An auteur of techiques, David Fincher creates a world of deception that allows us as an audience to completely immerse ourselves in the manipulation. A direction style that is borderline obsessive Fincher is one and the only in his field of work who endorses each and every aspect of film making with care and perfection. So what makes his shots so iconic and his movies a masterpiece?
THEMES
Unreliable Narrator
This he has incorporated in both Gone Girl and Fight Club - the narration from the point of view of an reliable character creates a sense of suspense and surprise which leads the story into a space where we actually start getting what the narrator feels. Are we being manipulated or are we just as insane as that person on the screen?
Everything that glitters isn't always gold!
Fincher's narrative mostly includes corruption in places of power. He is more interested in what lies underneath a seemingly shiny surface of affluence and perfection. The elaborate lies in Gone Girl, the disloyalty in The Social Network, and the political corruption in House of Cards all place a spotlight on the flaws in these seemingly ideal settings. What appears to be isn't always true is it!
Psychologically complex characters
Fincher's characters are almost beautifully complex. He conjures up these dichotomies in psychology that seems almost impossible to exist. More often these traits exist in the same character or two separately but either way it serves the purpose of challenging us to decipher their minds or guess their next move. No matter how hard it is to relate to them, there always remains a small factor that connects us to them in a strange and disturbing way.
THE MASTER OF TECHNIQUES
'Dark subject matter' predominates David Fincher's world of cinema. He builds his world one detail at a time and creates an immersive experience for his audience. He is in complete command of his scenes and understands technique like a master.
Story
Fincher's power is deception which has an effect on the audience as well as the narrator. Like in Fight Club, our unreliable narrator is so successful in deception that he has deceived himself completely. Even sometimes we become susceptible to manipulation by his characters. In gone girl, the ocean of lies and deception is impossible to navigate. Thus his stories depict a dark side to humanity and sometimes darkness wins.
Production design
It includes locations, wardrobes, props and Fincher's attention to detail here is borderline obsessive. In Fight Club, the protagonist gives in to seduction of a very diff life where rules and expectations disappear. Through the production design Fincher presents contrasting worldviews. The antidote to the narrator's monotonous life is seen in Tyler who has achieved pure personal freedom. The lawlessness of his lifestyle is expressed through his rotting filthy place quite in contrast to the narrator's modelled apartment. According to Fincher, characters are defined by their environment and he is meticulous in achieving that level of expression through simply (not so much) manipulating the environment.
Colour
David Fincher's world is not a colourful and vibrant one. His movies are typically colour-graded to a uniform shade: green, blue, red, yellow. Many of his nighttime scenes possess a tinge of yellow creating a suspenseful or tensed situation. Whenever he does include contrasting colours it stands out, usually meaning something: it either draws out attention to a particular character or a particular element of the scene, on which, he wants us to focus deliberately.
Cinematography
A lot of his story telling is accomplished with camera movements. He doesn't simply capture a moment but also captures the character's realisations. He lets action play out in wide frames and uses close ups only when necessary. But one thing is clear from his cinematography - he moves camera only with a purpose. He moves a camera to suggest mental strength like the slow zooming in Panic Room; also subtle or grand movements according to the actions of the character. If they move we move creating a line of connection between us and the character.
Editing
Keeps audience engaged.
Sound Design and Music
Fincher chooses expressive sound design carefully. It is abstract and catchy and also soothing at the same time. Together the sound and image combination mimics a situation. He uses sound to creatively align with a characters experience. But most importantly music serves a great purpose. It is either thematic or ironic. He uses songs with lyrics that echo the theme or some scenes are crafted completely around the music. Just imagine watching Fincher without the music! Yeah! The fun seeps out just my the thought of it!
RATE THIS ESSAY
6
5
4
3
