Fight Club and Postmodernism

David Fincher's 1999 film, 'Fight Club' displays a number of aspects that
affiliate it with post modernity...
Self Reflexivity - Edward Norton who plays the unnamed protagonist

(arguably a postmodern feature in itself!) provides a narration throughout
the film, and in some cases, directly addresses the presence of the
camera; especially in the sequence where we discover the occupations of
Tyler Durden. This therefore breaks down the 'fourth wall' between the
text and the audience.
In addition, there are a number of times when particular characters draw
the audience's attention to the construction of the text. This in turn
destroys the sense of a self-contained verisimilitude of which we as the
viewer are expected to consume as 'reality'. The most notable example of
this is the scene in which Tyler Durden discusses the art of film editing
with a combination of special effects to emphasis the "cigarette burn".
The Postmodern condition and Self Involvement - The examination of

human nature and behaviour is a key concept within the film. It relates
to post modernity because it shows that the director not only considered
the thematic conventions, but also what the contemporary age has 'done'
to society. The belief that we have all become selfish is personified
through the actions of both Marla Singer and Norton's character, who
exploit community support groups (meant for the terminally ill etc) for
their own personal and emotional advantage.
Intertextuality - There are many examples of intertextuality in the film, but

the most prominent and my personal favourite, is that of the
Ikea sequence. Not only does it convey a strong link to capitalist
consumerism (and arguably style over substance depending on your view
of Ikea!) but the graphics used also destroy the realism of the text.
Confusions over Time and Space - This confusion is largely caused by
the pivotal twist of 'Fight Club' when the audience discovers the
Tyler Durden - a major character throughout the film - never really existed
at all and what they were really viewing was the alter-ego of Norton's
character. This throws the chronological order of the narrative into turmoil
because we are forced to reevaluate the sequence of events in a different
pace. The form of the twist is also extremely ironic; yet another
convention of post modernism.
Decline of the Meta Narrative and Baudrillard's Theory - The decline of the
meta narrative is a major player in the plot of the film as the concept of -
or lack of - idols is one that is introduced frequently. Additionally, the fight
club also becomes a form of meta narrative in itself. It originates from a
minor, underground gathering of suppressed individuals, but soon spills
over into mainstream society and mutates into a far-reaching cult, which
members fully absorb themselves in.
Perhaps this was Fincher's method of conveying his anxiety surrounding
the shift away from the tradition institutions (religion, the family etc).
As a result, 'Fight Club' shares a strong affiliation with Baudrillard's first
core principle that the 'truth' needs to be deconstructed. In particular, this
links to Durden's rebellion against the American authority and the
Capitalist institutions. However, Durden's preaching proves hollow and
just as deceiving in the end; relating to Baudrillard's opinion that one
meta narrative shouldn't simply be replaced by another, but rather ALL
truths should be considered with suspicion and scepticism.
Surrealism - Fincher has incorporated many aspects into 'Fight Club' that
destroy the realism of the piece. Not only are graphics such as text and
images layered on top of the footage during post production, but there is
also a sequence which depicts the narrator's daydream during a Support
group therapy session. He finds himself in an ice cave with a computer
generated penguin who subsequently tells him to "slide!"....thus
completely tearing down the facade of a 'real world' behind the silver
screen.

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David Fincher's 1999 film, 'Fight Club' displays a number of aspects that

affiliate it with post modernity...

Self Reflexivity - Edward Norton who plays the unnamed protagonist

The Postmodern condition and Self Involvement - The examination of

Intertextuality - There are many examples of intertextuality in the film, but

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