'Fight Club'

1. Entrance Activity
Robert Bly ‘Iron John’ (1992) ideology – Male frustration and anger at society –
“The anguish of soft men” and how “part of their grief rose out of remoteness from their
fathers”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpc2-UWHzXw
YOU MUST write down the ideology above and
establish HOW this is represented in the scene you’re
about to watch.
Extension – YOU COULD refer to other examples from
the text that establish “the anguish of soft men”

2. Title:
‘Fight Club’ – Section C Introduction
Film Review
Tuesday 14th April 2015
FM4:
Varieties of Film Experience – Issues and Debates
Section C:
Single Film – Close Critical Study
(30 Marks)

3. Why?
Aims & Objectives
• YOU WILL re-cap HOW an
ideology you need to know for the
exam applies to the text.
• YOU WILL develop an
understanding of the Single Film
Case Study and it’s many complex
ideologies and approaches.
• YOU WILL analyse a key scene
from the text.
• Review the learning.
AO1
Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of film as an
audio-visual form of creative
expression together and
AO2
Apply knowledge and
understanding, including
some of the common critical
approaches that characterise
the subject, when exploring
and analysing films.

4. • The film is told by an unnamed narrator who tells of his personal journey of self-
discovery through his schizophrenic experiences.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/93254/A-Mind-Struggle-Fight-Club#scribd
• Freud believed that "[Dreams are] the royal road to the unconscious." and that
they contained important clues into the human psyche (Weiter, 2004:195)
Key Themes

5. In its inception, Homer gives the double
total dominion through duality. Not only
does the double have immortality by
being the soul in death but also has a
kingdom in the psyche of animate man.

6. Doppelgänger

7. Analyse the opening 5-10 minutes – ‘The Setup’ (Syd Field) – of the narrative and
deconstruct the micro features to establish WHERE there are enigma clues (Roland
Barthes) to suggest there is a Doppelgänger in this text.

8. According to Homer, man has
dualistic existence, the one in his
visible appearance, the other in his
invisible image which becomes free
only after death – this, and no
other, is his soul. In animate man
there dwells as a strange guest a
more feeble Double – his other Self
in the form of his Psyche – whose
kingdom is the world of dreams.
When the conscious self sleeps, the
Double works and watches1.

9. "You are not special. You are not a
beautiful or unique snowflake. You are
the same decaying organic matter as
everything else".
Doppelgänger
YOU MUST write down as
many examples as you can of
HOW Tyler and ‘Jack’ differ
from one another.
• Teacher
• Preacher

10. • WHAT else does Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) represent to the spectator?
• HOW does he “contrast” with ‘The Narrator’ (Edward Norton)?

11. FEEDBACK

12. What have you learnt?
YOU MUST list some of the issues surrounding this Case Study text that you have
covered today.

13. Homework
• Read up on the notion that there is a Doppelgänger
in this text.
• Complete some further reading into the text by
visiting the Blog Page and reading over the Study
Guide.
Due: Next Lesson – Wednesday 15th April