How far has critical debate about your chosen film shaped
and altered your response? [30]
I think the critical theory of the crises
of masculinity is helpful to the understanding of the movie Fight Club. In
the bathroom scene Tylers speech is a great example of what the
crisis of masculinity is. When Tyler says “we are a generation of
men raised by women” shows how many feel like they what it means
to be a man anymore is gone and they have to reject
everything feminine. It also shows how it’s a generational
problem and how they blame their parents for the
crisis This is in a mid-shot showing both with Narrator in
front with Tyler by him in the background showing him as like a voice in
his ear.
In the "passing messages" scene also shows a
crisis of masculinity in that shows a failing relationship between a man and a
woman. The mise en scene of this shot reflects this for how
dirty all the furniture is and the mucky green colour of this reflects the
mess the narator lives in. This scene also shows Freuds superego theory
with Marla representing the superego trying to control the two parts of the narrator
him being ID with Tyler Durden as the ego. “I am six years old again, passing
messages between parents.” This again relates to his problems coming from when
he was growing up.
In the final scene we see the narrator chose the superego of
the Id after killing the Tyler he wants to be alone with Marla. This goes
against the crisis of masculinity as he now feels okay about accept a woman
into his life which goes against the rest of the film. This time we see Marla without
the diegetic alarm noises in the background as she is no longer seen as a bad
thing. Non-diegetic music used that is more conventional to earlier when “lift”
music is used. While so much is going on it ends on a strangely romantic note.
In the final shot is framed symmetrical with the mise en scene having both
Marla and the narrator’s clothing looking similar. This linking in with the
crisis of men being feminised but this it is not seen negatively as the character
is seen to be more at peace.
