In the following case study I will be
briefly describing whom David Fincher is and outlining, describing and
analysing four thriller based films that he has directed;‘Se7en’, 'Fight Club',
'The Game' and 'Panic Room'.
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About David Fincher
David Fincher was born in
Corolando, at 18 he had already started to work for John Korty a famous
director, writer and producer at the time at Korty Films in Mill Valley, and
then worked at ILM (Industry Light and Magic) from 1981-1983. Later David
Fincher left ILM to direct TV commercials and music videos after signing with
N.Lee Lacy in Hollywood, Fincher later turned his talents to the propaganda
side of the media industry in 1987 with directors including Dominic Sena, Grey
Gold and Nigel Dick, since then Fincher has directed TV commercials for clients
such as Nike, Coco-Cola, Budweiser, Heineken, Pepsi, Levi, Converse and Chanel
and has directed music videos for popular artists such as Madonna, Michael
Jackson, George Michael, A Perfect Circle and The Rolling stones. As a film
director Finch has succeeded highly in his dark thriller films.
Se7vn
'Se7vn' is a thriller with horror elements attached and is
therefore a sub-genre; this film was directed by David Fincher in 1995. The
story summarised up is about two detectives that become attached to a case
about a serial killer that involves 7 deadly sins in his killings. Soft but
frightful music is played in the background to add suspense and tension to the
trailer, to keep to audience intrigued, the music becomes slightly upbeat as
the narrator introduces the story to excite the audience and leave them wanting
to know what will happen next. The lighting is gloomy and depressing to give
dark elements to the trailer constantly; the colour scheme is again gloomy and
depressing and hardly consists of any bright colours. The atmosphere is
cheerless and dispiriting the weather is rainy and gives off a doleful essence.
The dialogue shared between the two main characters gives the audience an
understand of their relationship; the elder man has much experience of being a
detective and has nearly retired yet the younger man is seen as a 'rookie' and
is learning from the elder man. The dialogue from the narrator gives us a brief
indication of the story.
Fight Club
Fight Club is a sub-genre and is a successful comic action
thriller that David Fincher directed in 1999. The film has no elements of
horror associated in it, it is not creepy or gory and therefore cannot be misinterpreted
for a horror. The film 'Fight Club' is based on a man that seeks thrill in his
life so begins to get involved with fighting and later becomes apart of a gang
named the 'fight club' but as the audience encounter the main character begins
to regret joining the club as it becomes a lot more serious and violent than
anticipated. The opening trailer has different lighting techniques but the
majority of the trailer is dark and mysterious to familiarize the audience with
the dark elements of the genre, the sound in the trailer consists of quiet base
to create suspense and give the audience understanding that the film also
consists of action as well as thriller, the music becomes more upbeat as the
trailer goes on this is to excite and leave the audience impatient of what will
happen next. The dialogue shared in the trailer mainly consists of the main
character and members of the gang, the majority of the time slang is used to
portray the urban and underground type of people. The credits come at the latest
part of the trailer showing who is acting in the film the credits are animated
and have sound effects when they are introduced.
The Game
The Game is a successful psychological thriller sub-genre film
directed by David Fincher in 1997. Based on an investment banker that needs a
thrill in life, he then goes to a company that offer him this thrill by playing
a game, this game is psychological and confuses the character and gives off an
uncertainty of his real life and 'the game'. In the trailer lighting and colour
is seen as very gloominess, depressing and miserable to give off the psychological,
confusing and thrilling understanding of the film. The sound is upbeat as the
story is unveiled which excites the audience. The dialogue shared is short as
the trailer has been edited to fast cuts to keep the audience interested and
intrigued in the film. The credits are at the very last part of the trailer to
interest the audience for example in the trailer it says "from the director
of seven" this intrigues the audience as "Se7vn" was a success
as similar audiences from that film are most likely to watch "The
Game".
Panic Room
Panic Room is a successful sub-genre film including action and
thriller, based on a wealthy family that have moved into a new house, the
majority of the film is in process of the house being burgled by armed and
sophisticated robbers. The house has a panic room installed and the mother and
child evacuate into the room whilst trying to find help within it. Throughout
the film suspense has been illustrated to make the audience in constant knowing
of what is going to happen next. The opening of the film informs the audience
that the family have moved into a new house with a panic room installed, whilst
this is occurring slowly yet mysterious, slow and soft music is being played in
the background possibly with the use of piano and violins which is often used
in thrillers, this music creates suspense. The sound is has been changed the
music has been toned down and but voice has been added to give a more
humanistic and realistic effect when the child has been put to bed to make the
audience frightful of what will happen next. The lighting in the opening is
dark, to give the impression that the house is old; which is obvious as the
rooms are large and the ceilings are high, also to give the audience a constant
familiarity that the film is a thriller. Throughout the opening dark colours
are used because of the lighting and that the film is a 'dark thriller', not
bright colours are not generally used in the opening because it will not
enthuse the genre of the film. The dialogue used is mostly a conversation held
between the mother, the sales men or robbers, the conversation shared between
these different people is most of the time negotiations which engages the
audience into what decision will be made.
Comparison
Analysing all four trailers, in comparison their purpose is to
excite and intrigue the audience, all trailers are left at cliff hangers to
make the audience go out and watch the film. All films share a sub-genre and
not just a thriller. All four have sound involvement to build suspense and
tension to leave the audience guessing what will happen next. The lighting and
colour are all similar as they all give off a gloomy and mysterious appeal to
the audience so that the audience already expect a dark trailer. The opening to
Fight Club and Seven are have a narrator telling the story, in the trailer but
are told entirely different; Fight Club is told by the main character and jokes
around whilst telling the story whereas 'Se7vn' is told mysteriously and
seriously which can make the audience expect something horrifyingly thrilling
to happen and make it heart pounding.
