Error or Asset?

After reading The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Walter Benjamin and then watching Fight Club, a question came about that changed the way I analyzed film: “Is promoting narrative as the essence of film a criminal error?” In my eyes, the answer to this question can vary from one movie to the next and it also fluctuates with the kind of audience.

Unlike the simple rules of Fight Club itself, the essence of the film is more difficult to interpret. Factors such as the type of director, viewers and story all are crucial in the revelation of the plot. Having watched Fight Club on a few occasions I failed to realize just how key the actual narration was to the story. I had always been caught up in the actual blood and gore of the movie. This time around I realized the narrative is an essential in the story. David Fincher successfully utilizes narrative and ties it with more to make form his masterpiece: Fight Club.

The usage of narration accurately builds the drama in the mind-driven thriller by giving the audience an additional scope to channel the story; it also helps viewers become much closer to the main character. Without any narration, it would be much more difficult to understand the narrator and his predicament. Even though I never caught the actual name of the narrator (Tyler Durden’s alter ego), I still have an excellent understanding of the character and his situation through narrative. Also, it is humorous hearing the mind think out loud because it exposes comments that otherwise go unsaid, for instance, “Bob had b**** tits.” Putting the viewer inside the mind of the protagonist makes the work deeper and engaging. Granted, everything seems unclear and complex until the end. Finally, when the twist is finally unmasked all the questions are then answered and events are connected.

Advancements in technology and production have allowed for a more intimate perception of movies. A multitude of additional components blend in with the narrative to make Fight Club successful. The dark and dreary colors and setting throughout the film help set the tone. Details become clear, for example the gruesome blood and missing teeth during the fight scenes. Camera stability and angles are rapidly altering through the film. The speed of motion changes too. Fincher also provides unique and additional elements like the virtual layout of the narrator’s apartment in the beginning of the movie, and the odd scenes where the narrator is in the cave to help illustrate his story. Not to mention, the sound is a perfect fit for the film.

The usage of narrative depends upon many aspects, and whether it is a “criminal error” is solely up to the viewer. The answer will also weigh heavily upon the storyline itself. As for Fight Club, Fincher assembled a superb production through narrative and effects that was far from “criminal error.”