Fight Club - 20th Anniversary
FIGHT CLUB - © 1999 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
“I want you to hit me as hard as you as you can.” The immortal words spoken by Tyler Durden twenty years ago this month. Fight Club landed a jaw-breaking punch to the film industry in 1999 that still has not fully recovered. Fight Club is a film of many themes that have been discussed time and time again, ranging from the state of masculinity, Generation X, anarchy and the obsession of consumer culture.
Based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk released in 1996, of which rights were snapped up by 20th Century Fox for a mere $10,000, the property was passed around various directors — including Danny Boyle, Bryan Singer and Peter Jackson — until the script finally landed in the hands of one young and disgruntled filmmaker, David Fincher, who had read the book and was trying to purchase the rights for himself. At this point in his career, Fincher had directed Alien 3 to disastrous critical results but had just come off a double hit of well-received crime thrillers Se7en and The Game. Actors that were offered/interested in the project at various stages included Matt Damon, Russell Crowe and Sean Penn until the studio and filmmakers decided that Edward Norton and Brad Pitt would be the two leads.
Watching David Fincher’s Fight Club today, the feature still manages to feel fresh, original and creative — just as it would have done 20 years ago on its release. It is a riot of a dark, brutal psychological crime thriller with some wickedly funny, dark comedy elements.
The story escalates and continually evolves to more anarchic and dangerous levels as it unfolds in a constant sense of escalation and builds up as the characters become more unstable and invested in their motivations and beliefs. Right up until that incredible twist reveal — which is arguably even more impressive, effective and satisfying on subsequent rewatches because of particular lines — character movements, artistic editing and camera techniques are tailored to hinting but discreet enough that the viewer will not spot it on first viewing.
The performances are intelligent and dazzling, easily some of the best in the cast’s — now extensive — filmography. Norton gives a timeless and perfect portrayal of a cynical drone stuck within the repetitive structure of work and what society demands from him, with a truly epic and revolutionary character arc. Boasting excellent chemistry with Pitt, whose performance as Tyler Durden has gone down in history as one of the most iconic of all time as the epitome of cool and rebellious nature. Pitt’s screen presence and delivery of the cult classic quotes have become a staple of cinema and pop culture in general. Helena Bonham Carter is also excellent as Marla Singer. Cocky and calm yet clearly damaged and sympathetic, she works wonders alongside Norton and Pitt with tremendous charisma and comedic sensibility that is weighted in drama, thus creating a genuinely electrifying performance.
From a technical perspective, the film is flawless. Fincher’s meticulous and creative camerawork with cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth uses a variety of subtle but effective techniques — for example: the Narrator and Tyler in the same room, the latter is blurred and either to the right or left, like the devil on his shoulder.
This range of technical work gives the film a unique visual flair that has not been affected by ageing. A prominent colour palette of blue, grey, black, green — with a dash of bolder colours — are utilised to contextualise what is happening with characters and their situations visually. Alternatively, the opening sequence of one-take camera movements with Narrator describing his obsession with consumer culture — his apartment is filled up with products and price tags — is a spectacular visual modem of stylish but effective production design.
The soundtrack and score are also exceptional. A ferocious mixture of electronic and hip-hop beats by The Dust Brothers and iconic final shot closer of ‘Where Is My Mind?’ by the Pixies cements this as a defining classic in the making with such bold instances of creativity and execution.
That being said, Fight Club’s cinematic box office total of $101 million was only $40 million more than its initial budget — a sizable commercial disaster for the studio at the time. However, the impact had been made with critics and as time has passed, Fight Club has found a cult following on DVD and video sales in the spike of a digital market in the early 2000s.
The film remains a modern masterpiece and classic. A defining legacy that is still felt in recent times with it being brought back to cinemas for anniversary screenings and genre seasons and a passionate fanbase still lining up for more — even transcending the property and material into the world of comic books, with the release of the Fight Club 2 mini-series in 2015 and a current comic run of Fight Club 3 this year.
