Despite the Rules We're Talking 'Fight Club' Ten Years Later

Great article, although you might not be pleased to hear that I actually admire Tyler Durden, so much so that I tossed out all my stuff ages ago (Durden's right, the things you own eventually own you).

I've loved Fight Club since before it was made into a film and from time to time read the book again. My other half (yes, that's TalkingMonkey2), can recite the film word for word from beginning to end. Yes, crazy as that sounds, its true. Freaks me out, but is also really damn cool too hahaha.

The thing that works against this film more than any other is its title. So many people I've spoken to who have never seen it think its just a fighting movie of some nature, and have no idea that it shines on the level of deep and meaningful more than they can possibly imagine let alone probably grasp.

First rule of Fight Club (movie): Don't bother talking about it to dumb asses.

First time i saw the flick was at an empty teather in a morning showing. When i got out the girl for the snacks stand ask me: Was it good?. I coulnt answer right away, i just said: "that was a strange movie". 3 hours later i was again in the theater watching the damn thing. After an instant second viewing i knew this was a great fucking movie!

This is a strange celebration of a (great) film made from a (great) novel b/c you don't even mention the author Chuck Palahniuk or his book. That makes little sense, esp. b/c the most important thing about "Fight Club" (the movie) is that it turned on a whole generation of young writers to Palahniuk's prose.

The best post-Palahniuk meditation on this theme I've found lately is "badbadbad" — http://www.badbadbad.net — by Jesus Angel Garcia. I think of this novel as "Fight Club" in the bedroom. It explores the jagged line between self-destruction and redemption as played out in online social networks. Just like in "Fight Club," self-destruction wins b/c that's the human condition.

It's a message that was relevant 10 years ago, is relevant now, and sadly will be relevant 10 years from now.

Its amazing that 10 years have passed since Fight Club came out. I still remember sitting there, thoroughly enthralled, as the buildings tumble and our narrarator takes marla singer's hand and says "you met me at a very strange time in my life"

I walked out of that movie knowing that it was going to be an incredibly tough movie to beat…. in my mind, it still hasn't been. Hell, london's film review called it the most influential movie of our generation.

It is a fantastic commentary on what men in our society have become and how our lives are being lost and we are becoming numbing ourselves into a coma as we approach the American Dream. While Tyler Durden may take it a bit too far in the other direction, I believe that the need to break free of corporate and social bonds is as poignant a message as a film has ever imparted to me. Fight Club challenged me to push my own boundries and limits, and for that I am forever thankful.

Ten years later and this is still my favorite film… the only other film that has made a serious run for my top spot is The Dark Knight (my second favorite film). I hope that others were influenced as I was and that the appreciation for Fight Club continues to grow over time.

I was seven years old when Fight Club arrived in theaters. So naturally, I was a bit too young to see it. In fact, I didn't even know about it at the time of its release. And thank god I didn't. Fight Club is a film that needs to be watched at a certain point in your life. Personally, I feel that that specific time sometime in between fifteen and sixteen years of age, which is when I saw it. I feel this way because Fight Club is such an intellectual film with so many hidden messages that if you tried watching it anytime before you're fifteen, you won't understand the point. When I did watch this for the first time, I was literally blown away. Everything made so much sense, without making any sense at all. I often find myself reenacting scenes from Fight Club with my friends (sometimes by myself…) for no reason besides "it's awesome." Also, Fight Club is a film for anyone. Not everyone, but anyone. You don't have to be partial to a specific genre of film to enjoy this one. Fight Club is a drama, a comedy, an action film, a buddy film, a mystery film, etc. There's so much to take in from this film it's unbelievable. And, in agreement with Brad, the last 10 seconds of this film truly are some of the most staggeringly excellent seconds in all of movie history. This film will continue to head my list of the greatest films of all time. The acting, writing, directing, scoring, and editing are all perfect, and honestly I don't think any film will ever surpass it in all those ways. At this point in time, most people have probably seen Fight Club. But if you include yourself in that unfortunate minority, you don't have any time to waste: See this film immediately, or you will forever remain one of God's unwanted children.

I actually didn't think Fight Club was all that great when I first saw it. I loved the first hour of it, and then I felt it got weaker as it went along. I saw it last year on the big screen on Valentines Day (yep) at the AFI Silver Theatre, and I appreciated it much more. I like the movie a lot and I'll probably get it on Blu-ray next month.

I also think Brad Pitt gives one of the best performances of his career in this film.

I was 20 years old and working at a movie theatre when Fight Club came out, I hadn't read the book yet, but I was excited for the movie because of Seven and The Game. I didn't get a chance to see it opening weekend, as I worked all weekend, but a funny thing happened on almost every showing of it that weekend.

I was at the Door stand ripping tickets… and people (middle-aged guys, mostly) would come out of the theatre and ask if they were in the right movie. I'd ask them to see there ticket stub and sure enough, they had a ticket for Fight Club. I'd tell them that they were in right movie, and they would say (in many different variations): "I thought this movie was about fighting, it's just about some asshole going to support groups". I swear to God this happened all weekend long, ha ha. People would get there money back in the first 30 minutes of it, because I think they thought they were going to see Bloodsport or something…

My buddy and his wife came to see it that weekend and came out at the end and he was just in love with the movie, they both were… i ended up seeing it the following week and to this day it is still in the top 5 of my top 10 movies of all time list. Fight Club was and along with a lot of the films in 1999, the real start to my movie geekness as it stands today.

