17) How useful has a particular critical approach been in
gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of your chosen film?
For me, the crisis of masculinity was the most useful
critical approach. The first time I watched Fight Club I simply thought that
the film was about men fighting half naked to relieve their overwhelming stress
from the pressures of a rapidly changing culture . Watching it for a second time and after being
introduced to ideas such as the crisis of masculinity, I became more aware of
the deeper concepts entwined within this film. The crisis of masculinity arose
in the late 1990’s and essentially caused men to lose a sense of identity due
to heavy change in popular culture. This can be seen prominently in the
‘Self-Help Testicular Cancer Group’ that the narrator attends during the
beginning of the film. Aspects of the crisis of masculinity can be seen through
the text and in particular the mise en scene. The group is sat around in a
circle in a basket-ball court, this alone strongly connotes the crisis of
masculinity as this environment is so typical used for men partaking in
sporting activities, a strong trait of masculinity. Instead, these men are sat
around in a circle being encouraged to share their problems and hug each other,
a very feminine act. The self help group is for men with testicular cancer, and
for who have had their testicles removed. This loss of their testicles is
feminising these men as they have lost what is most typically associated with
masculinity. In terms of character, Bob embodies the crisis of masculinity. He
is first introduced by the narrator saying “This is Bob, Bob has bitch tits”.
We learn that he has breasts due to the eostrogen treatment he was given after
his testicles were removed. Not only has
his testicles been removed and the growing of his breasts project the crisis of
masculinity, but his name ‘Bob’ is one letter short of the word ‘Boob’.
