I.
An insomniac office worker, who also
acts as the films narrator, portrays the movie through first person and allows
viewers to see life through his cynical perspective. He is soon introduced to
Tyler Durden, a free spirited soap maker who seems to be living the care free
life the narrator has only dreamed of. This film is best described on the IMDB
website under the “Motion Pictures Rating” as “Rated R for disturbing and
graphic depiction of violent anti-social behavior, sexuality and language.”
II.
Characteristics and conventions of the
film that link it to Classic Noir
1. The
tone of Fight Club stays true to Noir
by using dark lighting and grungy settings in a seemingly beautiful city.
A. The
narrator’s unfortunate apartment fire leaves him to live in a condemned
building that soon feels like home than his showcase apartment ever did. The
dimly lit building and dirty interior stay on course with Noir’s shadowy and
distorted scheme.
2. Classic
Noir is being depicted through Immoral Corruption
A. An
assignment for the group members of Fight Club turns horribly wrong when Bob is
shot in the head by security. The narrator is shaken by the loss of his friend
in which he yells at the group member, “This is a man and he has a name, his
name is Robert Paulson.” The members begin to chant “His name is Robert
Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson.” This shows that Fight Club is no longer
just a group; but it has grown into a full pledged terrorist organization.
B. In
Paul Schrader’s “Notes on Film Noir” he explains how “Characters are more
corrupt, themes more fatalistic and the tone more hopeless.” The sick
realization that human nature has been skewed in the film leaves the audience
in a traumatized state, recognizing that Classic Noir is being depicted through
immoral corruption.
III.
Elements of the film that deviate from
Classic Film Noir and link it to Neo Noir
1. Explicitness
through sexual scenes and language
A. The
director of Fight Club was not shy
about showing the sexual relations between characters. The first sex scene is
portrayed though the narrator’s dream. It is an erotic and raw scene that
viewers soon realize is only the beginning. The raunchy level of sex escalates
throughout the movie as does the dialogue. Marla is proud to admit “I haven’t
fucked like that since grade school.”
2. The
Characters: Ambiguous Protagonist, Femme Fatale (Male)
A. According
to Sean Lindsay: “David Fincher”
“Tyler
is very much the Homme Fatale whose charismatic demeanor manipulates the
actions of the narrator.” Tyler holds nearly every characteristic of the femme
fatale. He is mysterious, gorgeous, fun loving, irresponsible, and manipulates
the protagonist into taking part in the crime. Fight Club falls under the Neo Noir category by taking these roles
and using modern twists to keep the genre growing. The narrator falls into the
of the protagonist but what really stands out as Neo Noir is Tyler taking on
the part of the Femme Fatale.
