francis-Bruce and New Line President of ProductionMichael De Luca discuss the script and project history.
• The Picture: The look and feel of the film, from set design to cameraangles, movement, texture and colour, is explored by David Fincher,Richard Dyer, Richard Francis-Bruce, director of PhotographyDarius Khonji and Production Designer Arthur Max.
• The Sound: Featuring isolated 5.1 music and effects cues and commentaryby David Fincher, Richard Dyer, composer Howard Shore and sounddesigner Ren Klyce, this track is dedicated to the film’s music andsound effects.

Disc Two – Additional Features

An exceptional range of extras offers over 100 minutes of special features,with further optional commentaries providing a fascinating insight into thevarious stages in the making of this unique film and this superb DVD package.
• Exploration of the Opening Title Sequence:
  Three stages in the development of the innovative opening title sequence,storyboards, rough cut and final edit, are explored in this feature, with twooptional commentary tracks to explain the process. The first commentary is bydesigner Kyle Cooper and the second is by sound engineers Brant Biles andRobert Margenleff.
• Deleted Scenes and Extended Takes:
  Deleted scenes are one of the most popular features of DVD releases and SE7ENincludes around twenty minutes worth of scenes and extended takes that didn’tmake it into the final film, including a cameo by writer Andrew Kevin Walker.For an insight into the reasons why they were left on the cutting room floor,this can be viewed with an optional director commentary.
• Alternative Endings
  With an optional commentary by David Fincher this fascinating feature includesthe original tested ending, illustrating how subtle changes change the entiretone of the climax, and an animated story board sequence for the ending aswritten in the original script.
• Still Photos With Commentary
  A huge range of still photographs, divided into sections covering differentaspects from in making of ‘SE7EN’ are included, with an optional commentaryfor each from either David Fincher, or photographer Melodie McDaniel or PeterSorel. The sections covered are:
  • John Doe, Victor’s Decomposition, Police Crime Scene Photography, Production Stills, The Notebooks
  • John Doe’s Notebooks:An 8 minute feature, again with optional commentary by the design team,examines the fine detail devoted to producing the notebooks kept by John Doe,and found in his apartment by the detectives.
  • Promotional Materials:Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey and Gwyneth Paltrow appear in a 7minute Making Of… featurette. Filmographies on the cast are also includedalong with the original theatrical trailer.
  • Mastering For The Home Theatre:To complete the range of exciting extras Mastering For the Home Theatreexamines the painstaking process of producing this DVD. Features on AudioMastering, Video Mastering and Colour Correction Demonstration illustrate thework involved in creating the ultimate audio and video presentation of ‘SE7EN’,whilst the final feature Telecine Gallery allows the viewer to compare the twoversions.

Brad Pitt (‘Snatch’, ‘Fightclub’, ‘Meet Joe Black’) and Morgan Freeman (‘NurseBetty’, ‘Deep Impact’, ‘Hard Rain’) star as a pair of mismatched homicidedetectives who are drawn together to solve a series of sick and shockingmurders based on the seven deadly sins – gluttony, greed, sloth, pride, lust,envy and wrath.

Set in a dark and relentlessly diabolical underworld, ‘Seven’ is about theworst of life in a large city and portrays all of the dirt, violence, pollutionand often depressing realism contained within an overcrowded metropolis.

Visually and stylistically, the film is set in an environment that reflects themoral decay of the people living in it. Infused with a magnetic energy thatswiftly sucks the viewer into its disturbing investigations, the film stuns asit unveils seven chilling and ingenious murders.

Body by body, the murderer cleanses the filth from what he sees as a societybereft of morals. As each new victim is discovered, the detectives must combinetheir collective experiences to track the trail of a twisted but meticulouskiller.

‘SE7EN’ DVD Video has an ’18’ certificate and carries an R.R.P of £19.99.The feature comprises 37 chapters and has a running time of 93 minutes.

News page content input by Dominic Robinson, 2001.