SECTION C - FIGHT CLUB

FIGHT CLUB- (FINCHER) 1999 (USA)
Directed by Fincher and released in 1999, Fight Club is an American Film based on the novel of “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk. Fight Club is about an unnamed protagonist with a philosophy that figures out the organisation of society and realises people are mere slaves to capitalism. The protagonist cannot sleep and seeks comfort from mental institutions until he meets Marla, a female who shares a similar philosophy and is a constant reminder of himself. Eventually the protagonist creates an alter ego called Tyler Durden who forms a Fight Club that goes against the organisation of society. Engaging in this new cultism, Tyler or rather the protagonist himself becomes his own hypocrite. He becomes this leader of a group of cultists that aims to bring down capitalist society through setting off a bomb that destroys the banks and reduces everyone’s credit rating to 0. Not realising he is this leader, our unnamed protagonist figures who he is by the films resolution.


Themes
· Violence
· Masculinity
· Primitivism
· Cultism

Macro Elements
· The structure is non linear, it’s opened up from the same scene used at the films resolution sequences. (Repeated)
· Protagonist is the narrator and V.O is used to explain the story unfolded. Plot is viewed from his POV.
· Narrative Structure is quite straightforward but does at times go back and fourth a little bit. Flash-forwards and Flashbacks. (Case of Bob’s Bitch tits to earlier period within the story unfolded.)
· Enigma Codes “Who is Tyler Durden?” Why is protagonist in that situation?
· The lifestyle Tyler wanted to inhibit unpredictability kept the audience in a state of red –herring.
· Follows the theme of violence and masculinity. The audiences believe that to the members of Fight Club, masculinity is an accomplishment.
· Todorov’s rules are clearly broken, the film opens up in a disruptive state and there is a constant calm and disruption. At times you never know whether the disruptive scenes are meant to be the calm ones as Tyler’s philosophy is largely about enduring disruption to be masculine.
· Distinct focus on the conflict against dominant ideologies such as consumerism and capitalism.
· Conflict between two personalities. One is more realistic where as the other is more idealistic. We know which is easier to recognise as realistic.
· Tyler has flashback events of the past, where he unravels what was really happening through a re-animation of the shots used to show the true and hidden perspective. In which case it’s himself attacking himself during the first fight scene with the narrator and his alter ego.
Conflict
Binary Oppositions
· Fight Clubs Ideology goes against mainstream society’s ideology. (Acts like a charismatic leader in the face of oppression from consumerist ideology.)
· Capitalism, Consumerism Vs Primitivism.
· Fight Club Cult vs. Dominant Ideologies of Mainstream Society.


Characters
Jack- This is possibly the name of the unnamed protagonist. He was once a slave of capitalism but was aware and suffered from insomnia because of it. Upon realising this, he formed an alternate personality and alter ego called Tyler Durden in order to live a more primitive and unpredictable life. What triggered this was likely his encounter with Marla whose philosophy about life was that she could die any time. “Like so many others I had become a slave,” (referring to slave of capitalism and conforming to pointless consumerist demands.)
Tyler Durden- Our unnamed protagonists alter ego and alternate personality. Tyler Durden represented everything Jack wasn’t, a non conformer to the dominant ideologies of society and primitive in form. He guides the protagonist who imagines his presence on the path to enlightenment or rather to a primitive state of mind and for his ambitions. At the films resolution we partially believe both personalities must have fused together. Tyler is charismatic, physically capable and has no fear which is what was needed for Jack’s hidden agenda to be achieved. “The things you own end up owning you”
Marla- She meets our protagonist when he is falsely seeking comfort from mental institutions when there’s nothing wrong with him. Reminding her of himself, the protagonist’s insomnia returns back to him. She represents a female in her primitive form. Although our protagonist doesn’t want to admit it, he actually likes her. Her philosophy in life is that you can die anytime so she had already found freedom. I think the protagonist partially hated her for realising this so when his mind returned to his old self he would treat her like dirt. It was also a self defence mechanism of protecting his alter ego.
Bob- This is Tyler’s friend who he meets at a mental institution for testicular cancer. He sympathizes with him and is upset at his death.