Well thanks for taking the time to read this. You all have a good day… and for the sake nostalgia on my behalf, enjoy the show!

Danny

I completely agree with you on the meathaeads. Many people see this movie and still talk about the fighting alone, even though they dont completely understand the messages and morals in this movie.

I have been a true fight club fan also, ive read the book before the movie has come out and plan to buy the upcoming blu ray edition. Even though it has seen great popularity from everyone whos seen it with poisitive feed back all round, i think people should begin considering it as one of the greats. The director and actors all did a fantastic job!

I saw the movie opening night with my best friend and I think there were maybe 3 other people in the whole theater. The first trailer I saw when I went to see Star Wars that summer made me think it looked like a dumb modern Steven Siegal/Van Damme movie. Then the movie got pushed back for an October release and when the next trailer came out I realized that this was something different. Once I realized David Fincher directed it I knew I would be there opening night. I loved Seven and The Game. From the fast paced opening credits to the final subliminal dick shot I was completely blown away. I'm a big movie buff, but never has a film affected me this much. Here was a movie that demanded multiple viewings and forced you to look at your own life and think about what's important. Chuck Palahniuk, David Fincher, Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter and everyone else involved in this masterpiece have done amazing genius work. I could relate to the character (I was 20 at the time it came out) and I was going to college, worked as a janitor for 5 years and had recently started working as a banquet server. Although, I never added anything to the lobster bisque or clam chowder, even when some customers may have deserved it. During the late nights I'd run around downtown Sacramento with friends drinking whiskey and beer doing things we weren't supposed until about 5am before we'd crash at my buddy's place, an old Crystal Milk factory he rented illegally in the worst part of town. We did all sorts of funny stuff around the town like swimming in fountains, setting off alarms, riding bikes drunk all over the capitol grounds, wrestling, breaking stuff and getting plenty of exercise from these shenanigans. There was a lot of freedom to it and it almost seemed like our primal instincts were unleashed as we got crazy. Nobody was around that late except for homeless people, crackheads and prostitutes. I'm 30 years old now and don't do these things anymore, but I look back on those times with fond memories. Now, I don't think that is what fight club is all about, but I do think it's a small part. It wasn't because of Fight Club that my friends and I were out causing trouble…that was our own decision that I think a lot of males and some females make. We had too much energy at that age and it felt good to run rampant and let it out. The frustrations from our daily social responsibilities were somewhat cured from this. As time went by I grew up and the drive for this wild behavior diminished. What did Fight Club really influence me to do? I was influenced by this movie to stop buying shit I didn't need and I got rid of a lot of stuff. The result was a great feeling of liberation. "This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time," should make anybody think about their own life. Are you making the most of your time? Is surfing the internet beneficial to you? The ideas this movie entertains are certainly attractive, but to what point? Anyway, I could go on and on about this movie, probably more than any other film I've seen, but I'll shut up. Maybe I'll save some readers some time to do something useful. If you haven't seen this movie, then do it. Soak it in because life's short and this can help you make the most of it. It did for me.

Because of this movie I will see whatever David Fincher does even if it's another installment of the Air Bud series.

i first remember that when fight club debuted in the philippine shores, it only lasted 2 weeks, then was pulled out. good thing though i was able to watch it on its last few days of appearance before (them, the marketing philippine freaks) pulling it out.

first thought at the beginning of the film was awesome, at the middle, i was awed, by the end, whoa! (with matching keanu reeves impression). it was something different i guess. the reason (i think) why this wasnt embraced by audiences is because the mission of tyler durden is to zero out the economic system from what drives every man (& woman) to their demise. tyler durden is a hero, in a way. because he can be our savior for all the moderm chaos that is happening in a capitalist universe. but do the audience do ever care about it? audiences were so attached to their materialistic ideas that they thought if this was indeed to happen, all is lost. but according to edward norton's character, this is not right. so you see, it is a good balance of good/evil versus evil/good characters. the soap, the fighting, the schizophrenia, the independent life, the chaos they bring to people, the love triangle are only the baby steps that we all experience in life.

then a couple of years later, there were similar movies who have this idea coming out (just cant think of any movie right now), then slowly audiences are realizing the fictional truth, then the movie became a cult hit.

this may sound cheesy, but this movie affected my life. in a practical way. i used to be a workaholic person, now im typing this comments during my work time hehehe. nah, what i really meant is that, i was so attached to what i was doing at work, i forgot to appreciate what i have in my own home. i open my fridge before & i see beer & condiments, now i make sure i have good food in it. i used plastic plates when i eat at home, now i appreciate the utensils & furniture in my house that a hard working person poured his soul into making these. though i dont buy these stuff just to feel contented with my life. but to appreciate what other people's work as well. i learned not to take my job seriously, only to be serious enough that this can result to something meaningful, other than that. i go out with my friends & have a beer & play pool.

I am 17 and watched the movie for the first time when i was about 15. I think it articulates the irrelevance of pop-culture and shows this through Tyler’s ideological views throughout the movie. He is an example of the opposite of what the life style obsession wants people to be. And he is yelling at them and the narrator in the face : wake the fuck up!