Fight Club

            In his article, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” Walter Benjamin speaks about capturing the aura of an object. He defines this term as, “the unique appearance of a distance,” saying that this aura can be destroyed and contorted by reproducing the object.  In “Fight Club,” director David Fincher uses the visual and audio components of film to challenge and explode not only the aura of the actors and the scenes, but also the audience’s preconception of reality and perception. Throughout the film, the movement and focus of the camera, as well as the emphasis on various sounds, create a reality for the viewer that is synonymous with Ed Norton’s character; we discover what he discovers when he discovers it, we know what is most important to him because it is the most dominant picture or sound that we, too, are experiencing. In some ways, one could argue that the relationship between Ed Norton and Brad Pitt is similar to the audience’s relationship with Norton: we know what he knows as he discovers it. Film presents a reality to the audience by providing them with ears and eyes, and then often, as is the case in Fight Club, systematically deconstructs that reality until we can no longer trust our own perception.

            From the very first frame of the movie, Fincher urges his audience to view the world with heightened observation. Multiple times throughout the film, the camera explores places that overlooked due to smallness or dullness, and explodes the object, roaming in and out every crevice and making the audience aware of the uniqueness of such a seemingly ordinary space. For example, when the camera delves into the trash bin as Norton’s voiceover talks about space travel, the trash looks like satellites in orbit and the space is maximized, transforming it into something interesting and worth exploring. Benjamin speaks of this practice saying, “By close-ups of the things around us, by focusing on hidden details of familiar objects…the film...our comprehension of the necessities which rule our lives.” Film has the ability to expand the way we as viewers view our day-to-day lives. It calls to our attention the most ordinary of objects and makes them interesting, steering us clear of the obvious and forcing us to take a closer look at the physical object, and, therefore, our interpretation of that object as a concept.

            Since the lens acts as the viewer’s eyes, it determines his or her perception of reality. In order to lead us to one conclusion or another, the camera controls what exactly we see and, therefore, what we initially understand. Not only does the camera reproduce the aura of the actors and objects in the frame, but it determines on what we focus using shot composition, camera movement and depth of field. Each image has an emotion or information attached to it that is determined by, among other things, what is in the shot, the lighting, the focus, the movement of the camera and the way everything is arranged. In our own lives, we choose what our own eyes focus on and what information is important in regards to what we are seeing. In film, the director decides what he wants us to see and when he wants us to see it. For example, when Marla, (Helena Bonham Carter), calls Norton to tell him of her attempted suicide, the pills are in the shot when she is speaking. However, it is only while she verbally tells him of the pills that the camera focuses away from her and becomes shallower, making the mostly empty bottle the focal point of the screen. Film allows a certain control of the flow of information because it controls our eyes and ears, and therefore our sense of reality.

            The mood of the characters or a scene is determined by camera movement, as well as by the audio components that go along with the visual aspect. Throughout Fight Club, the way the camera moves and the speed at which it does so reflects the attitude of Norton’s character, while the most dominant sounds indicate what affects him the most. For example, when Norton begins attending support groups, the slower, sweeping movement of the camera reflects his contentment. However, as soon as Marla appears, the camera becomes jerkier and moves quicker, reflecting Norton’s annoyance and anger. Another example of the portrayal of emotions is through sound. After Pitt and Norton start the fight club, we follow Norton to work and see how his perspective has changed. Whereas before, when the boss entered the room, the sound of his voice was central, periodically dotted with Norton’s voiceover, now his voice is muted and distorted, completely in the background of Norton’s own thoughts. It is clear, because of this sound, that his job and his old life are no longer priorities. Throughout the film, we feel what Norton feels not solely because of his monotonous narration, but because of what we see and hear.

            When we visit the theatre, we are surrendering our own senses in exchange for the camera and the microphones. Our reality no longer matters, and all that is important is what the director shows us. We accept what the camera sees as truth and reality, even though, since it is a reproduction of what actually is being shown, we should challenge this largely slanted viewpoint. David Fincher shows us that our reality can be, and often is, so far off from the actual reality, and that the distortion is all in our perception. After finishing Fight Club, it’s almost impossible not to start all over and look for the hidden clues that you feel you must have missed. However, it is only because we are so surrendered to the film what we are so easily duped; the clues are there, but we aren’t suspicious of every frame until Fincher forces us to be. Film forces us to analyze our lives more thoroughly and realize that there is often a vast difference between perception and reality.