Seven (1979 film)

Seven
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAndy Sidaris
Screenplay by
  • William Driskill
  • Robert Baird[1]
Story byAndy Sidaris[1]
Produced byAndy Sidaris[1]
StarringWilliam Smith
Barbara Leigh
Art Metrano
Martin Kove
Susan Kiger
Edited byAlan E. Ferguson[2]
Production
company
Distributed byAmerican International Pictures (US)
Release date
  • September 21, 1979 (1979-09-21) (Los Angeles)
Running time
101 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States[2]
LanguageEnglish

Seven is a 1979 American action film directed by Andy Sidaris and starring William Smith as Drew Sevano, a freelance agent hired by the government to eliminate a cartel of seven mobsters attempting to take over Hawaii. To help him accomplish this, Drew recruits a team of seven individual operatives with their own special talents.[3][4][5]

Plot

In sun-drenched Hawaii, a dynamic criminal organisation run by seven ruthless professional kingpins intends to liquidate its political leaders, and when they fulfil their plans, take over the 50th State and pillage the land. Although this may be true, the government will soon retaliate by summoning the unconventional special agent Drew Sevano, who, in turn, assembles an invincible and well-equipped army of six other deadly agents; all assigned will their target of choice. But things are looking bleak and the mandatory half-hour time frame for the completion of the operation is already tight. Will Sevano's Seven succeed?

Cast

Production

Seven was filmed at Oahu and Kauai in Hawaii.[6] Robert Baird, who is credited along with William Driskill as screenwriter, is a pseudonym for writer and photographer William Edgar.[6] The Hollywood Reporter budgeted the film at $2 million and noted that the film had "just completed" in their February 7, 1979 article.[6]

Release

Seven was released in the United States on September 21, 1979, where it premiered in Los Angeles.[6] The film distributed by American International.[1]

Reception

Variety stated that Seven is "filled with stock Hawaiian footage, and not very good stuff at that. Pic lags continually, which won't pacify the action audience."[1] The review also noted that "product plugs are also heavy-handed, and enumerated again with a final credit."[1] The Monthly Film Bulletin stated that the film was "rendered thoroughly mechanical by the laborious business of pairing off its seven hit men with their seven underworld targets. The film's trite efforts to make an impression with its bizarre methods of execution-by hang-glider, lasergun and inflatable sex doll-do little to offset the interminable exposition."[2]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Willis 1985, p. 350: "Review was printed on October 3, 1979"
  2. ^ a b c d Combs, Richard (1979). "Seven". Monthly Film Bulletin. 46 (540). British Film Institute: 153.
  3. ^ Seven (1979) - IMDb, retrieved 2020-02-10
  4. ^ Seven (1979), retrieved 2020-02-10
  5. ^ Tudor, Jim (23 June 2018). "SEVEN (1979) – Blu-ray Review – ZekeFilm". Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  6. ^ a b c d "Seven". American Film Institute. Retrieved October 27, 2015.

References

  • Willis, Donald, ed. (1985). Variety's Complete Science Fiction Reviews. Garland Publishing Inc. ISBN 978-0-8240-6263-7.