This analysis is about David Fincher and his contributions to the entertainment field. Cinemas Seven and Fight club is analyzed in these movies. Rhetoric and themes portrayed in the movies are also investigated in this analysis.

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David Fincher
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This analysis is about David Fincher and his contributions to the entertainment field.
Cinemas Seven and Fight club is analyzed in these movies. Rhetoric and themes
portrayed in the movies are also investigated in this analysis.
About David Fincher
David Fincher in involved in the business of filmmaking. He is a well-known director,
producer of films and series. He has won many accolades for his filmmaking skills. There
is a distinctive style that is observed in his productions. He has created a number of
commercially successful movies. Some of his most prominent works are the movies fight
club, seven, social network, Zodiac, Curious case of Benjamin button to name a few. His
most recent cinema is Gone girl (Knapp, 4). House of cards series is also a successful
series that has been essentially created by David Fincher. He has focused on a number of
genres like violence, romance, and drama. Social network movie is a biography of the
Facebook founder. In his earlier movies the director has focused on violence and dark
themes. Nevertheless in movies like social network, Curios case of Benjamin Button the
director has also focused on other elements (Knapp, 7). Even though there has been focus
on different genres the Director has focused on a number of genre his portrayal of Dark
themes and undertones is very unique. There is a surreal situation and the audience along
with the main protagonist is also perplexed. This showcases the brilliance of the director
and his distinctive art of filmmaking. His protagonist principles are not absolutely moral.
There are many shades of grey in their characters((Knapp, 9). There are interesting
relatable aspects of the main protagonist that makes the viewer to connect with them.

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However there is also presence of conflict and surreal events that makes the audience
become essentially drawn into the story line.
In all the movies of the director dull undertones, melancholy music and slow
development of the characters are observed in his movies. There are not many visually
pleasing commercial elements however the character is given the main focus while
picturing the movie. Director has also evolved and has unique take on events.
Fight club movie and central theme
This movie was released in 1999. Chuck Palahniuk novel is the source of inspiration for
this movie. Main plot of this storyline is that Edward Norton develops an alternate
persona in his mind. His dissociation makes him create an alter personality named Tyler.
Tyler is bold and also adventurous. Tyler pursues the women that the main protagonists
like in the story line. Eventually after a certain period of time, Tyler character disappears
from the mind of the protagonist. This leads the protagonist to understand eventually that
Tyler is his alternate persona (Browning 113). Director makes the character of Tyler as a
surreal character. Main protagonist is a shy individual who has a lot of inhibitions and
apprehensions. He has no real father figure in his life. Owing to this reason he bonds with
Tyler (Browning 114). Tyler in some ways acts as a stronger father figure who is
influential. The main narrator tries to act morally against Tyler views. Tyler’s views are
considered to be very radical and hence after a certain point the narrator develops hatred
against that Tyler for his actions. He tries to act morally and save people’s life from
Tyler. Due to this aspect there is individual resilience that is developed by the main
character. This character makes the audience to sympathize with him and also feel his
pain. There are a lot of elements that makes this movie unique.

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Tyler and narrator bond over greed and selfishness of society. They feel that the people
are all selfish and there is corporate greed that is destroying the society. Since this
discussion is actually between Tyler and his own mind. It can be understood towards the
end how the protagonist blames the society for being selfish. He even blames the society
fro his individual problems. This is clearly explained in the story line.
Seven movie and its themes
Seven was released in the year 1997. This movie is based on the screenplay written by
Andrew Walker. This movie is based on criminal investigation that is been conducted by
the two main protagonists. Kevin Spacey plays the role of serial killer who kills people
based on the seven sins explained in the bible. Killer’s actions are incorrigible. There is
also a sense of fear and darkness of the characters that is shown in the movie. No one is
really innocent in this screenplay. This makes the characters interesting. There is a lot of
depth and intricate elements that is seen in this movie. Finally the climatic scene is so
convoluted that is impactful for the viewer. From one viewpoint it seems as though the
serial killers intention of killing people for their seven sins seems to have won. From
another viewpoint it can be understood that evil has been killed. Final impact has been
left in the minds of the viewers. They can form their own opinions from this cinema. This
movie has the distinctive tastes of the Director clearly seen.
In this story Mills and Somerset tries to catch Serial killer Doe. Mills is a rookie cop and
Somerset is the aging cop with a lot of emotional issues. The character Doe tries to kill
people for their seven vices (Browing 85). Each of his killings has a central theme. Doe is
disgusted by the complacency of the society and acceptance of these evil values by the
society. Each killing has been for a particular vice of the person. Doe feels that it is a

