Behind Blown Eyes

John Shirley, known to me through his script adaptaion of The Crow (a comic book by James O’Barr), argues the finer points of the film Fight Club with underground film maker Ethan Wilson. The article contains Shirley’s original comments, Wilson’s response, and Shirley’s response to Wilson. A quote:

“It�s fucking with you right from the start�it�s daring you to notice it�s a movie all along. It doesn�t care; it wants you to question the media continuum; question your cultural assumptions.”

Personally, I agree more with Shirley, not just because pointing out the “rage” is a significant contribution in itself, but because the lack of a constructive alternative makes its own statement. Does it even lack a constructive alternative? In losing everything, didn’t Ed Norton’s character gain something? All this discussion proves is that Fight Club is most certainly an artistically and philosophically significant film. Why else would it elicit such an (emotional) response? Ahh, the joys of a film that doesn’t spell everything out…