Textual Analysis 1 - Fight CLub

Fight Club
The film opens with a fast-paced, tense, non-diegetic music track accompanied to a CGI background of a virtual journey through the inside of the head – the brain, muscle tissue, skin, pores, etc. – along with the film titles and actor names brightly flashing up on screen. This combination of quick; lights, sounds and images is sure to catch the viewer’s attention immediately. When the CGI sequence reaches the outer skin it is seen to be a sweaty brow, the camera pans down along the nose to the mouth and then back to follow along the barrel of a gun. When it reaches the rear sight the focus switches from it to the frightened face of our unnamed protagonist, gun between teeth. The fear in his eyes is amplified by the close up shot used, even though the voice narration, his voice, is calm... almost bored sounding. The situation is tense; this is made clear by the sudden lack of musical backing, and the fact that the protagonist is clearly bruised, beaten and bleeding. He also appears to be tied to the chair he is sat in. The lighting is dim which also adds to the feeling of a tense atmosphere and puts a dark aura around the action focus. By having introducing the film in such a manner the director has set up the audiences expectations for the film. It could also be noted that we never see Tyler Durden’s face in this opening scene, keeping an air of mystery about him.