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symbolic representation of the society that people live. The societal members have
imbibed each vice into society that it has become acceptable (Browing 87). Doe feels that
society is indulging in these vices and ignoring how it affects the society. Owing to this
Doe feels that he has taken a noble pursuit of killing the vices in Society by actually
killing the person. He thinks that he as a strong positive motive and tries to create
patronage for his actions. Doe is a smart man who eventually plans his own killing. There
is a lot of intriguing elements to the characterization of Doe. Mills and Somerset are
perplexed about how Doe is acting. They are not able to assess Doe or predict his actions.
Doe on the other hand had more knowledge and eventually outwits the cops in his own
unique way. Cops however kill Doe and they feel that they have won in this situation. But
Doe tries to reiterate that anyone can be persuaded to kill if they have motive. In this case
Mills actually acts as to what Doe wants. But Mills kill Doe in a moment of extreme
emotion. There is a dark prevailing theme in this story line. In this story Mills tries to
learn from the senior cop. There is absent father figure and a certain level of isolation in
his character. Main protagonist in this story line is Mills and Somerset. In this story the
final climatic scene can be interpreted in many forms. No one can explain if the main
protagonist has truly won in this scenario.
David Fincher similar structural themes
Both the themes of the movies are dark. Another similarity is the search for reality and
truth is evident. Characters in the story line are interested in finding out the truth. In order
to highlight the dark themes of the story line the director has used distinctive melancholic
music, darker shades and slower development of the characters. Color palette used is
similar hues and lighting. There is clearly a dark theme that is present and audience can

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feel impending disaster. Director creates an alternative surreal dimension that is
essentially the protagonist’s worst nightmare. There is a clear style of David Fincher that
can be seen in this story. He makes the audience empathies and relate to the protagonists.
Audience can feel the revelations when each of the protagonists starts to seek the truth.
Some aspects of the truth are downright incorrigible and surreal that makes the movie
interesting and engrossing. Upon release there was a lot of cortical praise and acclaim for
the movies. This is because of the treatment of characters. Director has successfully
essaying a different perspective to the audience. There is an intrigue element that is
present in the story line that makes it truly special to the audience.
Emasculation
Modern contemporary era has started to make men question about their abilities. There is
emasculation of the male protagonist in the story line. This makes them even more driven
and emotional in order to establish themselves (Browning, 88). Life is unfair to the
protagonists hence in order to combat this issue they try to develop alterative means that
are necessarily not moral. However there is a strong affinity towards morality. This
emasculation of the men is primarily due to the absent father figures. In the movie Fight
club the main protagonist and Tyler discuss about their individual fathers and bond. In
the movie Mills tries emulate the actions of his senior. There is no presence of a strong
father figure for these men in the storyline. Similarly in fight club, Edward Norton tries to
follow the lead of Tyler. Both of these men do not have a strong father figure and hence
they are looking fro outside support. This creates feelings of insecurity and they are not
able to face the issues of societies. This concept of father figure is seen in the movie.
Spirituality, self-realization and attaining of higher power are seen in the movie. These

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factors occur in the concept where the protagonists are isolated in the events of calamity.
There is general pessimistic view that is seen in the main story line. Main characters try
to survive given the undesirable circumstances that are made to face in reality.
Disgruntlement towards society
There is a general disgruntlement against the vices of men and society in the story line.
There is a lot of importance that is given to external environment. These external
environments are blamed for the issues. David Fincher has also shown selfishness, greed
of men in the story. In Seven, Kevin spacey tries to show to the world the seven sins.
This story makes people wonder about humanity and the general unfair notions. There is
importance given to romance and also there has been considerable speculation about the
loss of their loved ones in the story.
Violence theme analysis
Another aspect that is common between these two movies is the handling of the concept
of violence. Violence in the story line is obvious. However there are many elements that
make David Fincher view of “Violence” intriguing. Violence in the movies is not really
portrayed as evil (Browning, 17). Rather there are many elements that are considered in
the acts of violence. This makes the people wonder about the reasons for the violence and
how it spiritually awakens each person.
Director’s vision of conflict and perplexity is seen in two distinctive scenes in both the
movies. In Fight club, Tyler disappears and audiences are confused along with the
narrator. They cannot understand why Tyler disappears and why everyone calls the
narrator Tyler. In the same way in the movie Seven, Doe suddenly comes and surrenders.
No one can understand the rationale behind the elusive serial killer surrendering himself.

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Audiences are perplexed and intrigues. They want to find out the mystery element behind
the particular scenes. In this scenario the director’s vision and talent is essayed.
Subsequent scenes after these particular scenes explain the rational behind violence in the
movie. The audience because of the intrigue appreciates violence.
Father figure
In Seven, William Somerset is a positive role model. He has a number of vices but he is a
smart dedicated man who has serviced the society. Mills has looked into external
environment in order to find his father figure. Due respect is given to Somerset by Mills
and the audience because of his character portrayal. He always tries to dissuade Mill from
acting out of emotion (Browning, 183). He is a positive role model and would have
helped Mill grow as a father if the situation with Doe had not occurred. In Fight club the
father figure is twisted. He is not real. He is an alternate persona of the main protagonist
in order to deal with emasculation. He tries to emulate the actions of Tyler. Eventually
realization is drawn and the protagonist wants to stop his alternative self from creating
havoc. In many ways the father figure Tyler is twisted. He wants the protagonist to
become radicalized and cause disruptions to society. There is angst, falsified half-truth
that is spoken by Tyler to persuade the main character ( Browning, 114). From this
analysis it is quite clear that the characters need the father figures but only one of them is
actually real. The similar element is that both these father figures have tried to help the
protagonist in dealing with life situation.

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Reference
1. Browning, Mark. David Fincher: films that scar. ABC-CLIO, 2010.
2. Knapp, Laurence F., ed. David Fincher: Interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2014.