MovieChat Forums > Se7en (1995) Discussion > "Her pretty head"

"Her pretty head"

posted 7 years ago by atd8vii (593)
5 replies | jump to latest

This line has never really sat well with me even after watching Se7en more times than I can remember. I'ts far from a death blow, but I think just having the line "I took a souvenir" on it's own is enough to allude to Tracey being murdered. Freeman sells it well with his reaction after he opens the box and when Doe says "she begged for her life and the life of her child" we definitely know what is going on.

It's like having someone throw a bucket of water in your face and kick you in the nuts at the same time.

[–] Stratego (31087) 7 years ago

I get what you're saying. It was an unnecessary line for most of the audience, but I'm not sure if Mills would've gotten it since he didn't see the box.

[–] Drooch (5333) 5 years ago

Even today there’s confusion over whether it’s a baby foetus in the box. ‘Pretty head’ clears that up.

[–] atd8vii (593) 3 years ago

That would add another layer of horrific ambiguity to the film and just proves my point even more.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 3 years ago

I agree with your post that that line was unnecessary, but the fact that there's been confusion DESPITE that line, shows how confused the average moviegoer is even when there wasn't really any ambiguity.

[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

As David Lynch says, ‘mystery is good, confusion is bad’.

With the repeated question ‘what’s in the box?’ it would be needlessly confusing to not establish that it is, indeed, her head.