LEWM: "FIGHT CLUB" ESL LESSON

ARCENAL STUDIOS presents LEARNING ENGLISH WITH MOVIES: "FIGHT CLUB" (1999) - a video lesson for ESL students who would like to improve their English skills by using MOVIES as the main topic.

"FIGHT CLUB"

FIGHT CLUB is a 1999 psychological thriller directed by David Fincher and stars Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter.

 

THRILLER is an exciting, suspenseful story, full of surprises.

 

A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER is a subgenre of thriller that explores the psychology of its characters, who are often unstable.

 

The film is based on the bestseller novel by author Chuck Palahniuk and tells the tale of a dissatisfied young professional who suffers from insomnia.

 

While looking for a cure, he joins a support group, where he finds comfort by pretending to also have cancer.

 

His peace of mind is disrupted when a woman named Marla Singer joins the support group, also pretending to have cancer.

 

As a result, his insomnia returns and he is forced to find another emotional outlet.

 

EMOTIONAL OUTLET is a way of releasing or expressing a feeling or impulse.

 

While mourning the destruction of his yuppie apartment, he calls Tyler Durden, a stranger he had met on a flight.

 

TO MOURN means to feel regret or sadness about the loss or disappearance of someone or something.

 

Together they would accidentally create a FIGHT CLUB where strangers would gather and beat each other up for fun.

 

TO BEAT UP means to assault and injure someone by hitting, kicking, or punching them repeatedly

 

However, Tyler slowly transforms the FIGHT CLUB into a terrorist organization, which is set on destroying the status quo.

 

STATUS QUO is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social or political issues.

 

The controversial novel was produced by FOX 2000 Pictures and acclaimed director David Fincher was hired to direct.

 

Fincher started his career directing commercials and music videos before making his directorial debut with ALIEN 3.

 

The troubled production and Fincher’s constant disagreements with the producers resulted in a disappointing ALIEN sequel.

 

However, he would find commercial and critical success with the suspense thriller SEVEN, starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman.

 

FINCHER also directed successful thrillers such as THE GAME, PANIC ROOM, ZODIAC, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and GONE GIRL.

 

He would also find critical success on NETFLIX with the political thriller HOUSE OF CARDS.

 

Despite his reputation for directing thrillers, he would also direct biographical films such as THE SOCIAL NETWORK and MANK.

 

What makes FIGHT CLUB unique is that even though the film doesn’t quite fit in either of those genres, it is considered one of his most memorable films.

 

The controversial film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, however it has earned a cult status due to its originality and unconventional storytelling techniques as well as its social commentary against American consumerism and Gen X angst.

 

GEN X , or GENERATION X refers to the generation born between the mid-1960s and the early-1980s. Gen Xers, fall between baby boomers and millennials.

 

ANGST is a feeling of despair, anxiety, and depression.

 

Author Chuck Palahniuk, who has described his work as TRANSGRESSIONAL FICTION, has written several novels and short stories including CHOKE, which was made into a film in 2008.

 

TRANSGRESSION is an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct; an offense.

 

It stars Sam Rockwell as a man who intentionally chokes on food in upscale restaurants in order to be rescued and given money from strangers.

 

TO CHOKE means to have severe difficulty in breathing because of a constricted or obstructed throat or a lack of air.

 

Palahniuk also collaborated with comic book artists to create 2 GRAPHIC NOVELS.

 

‘FIGHT CLUB 2, is a sequel told from the perspective of Tyler Durden and FIGHT CLUB 3, is about Marla Singer having a child with Tyler Durden”.

 

For the soundtrack, Fincher wanted an unconventional score that could match the spirit of the film.

 

To achieve his goal he originally wanted RADIOHEAD to compose the music but they declined.

 

He would then hire electronic producing duo THE DUST BROTHERS to create a truly original post-modern film score.

 

His interest in this kind of music would lead Fincher to collaborate with Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor for some of his later projects, including “The Social Network’, ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ and ‘Gone Girl’.

 

The studio executives did not receive the film positively, as a result, not only was the film delayed several times but it also suffered from a limited marketing campaign.

 

As a result, the film was a financial disappointment at the box office, despite being screened at prestigious film festivals such as the Venice international film festival.

 

The controversial film had a huge impact on pulp culture, making it one of the most discussed films of the 1990’s and even inspiring real life FIGHT CLUBS all over the world.