Seven Servants (1996)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Absolutely Fantastic

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I found it quite difficult to sit through this film on DVD. I knew it was not going to be good as soon as the titles rolled. Bad, tasteful dancing letter graphics and a sepia orange filter on everything are dead giveaways. Another bad sign: two directors and a credit for additional editing. Usually means it has been cut down and possibly butchered. Reminded me a bit of the work of Parajanov and Derek Jarman. Has that kind of gay art film 'malaise' feel to it, but without the open courage and conviction of those two. It is neither film as art nor regular cinema. It falls in between the two stools. I was interested in the Gato Barbieri score but even this was very slight. As for Anthony Quinn his monologues and dialogs reminded me of the sound track of a continental high gloss porn film.

its a man, called anthony quinn at his best. its a connection never seen before in any creativity of thoughts, its a story about unity of mankind, its shokof,s greatest work as a visionary, its shokof,s contribution to the world of humanity, equality, brotherhood, sisterhood, and its the most amazing movie ever made, if not the most important as well, and all in all one of the greatest gifts to mankind from Shokofestan. shokof and his world are here to be remembered forever. another 10 your way shokof and to your planet as well. the Shokofestan.i saw the movie, and it touched me deep in my heart but my brain as well. then, i was so disappointed not to ever see the film come to the public for so many years until it just recently got released. you know what is great about a great work is that like a great work of art it will stay eternal. in fact they should have really waited to publicize this extraordinary work in year 3000. it is still too early for such a monumental work to be ready for public . however, i am happy and have no problems with it coming out sooner, much sooner than expected. the 10 seven servants gets from me now will last anothe 3000 years. man, what a mind.

daryush shokof is foremost and primarily a brilliant mind who created perhaps our century,s most vivid, original and timeless artistic, philosophic, and literary works and simultaneously he is responsible for some amazing movies that only could have come from shokof, and shokof only. now seven servants is a classic in comparison with all other films by shokof. here he remains subtle, and dedicated to tell the story in limited shots, movements, without his usual fierce obscurity of camera angels and scenes or perspectives because the concept alone takes care of all that for it is doubtlessly the most incredible story ever told in the history of mankind,not just in movies,or in the arts and....literature but "mankind,s" history period. it would be useless to ever write a critic about shokof,s works and or less to rate any of his films.they are simply a world apart. now back to this jewel of world culture called seven servants (the movie): i have heard tons of stories about the story how and under what conditions this extraordinary piece of film-making has been made. to sum it all up i would only suggest that there will be no doubt that it remains a shame for all and every culture related concern to have had this film banned and or neglected and or.........for almost 15 years!!???above all equally a shame to know that shokof himself had gone through the same fate (reportedly he and all his works ever after seven servants were never to be shown in any festivals world wide!?)for just having created the most beautiful mind blowing, different, original and genius piece of art and movie.seven servants will go down the history of the greatest and most important films ever made but shame on all who prevented this monumental gift to humanity never reach the world.it is very easy to understand that this movie could have been a start of many discussions,and could have been striking many uninvited arguments politically (because of shokof being an Iranian alone is enough of an issue where the whole entertainment and festival world has been keen and under agreement to work with Iranian based Directors rather than one and again only one courageous shokof who does not live in Iran and has been a sound critic of the regime in his home land (the Islamic republic and...)if it has surfaced in the global context (where it most deservedly should have been and in my opinion could have won at least 4 Oscars from Quinn to Shokof and story and design alone).all in all and 15 years after we will finally see it on DVD coming out through Pathfinder. now all that is one human injustice and tragedy that again all of us thank the global politics forever. a real shame

Daryush Shokof said in an interview after screening the film that Marlon Brando was up for the role of Archie (Anthony Quinn took the part)and Norman Mailer was supposed to play the friend (played brilliantly by David Warner). He said all his childhood dreams came through when these names were ready to commit themselves to this amazing story. Seven Servants is in every perspective a rarest film of all cinema history. an old man wants to get it all over with and hires 7 servants to plug up his body openings and stay connected for the next 10 days? Thus a most unique, original piece of literature , visuals, and concept takes form on the screen never seen by anyone, and or anywhere in arts and or literature until this great piece of film making came about.Shokof,s Cult masterpiece gets a 10 from me alone for the concept, and then again for the courage, and then again, for Quinn,s extraordinary and shocking performance and then again for out of this world details,Pure Directing such a most complicated movie with an ease, and simplicity, and for all the amazing lines throughout the movie, and also for the most intriguing set design ever. the film is obviously against racism, and for unity of men on Earth. Shokof mentioned in his interviews that he had a dream the night after a terrible fire burnt a family of Turks in a house in Germany . The servants are of different races, and the there are jaw-dropping moments where all these connected people act as one creature doing routine activities of the day from painting, to dancing, eating and or even going to the rest room together. the film is truly a masterpiece of ideas, and an art form that does connect to audiences of all ages regardless of them understanding all the most thoughtful elements hidden under each line in the film. there were Children connecting to one another after the screening and this in itself was the shock of my life. perhaps this is also one of the reasons this movie never got released.Seven Servants might just be too unreachable of an effort for the world in reaching peace in our times and days. perhaps the film would be ripe for screenings world-wide in 3000 years, but whats immensely notable is that the film is done, and it has been viewed , and no one can wipe these amazing visuals off my mind ever. for whatever the reason ,it is a shame for world culture and arts and humanity that Seven Servants is still nowhere to be seen. a 10 forever.