Messages and Values
· Messages, “Even one person can make a difference.” “Take a closer look at the life you live, it’s not what it seems…”
· Values,
o Respect
o Freedom
o Primitivism


Sound
· Often protagonist’s diegetic V.O are used to explain everything. (Looking at audience on screen.)
· Non diegetic when speaking to himself and audience.
· Distorted Sound Effects during violent fight scenes with characters like when Tyler is getting face pummelled on the ground floor during a fight sequence in the fight club.


Cinematography/Visuals
· Narrator largely looking at screen towards the audience, giving speeches and explaining the back story of characters and events. Used to draw audience into film.
· Distorted Edited Visuals when Narrator has sex with Marla showing he can’t remember the event as Tyler Durden who he really is.
· Flashback effects of the previous events that occurred where this time the narrator is filmed in the scenes rather than Tyler being caught in the act.
· Low Key lighting when violence and danger occurs acting as a recognisable signifier.
· Blood, scars, the masculine body of being bare-chested represents Masculinity. (Male Gaze Effect)
· 360 Degree Shot of Narrator as Tyler he enters the club to inspire the audience.
· BEV as people about to join fight club follow the narrator and Tyler into the underground facility.
· Tons of Close Ups especially at Narrators face used alongside with distorted editing techniques of imagery on screen to emphasize Tyler’s insomnia.
· L/A shot of Tyler over Narrator pouring fat onto him when they steal. (Used for show dominant personality in control at the time.)(Looking up to Tyler as a role model.)
· Slow Motion and disfigured diegetic and non diegetic sound as the members of Fight Club fight for honour and respect whilst being chanted on by fellow members of Fight Club.
· Constant use of eye line matching and POV shots to empathise POV in audience perspective of the journey the narrator embarks on.
· Tyler wore the same clothes again and again. (Represents opposition to consumerism.)
· Dragged by a poltergeist or demon in one shot similar to paranormal activity in scenes briefly showing him in security cameras of Project Mayhem base when he attempts to prevent bombs from going off.
· Tyler is false and imagined and the audience don’t realise that we are viewing the plot most of the time from the narrator’s perspective. Tyler acts as an alter ego or doppelganger going against society. Later events re-shown where scenes take a different perspective.
· Scene where Acid is poured on Tyler’s hand. (H/A L/A Shots.) (Looking down at narrator in floor in agony.
· At times visuals could be emphasized as promoting homoerotic tendencies. Male Gaze largely focuses on the male body and sexual tendencies. (Marla getting sexed up, Tyler Naked body. Narrator has feminine Gaze towards Tyler.
· Zoom into Tyler, one of the most memorable sequences is when he figures out who he is. Quote, “Because we are the same person…”


Popular Quotes To Remember
· “We are consumers, by products” Tyler Durden.
· “The things you own end up owning you” Tyler Durden.
· “We are all God’s unwanted children, so be it” Tyler Durden.
· “I’m wandering if a woman is what we really need”; “We are a generation raised by women.” Tyler Durden.
· “Losing all hope was freedom” Jack.
· “Every evening I died and was born again” Jack.
· “If I did have a tumour, I’d name if Marla…” Jack.
· “Marla the big tourist…Her lie reflected my lie.” Jack.
· “Has something to do with Marla” (Intro quote)
· “In death, a member of Project Mayhem has a name,” Tyler has created a group of brainwashed followers.
· “Sometimes Tyler spoke for me” “Fell down some stairs…” (Scene at Doctors)
· “Sooner or later we all became what Tyler wanted us to be” Narrator. Eventually starts to refer to members as “space monkeys”
· “My father dumped me, Tyler dumped me” “I am Jack’s broken heart” “Tyler isn’t here…” “Tyler went away” (When he tells off Marla)
· “Because we are the same person!” (Zooms into Tyler!) (Effect used to shock audience)