Fight Club, chemical burn scene
Edward Norton: The Narrator
Brad Pitt: Tyler Durden
Directed by: David Fincher
Art Director: Chris Gorak
Costume Design: Michael Kaplan
Key make up artist: Julie Pearce
Cinematography: Jeff Cronenweth
Production Design: Alex McDowell
I acted as the director of photography, or cinematographer, for this scene.
One of my favorite things about this scene is the fact that both characters are in most shots together, even if it's just an over the shoulder view. I like to think that that has something to do with the fact that the characters are in fact just one person (spoiler? It's been 15 years since this was made - if you don't know the twist by now that's a shame).
The shots in the beginning with the stove and soap making products (fat. It's fat.) establish the situation and scene they are in. It's grungy, dirty and full of chemicals. It's slightly dangerous. The light comes from randomly placed lights, and all the lights are different.
Everyone has the ideal version of themselves in their head. Tyler Durden is that for the narrator. This scene is not just a fight between two people, but an underlying fight of man vs. himself. Norton's character fights physically and mentally - both struggles shown in the shots when there is a shot of under the table as the two slide further down, pushing the soap making out of the way. This signifies that the physical does not matter in this situation, as shown by the almost subliminal cuts to the forest, flames and dictionary cut outs of the words Norton is trying to not think of as Tyler brings him back to reality. Well, his reality, so to speak.
These quick cuts signify his thoughts: scattered, unfocused and choppy. They contrast in color and feel with the darker, dirtier reality that he cannot control. His mental fight against the pain is the hardest one. His mental fight throughout the movie is what he is to overcome in the end.
The shots quicken as the scene progresses and as the climax builds. Before the actual burn the shots are a bit slower and move around the room. As soon as the chemical burn ensues the shots are back and forth between the two characters and speedier. Once Brad Pitt's character yells "Look at me!" the shots move to close ups and become more focused, as does the narrator's mind and thought process as he fights the burn/himself.
My favorite part is the end when the shots themselves establish dominance between the characters. Even after the fight of man vs. himself, Norton is still the weaker of the two. Once he lies on the floor, the shot is from above, showing that he is the lesser, while when Pitt is shown the shot comes from below - a shot that has established dominance of characters since Orson Welles in "Citizen Kane."
[edit]
Something I thought of after was Tyler's clothes vs. the narrator's clothes. Norton is dressed like the surroundings. He blends in and looks like the room around him. Pitt is dressed in a button up with leaves on it (possibly to go with Norton's alternate forest reality?) and he stands out. He's bigger than the reality that surrounds him.
I acted as the director of photography, or cinematographer, for this scene.
One of my favorite things about this scene is the fact that both characters are in most shots together, even if it's just an over the shoulder view. I like to think that that has something to do with the fact that the characters are in fact just one person (spoiler? It's been 15 years since this was made - if you don't know the twist by now that's a shame).
The shots in the beginning with the stove and soap making products (fat. It's fat.) establish the situation and scene they are in. It's grungy, dirty and full of chemicals. It's slightly dangerous. The light comes from randomly placed lights, and all the lights are different.
Everyone has the ideal version of themselves in their head. Tyler Durden is that for the narrator. This scene is not just a fight between two people, but an underlying fight of man vs. himself. Norton's character fights physically and mentally - both struggles shown in the shots when there is a shot of under the table as the two slide further down, pushing the soap making out of the way. This signifies that the physical does not matter in this situation, as shown by the almost subliminal cuts to the forest, flames and dictionary cut outs of the words Norton is trying to not think of as Tyler brings him back to reality. Well, his reality, so to speak.
These quick cuts signify his thoughts: scattered, unfocused and choppy. They contrast in color and feel with the darker, dirtier reality that he cannot control. His mental fight against the pain is the hardest one. His mental fight throughout the movie is what he is to overcome in the end.
The shots quicken as the scene progresses and as the climax builds. Before the actual burn the shots are a bit slower and move around the room. As soon as the chemical burn ensues the shots are back and forth between the two characters and speedier. Once Brad Pitt's character yells "Look at me!" the shots move to close ups and become more focused, as does the narrator's mind and thought process as he fights the burn/himself.
My favorite part is the end when the shots themselves establish dominance between the characters. Even after the fight of man vs. himself, Norton is still the weaker of the two. Once he lies on the floor, the shot is from above, showing that he is the lesser, while when Pitt is shown the shot comes from below - a shot that has established dominance of characters since Orson Welles in "Citizen Kane."
[edit]
Something I thought of after was Tyler's clothes vs. the narrator's clothes. Norton is dressed like the surroundings. He blends in and looks like the room around him. Pitt is dressed in a button up with leaves on it (possibly to go with Norton's alternate forest reality?) and he stands out. He's bigger than the reality that surrounds him.
No comments:
Post a Comment