Fight Club's opening sequence establishes the thriller genre through its use of music, editing techniques, and shots that create tension. It begins with the narrator at gunpoint, establishing an antagonist in Tyler Durden. Shots use close-ups and framing to portray the narrator as vulnerable and Tyler as powerful. The sequence cuts between shots matching the action to smoothly transition between angles. Sound and music build an unsettled tone to intrigue viewers about the unfolding plot.

1. Textual Analysis of thriller films
Fight club - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9PZmFHiaj8)
Fight club is a linson film production distributed by regency enterprises and fox 2000
pictures. Regency enterprises enters in its own animated clip, the text is white against a
black background making it stand out, during the animation there is a sound of bubbling
water. After this animated clip the backing music for the opening scene begins. Around four
seconds after the regency enterprise title fades out of the screen the next title appears. The
second lot of titles to appear are for Fox 2000 pictures and once again Regency enterprises,
this appears central in the frame appearing quickly out of nothingness, the text is a bold
capital font and white, eventually fading out when a blueish tinged aura appears around it,
the blueish colour could refer to the darkness and crime aspects of the film. This is repeated
for all the following titles but they appear with a very short white flash which drags the
attention of the watcher directly to the text, overall there are 21 different appearing titles.
The filmed section of the opening is based around an extended flashback which begins
around 1.44 minutes into the film. This is when the film starts with the end scene then the
character takes us back through the film leading up to the point it started at. This kind of
unchronological order is commonly used feature in thriller/crime fiction genre. At a similar
time a monologue is also
introduced, which introduces the
main character ie the narrator and
the secondary main character Tyler
Durden. In this opening shot the
scene is also introduced, which
looks like within a skyscraper with
large glass windows. This suggests
that the film will be set in a city
location which relates to the crime aspect as the vast majority of theft occurs in large city
areas, and some of the scenes may be set in a skyscraper.
The scene is introduced using a shot looking down on the narrator whilst Tyler Durden holds
a gun in his face, this immediately creates a feeling of sympathy for the narrator and hatred
for Tyler, creating the classic good and bad guy often found in thriller films, of which it is one.
The sound track played during the opening titles also is a thriller/action/spy influence as it is
quite fast paced unsettled piece of music which makes the watcher interested in what’s to
come.

2. Shots used
This shot uses a close up tracking shot to
move smoothly outwards from the barrel
of the gun moving outwards to the sight
before changing focus onto the narrator’s
face. The shot uses a shallow focus so
the mid and background.
This shot uses an extreme close up on the
narrator's eyes, changing from focus on
gun to the person. The changing of focus
from the sight of the gun to the Narrator's
face is visually pleasing.
The Narrator is framed centeral which
directs the viewer’s eyes straight into his,
this is emphasised by the extreme close up which creates a feeling of urgency. The
overhead lighting is useful as it highlights the beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.
This emphasises the situation which he is in. The shot is focussed on the middle ground with
the fore and background being out of focus, the blurred foreground creates a feeling of
confusion emphasising the situation once
again.
This shot is a side profile close up
showing the full side of head and gun
barrel in mouth.
The framing of the shot suggests that the
Narrator is weak/helpless and the person
holding the gun is powerful. The shot is
closed making it feel like there is no way that the Narrator can escape. The shot uses
standard focus to draw the attention of the watcher to the key action in the shot (ie the gun in
his mouth).
This shot is a high angle shot, looking
down upon the narrator from tyler's
perspective and eventually shows tyler
remove the gun from the narrator's mouth.
The Narrator is still framed in the right
side of the screen creating a feeling of
weakness.
The high angle shot looking down upon
the narrator creates the feeling of weakness vulnerability and a lack of power. The shot also
uses standard focus to draw the attention of the watcher to the key action in the shot, eg the
movement of the gun eventually leaving his mouth.

3. This is a medium over shoulder shot from behind tyler’s waist. The height of the shot
exaggerates the fact the narrator is tied to a chair. Match on action is used as concludes the
action of removing the gun from his mouth. The shot uses standard focus meaning that Tyler
Durden and the Narrator are both in focus and the background is blurred. The placement of
the Narrator in the screen is similar to the last shot which creates a free flowing transition
between the shots, however he is still in the right side of the shot portraying weakness.
Sound
During the first two minutes of the film there are several different sounds used to create a
layered soundscape. The first is the Regency enterprises logos accompanying sound effect,
this is then followed by shot orchestral string intro which is cut short in an almost comical
way using the sound effect of stopping a vinyl. This then starts the the non diegetic
soundtrack which is a stereotypical thriller/action upbeat electric style. This fades out in
whilst the camera tracks outwards along the gun barrel completely stopping before the focus
changes onto the Narrator's face. This is where the non diegetic narration starts over the
scene. The narrative is almost sarcastic creating a slightly humorous feeling.
Editing
Out of the clips in the 2 minute opening there are several editing techniques and rules that
the director has followed. The 180o
rule has been used creating a uniform image and makes
it so the characters are looking at each other in a conjunct fashion. Match on action is used
in the last two shots, where in the first it shows the gun start to be removed from his mouth
and in the second it shows the action being completed from a different angle.
The lighting overall in the shot stays the same, using a light from above and what looks like a
diffuse low level light in the background. By keeping the light the same it creates a smooth
flow between shots and also keeps the colours similar.
During the two minute opening only straight cuts are used, this creates a quick change from
shot to shot keeping the interest of the viewer.