Fight Club

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Fight Club

Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham-Carter, Meatloaf

Director: David Fincher

Writer: Jim Uhls

Based on Novel By: Chuck Palahniuk

Studio: Fox Studio

Rating: R 18+

Genre: Action, Thriller

Running Time: 139 minutes approx.

Filming Locations: Los Angeles and California

Special Effects:

Many of the visual effects in Fight Club have been overshadowed by effect-based movies (LOTR, The Matrix) but upon closer examination I found that they were perfect in their own right. They depicted a chaotic sense of disengagement, not only from society but also from oneself. Two of the most technically advanced shot were CGIs (computer generated enhancements) of Jack’s IKEA apartment. One was a tracking shot, entering through the door and circling his apartment before zooming to a macro shot of the back of his fridge, that apparently contained a gas leak that in turn led to the demise of his apartment. The other apartment-based shot was almost comical, a shot circling through his apartment labelling his designer furniture and appliances, not unlike a magazine catalogue. Although not a breakthrough in the world of visual effects, when combined with the atmosphere of Jacks cynical, mundane voiceovers and brilliant cinematography it makes for an enchanting shot that gives a very true to life insight of the average material-bound American male.

Cinematography:

Jack realises that Tyler was a creation of his own mind, in a feeble attempt to finally free himself from the restraints society places on him, a 360° pan circles him, getting more erratic and destabilised as it finally sinks in. Diversity is the key to Fight Clubs style of cinematography, in every aspect from the shot itself, to its point of view. From observing a security television monitor displaying Jack, coming to terms with his inner demon to Jack in a state of euphoria, were he is introduced to his power animal, a CG penguin that tells Jack simply to “slide”. In another standout sequence Tyler gives Jack a severe chemical burn, and in hope of dismissing his raging pain Jack begins to mediate, where he refers back to his power animal before being slapped in the face and told “Stay with the pain, I’m giving you the f*ing experience of your life and your drifting in Tibet”. He attempts to meditate again, and the viewer is subjected to a breathtaking contrast ...

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... misunderstood. This film is not only entertaining but it also raised public awareness. No doubt many people will buy into Tyler’s extremist point of view, if only for a short amount of time, but in this time they will understand what many people from all over the world feel constantly, an urge to fight authority, an urge to be individual and stop following the mainstream. Tyler’s ideals may be summarised in one quote, “You cannot truly be free until you’ve lost everything”. This philosophy is perfect in theory; you are ridding yourself of restricting material possessions and all other things that bind you into society. Unfortunantly life isn’t all theory and when an individual does lose everything they feel anything but free. This film was a wake up call to me and hopefully to many others, not only about the over importance we place on material possessions and the power they have over us, but the restraints that society places on us as well.

Conclusion:

A film worth seeing no matter what the occasion, Fight Club has a serious philosophical meaning for the deeper audiences and could still keep a person with the attention span of an ant entertained viewing after viewing.

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