An eclectic compromise between writing numbers as words and writing them as digits, initiated, or at least popularised, by David Fincher's psychological thriller "Se7en" (1995). In this case, the number 7 is substituted for the letter V, because of the latter's resemblance to the former turned through 90º. This gimmick has been emulated by a few other products of popular culture, with increasing ridiculousness. To date:
- 5ive, a British boy band. The problem here is that 5 doesn't really look much like F. This band had late 1990s hits including "Slam Dunk (Da Funk)".
- Take Fi5e, a short-lived American boy band. Even more inapproriate than the aforementioned, since 5 looks even less like V.1
- "Thir13en Ghosts" (2001), a dire horror film starring Tony Shalhoub and Shannon Elizabeth. At least here the numbers look vaguely like the letters they represent, but having two digits is pushing it.
- "3hree", a musical comprised of three acts, "The Mice", "Lavender Girl" and "The Flight of the Lawnchair Man". Thanks to edibleplastic for informing me of this one.
- "It mu5t be found", the tagline for Luc Besson's self-consciously strange "The Fifth Element" (1997). This one was submitted by BrooksMarlin.
- "Murd3r by Num8ers", the logo for the iffy-sounding Barbet Schroeder film, er, "Murder by Numbers" (2002). Thanks to trainman.
- "3hree 6ix 5ive", an underground track by Eminem, according to Brianshader.
- "S1M0NE", as the movie "Simone", starring Al Pacino, is often written. This one from generic-man.
- "El1zabeth", a movie about Elizabeth I, or so spiregrain tells me.
To be updated as more examples of this phenomenon emerge.
1. call suggests that "Fi5e" makes sense enough because V is, of course, 5 in Roman numerals. He tells me that this idea was stolen from the character da5id in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash.