FIGHT CLUB _ book vs. movie
This is your life and it’s ending one minute at a time.
I’m a big fan of Chuck Palahniuk. As far as minimalist writers go, he’s one of the best. His website alone, www.chuckpalahniuk.net, is an incredible resource if only for the short stories you can find there. I’m also a big fan of David Fincher. Though I was disappointed with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I thought it would be fun (whee!) to revisit both the novel and film versions of Fight Club.
Both are great in their own right and I don’t really have anything negative to say about either but I’m surprised at how much I prefer the film to the book. You always hear of people being disappointed by movie adaptations so, seeing the movie before reading the book, do I suffer from some sort of reverse disappointment?
The differences between the movie and the book are, for the most part, slight and if I didn’t know almost every line and plot point from the film, I might not even notice them. But there are a handful of differences that are large and their impact on the characters and story is significant. Now, I’m not just going to sit here and list all these differences. Instead, I’ll just throw out the first one that comes to mind…
Tyler Durden. The character in the book just doesn’t have the presence that the character in the movie has. In large part, this is because the filmmakers beefed up the part for Brad Pitt. A lot of those kick-ass lines of dialogue the character has in the movie are never said by the character in the book. The quotes do appear somewhere in the novel but they’re either the inner dialogue of the narrator or sometimes said by other characters all together. Now, it should be noted that these other characters that do say them are reiterating things Tyler has taught them so, I guess, Tyler is indirectly saying them. But they don’t have the same impact and the character doesn’t quite have the same presence because of it.
The best example I can think of is the chapter in the novel that corresponds with the scene in the movie in which Tyler and the narrator have their “near life experience.” In the movie, it is a powerful scene that ends in a horrific automobile accident. In the book, this scene doesn’t have half the impact, mostly because Tyler is nowhere to be found (nor does it end in a horrific crash.) Instead, we find a character known as “the mechanic” behind the wheel, a character we had only briefly been introduced to the chapter before. So, instead of Tyler saying all of those great things to the narrator (including the classic line “You have to consider the possibility that God does not like you. He never wanted you. In all probability, he hates you”, which, I should note, comes earlier in the film) “the mechanic” says them. This was a great catch by the filmmakers. The lack of Tyler at this point in the book seems like a flaw. If anything, the intensity between Tyler and the narrator should be ramping up. On the other hand, I see what Palahniuk was developing: the narrator’s broken heart, which pays off later. It’s a powerful chapter in the book, to be sure, but the screenwriters use the situation to take the scene, the story, and the characters to another level.
All right. I’m sleepy so it’s time to wrap this up…
Fight Club the novel is an enjoyable piece of literature but Fight Club the movie is a fantastic piece if cinema. It really makes me appreciate the work the screenwriters put into this adaptation. To take the source material, to tweak it here and there, and make a more compelling, dramatic story, is something few other writers can achieve successfully (see my adaptation note above.) At the moment, I’m a few chapters into Choke, another of Chuck Palahniuk’s novels that I’m re-reading. Already it’s a far better novel than Fight Club. I haven’t seen the movie yet so I’m looking forward to finishing the book and comparing the two. Expect a similar review in the near future but, in the meantime, I’m interested in hearing from somebody else that has seen Fight Club the movie and has read Fight Club the novel…
THE SORROW_I’m Published!
That’s right. I’m published. Finally. My short story The Sorrow can be found in this month’s issue of Sideshow Fables, a wonderfully entertaining literary magazine devoted to the mysterious, and often supernatural, side of circuses and carnivals. The Sorrow, which is my favorite piece of writing, is a ghost story but, without giving anything away, it’s a story that will break your heart rather than scare you. Writing the story was one of the most satisfying creative experiences of my life and to see it published has made all the work, in this story and in others, worth it. As for the magazine, The Sorrow fits in perfectly with the magazine’s macabre themes. I’m honored to have contributed to this, the first issue of the magazine, and I urge all of you, if you haven’t already, to check them out… www.sideshowfables.com
Here’s a sneak peak…
Excuses
Okay. I haven’t posted much (and by much I mean anything) this week. I’ve had a lot on my slate with plenty more to come. I could go into detail but I’m sure you don’t want to hear it. I mean I could go on and on about how much I hate PayPal… but why bother? I could go on and on about how frustrating e-commerce can be, even in 2009… but who really cares? I guess the only thing I have to say is… shipping a car across the country is a pain in the ass…
The Good Ol' Days
Avatar vs. Inception_ my thoughts
If you’re not aware, two huge movies are looming on the box office horizon: James Cameron’s Avatar, due out in December, and Christopher Nolan’s Inception, due out next July. It should go without saying that these movies will be hyped up and marketed to the max. Christopher Nolan is arguably the hottest director in Hollywood these days. James Cameron was arguably the hottest director in Hollywood a decade ago. It’s interesting that both of these directors are both coming off of two of the biggest movies ever made: The Dark Knight and Titanic, respectively. What’s really interesting (and exciting for us geeks) is that both of these films are sci-fi.
So let’s start with Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Here’s the recently released teaser trailer:
The great thing about the Inception teaser trailer is that, even after viewing it, I have no idea what the movie is about. That’s cool. That’s what a teaser is all about. We have DiCaprio being DiCaprio (who was in Titanic, how ’bout that.) We have a crazy, flying fight scene in a hallway. Who know what the hell is going on there. And… well, we have some terrible cgi shot flying through a city at night. I mean, it’s so bad I’d expect that in a Saturday morning cartoon. But it resolves quite nicely to the movie’s logo. Most likely, that cg crap was created specifically for the teaser. Nothing to worry about there. Overall, I’m pleased. When I first heard Christopher Nolan was working on a sci-fi project I immediately thought he was attempting to make his 2001. It seems, at some point in their careers, every director gives it a shot. So you can imagine my surprise when I watched this trailer and found no space ships, no aliens, nothing. And that’s a good thing. A space opera is not Nolan’s style. He’s too real, too gritty. This seems like a perfect psychological sci-fi thriller for him… much like The Prestige. This movie has potential. I’m betting it has Oscar potential.
Now let’s take a look at the trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar:
Okay. Space ships. Aliens. Very blue aliens. Without a doubt this film, the first shot in a special 3-D technique created by Cameron himself, will look incredible. It will be jaw dropping… because that is what Cameron does. He’s a special effects wizard turned director. But, as director, this movie is already falling into James Cameron clichés: primarily a sappy love story. Cameron has already been comparing this film to the story of Pocahontas (crap, I probably just gave away the whole plot. Feel free to have your ten-year-old nephew write out the rest of the script.) Ugh. I have nothing against love stories; they make me as warm and fuzzy as the next guy. But. Come on. Terminator and Aliens got by without one, why has he insisted on putting one into every movie since (okay, T2 was an exception.) And they seem to be getting progressively worse (My Heart Will Go On.)
This just opens up a whole can of worms for me. I want this movie to kick ass. I want it to be awesome. But I can’t help but wonder, for a man who hasn’t made a dramatic narrative in over a decade, has filmmaking passed him by? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I loved Cameron when I was a kid. Terminator, Aliens, the Abyss, True Lies?! The man kicked ass. But go back and watch them again. They’re dated. The writing is weak. The dialogue… well, I think Soldaten holds it own against some of his work (see below.) Hmm. I don’t think I’m ready for any more of that James Cameron humor either. I’m talking about the annoying side characters that provide comic relief. Sigh. If Bill Paxton is in this movie…
So, there it is. I have high hopes for one. Low hopes for the other. But that’s to be expected, right? I think there may be a serious James Cameron backlash brewing. Everyone I know is looking forward to Avatar but… I mean, compare Nolan’s track record to Cameron’s. I don’t think it’s outrageous of me to say that Nolan has made better films. Cameron made classics. But so did Richard Donner. Nolan seems to be on another level of story telling.
What do you think?
SOLDATEN: a look back
A friend of mine is having a big end-of-the-summer bash at his place this weekend. It’s going to be quite the extravaganza complete with live music and competitive badminton and we came up with the idea that, in between sets, we showcase some of our (always laughable) student film work. For that reason, I dug up Soldaten, my senior film project while at Penn State, made way back in ‘02/’03.
What can I say about this film? Well, yours truly wrote it, Ryan Lizardi directed it. Mickey Klein shot it (who, considering the shooting conditions, did an incredible job), Ed Corrado did audio, and we all produced it really (in hindsight, I wish that was how it read in the credits.)
As for the cast, they were fantastic (especially considering we found them by posting fliers around campus.) Nathan Shupenko, a classmate of ours, carries the film. He brought the heart. The antagonist, Brendan Irving, is a NYC comedian and a funny one at that, but he turned up the intensity of the character far beyond what I envisioned. Paul Boccadoro, fresh out of high school, blew our minds. I don’t think he had ever spoken a word of dialogue before this. And Abe Mollinaires, whom Lizardi and I both claim to have “discovered”, took his supporting character and ran with it, practically stealing the show.
So for two semesters, we busted our asses off for this film. We suffered through below freezing temperatures, all night shoots, and a shoe-string budget that afforded us little luxury (cold hot dogs, anybody?) But the memories we made? Unforgettable.
As is the case with most student films, I can’t help but watch it and shake my head. My script was… laughable. The plot was decent, if not cliché. But some of the dialogue (maybe all of the dialogue) is pretty cringe worthy. Here are come of my favorites:
You don’t hear this kind of quiet back in the city.
and…
You are crazy aren’t you?
I could go on. Instead, enjoy them for yourself:
Joe Paterno’s TV Quarterbacks
A few weeks ago I put together this promo for Joe Paterno’s TV Quarterbacks: A Retrospective. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Joe Paterno is head coach at Penn State… and has been so for 43 years! At one time, early in his career, Joepa had a weekly television show: Joe Paterno’s TV Quarterbacks. The show was classic Joepa who is quite witty and has a great sense of humor. Anyway, the promo for the special turned out great and I had a blast working on it. I’m really happy with the logo I designed and the way it cut together. The show itself is coming along nicely. It’s a great look back at the show and the man himself. It airs September 9th on WPSU-TV. If you’re a Penn State fan, I recommend you check it out… and it’s also a great opportunity to support public broadcasting!
Enjoy…
When is it time to forget about the past, stop thinking about the future, and live in the now?
That is a question I’ve asked myself many times in my life. Most recently, I’ve found myself asking that question regarding my very first car. That’s right, I still have her: a gorgeous 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442. Few have been as lucky to own a car as great as that, let alone it be their first. Fewer still have found themselves with that car still in their possession twelve years later. Looking back, that wasn’t a quick twelve years either. After high school, I ran off to school, only seeing her a few times a year in the summer. After college, I moved out west where we were separated completely for a few years. When I moved back east, I tried to include her in my life… but it was forced. Things didn’t work out. I tried… but I decided to take her back home and put her in storage. And then two more years went by.
So that’s where I am now. For the last two years, she has served no purpose in my life (other than a nostalgic keepsake, I suppose.) And when I look ahead to the future, I’m having a hard time seeing a purpose for her there as well (again, other than a nostalgic keepsake.) I try to tell myself that one day I will have a house with a garage and the time to do with the car as I please. And then I think… well, what would I do with it? Wash it, wax it, and take it to car shows? That’s not exactly my lifestyle anymore. I’d want to do something active, something fun… I’d love to compete in autocross… but that’s not realistic with the Oldsmobile… so, again, that leaves the car’s purpose in limbo, even in my imagined future. So, I can’t help but ask, am I clinging to the past? Are we no longer the perfect match we use to be?
It’s like breaking up with a girlfriend.
It seems as though, over the last few months, my desire for an automotive identity has been reignited… and just a few weekends ago I was close (at the dealership, working out financing) to purchasing a new car (a car I had done a lot of research on, that fit my check list surprisingly well: practical, performance inspired, with personality.) Unfortunately, in the end, the deal fell through. They wouldn’t give me a price I liked.
So, even though I try hard to not even consider it an option, I think of the Oldsmobile sitting in Erie, just sitting there. And I realize that, without a doubt, the car serves no purpose in my life… but maybe it should. And then I think, maybe the car itself isn’t what needs purpose in my life… maybe what the car represents, it’s essence, that should have purpose. And maybe it’s time that essence, the spirit of the Olds, finds its place in my life again.
So that’s what this boils down to.
I want that relationship, the relationship between me and my car, the type of relationship that existed between me and the Olds, in my life again. And I want it to be a part of my life each and everyday, not sitting in a garage hundreds of miles away, but on the road, taking me wherever life is taking me, because it just seems like a waste otherwise. So I think taking the essence of the Oldsmobile and putting it into a car that would, without a doubt, be my pride and joy, might be the answer.
Sigh. Or maybe this is some sort of life crisis that will all just blow over. So whatever you do, don’t tell the Olds that. She might never forgive me.
– Chris
The Olds.
Finally. My Blog.
Finally. After putting the idea off for who knows how many years this blog is finally up and running. Maybe I’m a little behind the curve, or maybe my timing is just right, who knows. One way or the other, this blog, my blog, shall, for all practical purposes, become my online presence.
I’ve decided to use this blog as a place to share not just my writing, or my painting, or my professional work, but for all things pertaining to me. These will be the things I love, the things that interest me, the things that inspire me, and, more simply, the things I do.
In the end (not that there really is an end to something like this) I hope this blog becomes a creative outlet, a place to motivate me, and to keep me productive. If you find yourself reading over this blog, perusing my writing, scanning the images, or watching the videos, I hope it’s not a complete waste of your time. And if, by some miracle, you find yourself entertained, I guess I’ve accomplished something.
-Chris
Klockwork Kugler: This is my blog. This is what I do. 