Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1869 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-07-05
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 134 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
All films require a certain suspension of disbelief, Fight Club perhaps more than others; but if you're willing to let yourself get caught up in the anarchy, this film, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, is a modern-day morality play warning of the decay of society. Edward Norton is the unnamed protagonist, a man going through life on cruise control, feeling nothing. To fill his hours, he begins attending support groups and 12-step meetings. True, he isn't actually afflicted with the problems, but he finds solace in the groups. This is destroyed, however, when he meets Marla (Helena Bonham Carter), also faking her way through groups. Spiralling back into insomnia, Norton finds his life is changed once again, by a chance encounter with Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), whose forthright style and no-nonsense way of taking what he wants appeal to our narrator. Tyler and the protagonist find a new way to feel release: they fight. They fight each other, and then as others are attracted to their ways, they fight the men who come to join their newly formed Fight Club. Marla begins a destructive affair with Tyler, and things fly out of control, as Fight Club is transformed into a nationwide fascist group.

The depiction of violence in Fight Club is unflinching, but director David Fincher's film is captivating and beautifully shot, with camerawork and effects that are almost as startling as the script. The movie is packed with provocative ideas and images--from the satirical look at the emptiness of modern consumerism to quasi-Nietzschean concepts of "beyond good and evil"--that will leave the viewer with much food for thought to take away. Pitt and Norton are an unbeatable duo, and the film has a great sense of humour too. Even if it leaves you with a sense of profound discomfort this is a movie that you'll have to see again and again, if for no other reason than to just to take it all in. --Jenny Brown, Amazon.com

Synopsis
FIGHT CLUB is narrated by a lonely, unfulfilled young man (Edward Norton) who finds his only comfort in feigning terminal illness and attending disease support groups. Hopping from group to group, he encounters another pretender, or "tourist," the morose Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), who immediately gets under his skin. However, while returning from a business trip, he meets a more intriguing character--the subversive Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). They become fast friends, bonding over a mutual disgust for corporate consumer-culture hypocrisy. Eventually, the two start Fight Club, which convenes in a bar basement where angry men get to vent their frustrations in brutal, bare-knuckle bouts. Fight Club soon becomes the men's only real priority; when the club starts a cross-country expansion, things start getting really crazy.
Like Tyler Durden himself, director David Fincher's FIGHT CLUB, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, is startlingly aggressive and gleefully mischievous as it skewers the superficiality of American pop culture. Outstanding performances by Norton and Pitt are supported by a razor-sharp script and an arsenal of stunning visual effects that include computer animation and sleight-of-hand editing. One of the most unique films of the late 20th century, FIGHT CLUB is a pitch-black comedy of striking intensity.

Customer Reviews

This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time....
Edward Norton stars as a typical thirty-something bachelor, living in an Ikea furnished apartment and working a job that gives him no satisfaction. Unfulfilled and unable to sleep at night he begins to attend therapy groups for terminally ill patients as he feels comfortable crying in front of such people. On yet another business trip one evening, he meets soap salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) on a plane. This chance meeting will prove to be the turning point in this mans life and before long he is involved in underground fighting , vandalism and urban terrorism.

Read any novel by the wonderful Chuck Palahniuk and you will marvel at his imagination. His somewhat disturbing views of the human condition make for great books (and movies) and Fight Club is no exception. It's essentially a study of the enforced emasculation of modern men but only Palahniuk could come up with such interesting characters and tell the story in such an original way. David Fincher has turned Palahniuk's brilliant novel into a brilliant film that has become a deserved modern day classic despite a poor showing at the box office. Darkly hilarious and savagely brutal, Fight Club pulls no punches. The ever dependable Norton is wonderful as the unnamed protagonist who transforms from a softly spoken office worker into a bare chested underground fighter and anti-consumerist menace. The fight club attracts unfulfilled men from every walk of life who hang on Tyler Durden's every word as he leads them from their 9-5 existence into much darker things. Brad Pitt is on fine form as the anarchic anti-hero Durden. The film will probably resonate with men far more than women although my girlfriend loves it almost as much as I do. Many men will no doubt feel a little trapped in mortgages, careers and marriages and the idea of starting a massive gang and moving in with all your mates seems quite appealing at times. Meat Loaf is perfectly cast as a testicular cancer survivor whose huge breasts make fitting into everyday life a little awkward. Watching Meat Loaf fighting Edward Norton with a massive prosthetic rack is quite something. Jared Leto and Helena Bonham Carter also star in supporting roles. Bonham Carter is very good indded as the mysterious chain smoking Marla Singer who becomes the fly in the ointment of the boys antics.

Overall, Fight Club is a highly original, well written and finely acted black comedy drama that becomes even more genius everytime I watch it.

Like this? Try 'Haunted' by Chuck Palahniuk

not nietzschean or fascist
people who claim the philosophy of this film is close to nietzsche's are wrong. the buildings blown up at the end of the film would have been full of the 'botched and bungled' if nietzscher had his way or at least tyler would not have bothered with any effort to make sure the lowly security guard wasn't in the building. the film isn't about a superior few, supermen. it isn't racist as there are black people in it. people who don't like this film probably don't like it because of its violence, but the violence is between consenting adults, like boxing etc. they don't go around attacking people. they don't wish for a world of pain and suffering. they see pain as enlightening. tyler in the film inflicts a chemical burn on his friend so as to show the pain that was involved in inventing soap. feminists might dislike this film also because it is masculine and condones (consenting) violence, but like i have already said, they dont just run around attacking anyone. the film is not about white middle-class men either. there are clearly working-class men in this film. please stop attacking this film as fascist! it is about the capitalist lifestyle and masculinity. it is a brilliant film. it attacks materialism, superficiality and working every hour god sends to buy the latest fashion in clothing and furniture. shallow people who are obsessed with how they look and love home makeover shows will hate this because it portrays them as shallow.

Powerful physiological drama
"How much do you know about yourself if you've never been in a fight?" This tagline from Brad Pitt's (Thelma and Louise) character Tyler Durden is both intriguing and controversial, a great set up for one of the best physiological dramas of the 90s.

Pitt stars alongside Edward Norton (American History X) who plays the narrator, a guy who is struggling with life and seeks solitude from self help classes. And one night, he meets Tyler Durden, a strong and powerful man who shows him what he can do with a little enthusiasm and force.

As the narrator, Norton excels as he dives deep within his soul to reveal how depressing his life has become. Pitt's strong and forceful portrayal of Tyler Durden is excellent and shows the difference between the two characters. The opposites include the positive and the negative thinking between the two, the strong and weak and more so, the over thinking and the getting on with it mind set, a true portrayal of what goes on inside a person's head.

From the director of seven, David Fincher brings a succinct portrayal of a person's mind to the audience with a fast flowing and consistent use of excellent shots. Fast flowing montages are used to create a representation of how life can go by quickly and the use of flashbacks is also a powerful motive to represent life and time.

The brutality behind the fight club is strong and again shows an incentive that the mind can create.

Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd) is also excellent in her supporting role as the depressed Marla Singer and the juxtaposition of her and The Narrator shows a dark side of attraction and togetherness.

The plot is consistent and very succinct on its issues of violence and physiological. The setting s are superb, being especially dark crates the mood and tension which were definitely needed. Though I was personally slightly confused by the ending, it was a remarkable film and again, one of the best dramas that have ever been filmed.

8.5/10