Director Retrospectives: David Fincher

DIRECTOR RETROSPECTIVES: DAVID FINCHER

The best X generation director in my opinion. David Fincher is probably my favourite director after Martin Scorsese and Stanley Kubrick. I love dark tonned films and he makes them best, so that could explain why I love him so much. Out of all the films he has directed except for one or two all are in some or the other masterpieces. Each frame, each shot in Fincher films are just brilliant. No one uses, the colours like him, and no one takes a better shot then Fincher in the recent times, I repeat no one. He is really an autuer, a director who is or will be in any time soon a Legend.

ALIEN 3 (1991)

David Fincher's first full length feature and is by far his worst. Though, we didn't actually got the Fincher's version of the film, what we got was a studio's commercial version. So, I gotta feel bad for Fincher. Alien franchise had become a commercial franchise espeically after Cameron's sequel. The film was a big mess, but still launched a director, who would go on making masterpieces, and making his name closer to a legend.

FAVOURITE SCENE: The sequence with the alien maybe.

RATING: D +

SE7EN (1995)

Then came David Fincher's first masterpiece, and atleast for me his best. Fincher quoted that "I would die having conor cancer instead of doing a film", but then came Se7en and changed everything. This movie is one of my favourite's of all time, this is one of his most influential films, and one of those films which attracted me and enhanced my love for cinema. I love everything about the film, there is not a dull moment in the film. Fincher, put all his anger on Alien 3 and made an evergreen masterpiece. This is a film which won’t be forgotten. This movie is a blast right from the epic opening credits to the ending.

FAVOURITE SCENE: Love the whole film, but if one then it has to be the ending.

RATING: A *

THE GAME (1997)

Fincher followed his genre, and made another mystery-thriller. This is at bits like a Hitchcock film. The Game has some breathtaking moment’s. There are so many twists, that at moment’s you just cannot trust a character of a film. Just like most of Fincher films, as soon as the film starts, it just sucks you in. The Game is far from being his best, but it is certianly a film which can teach about how to build up tension. Some people say, the ending made the film’s grade a little downward. I think, I have to agree with that, that maybe unrealstic, but that dosen’t affect my love for the film.

FAVOURITE SCENE: The scene on the terrace of the building.

RATING: B +

FIGHT CLUB (1999)

Came in 1999, which is one of the best years for films, and this is Fincher most preferable film, 9 out of every 10 people love Fight Club, that is how much the cult following of this movie has been. This was my introduction to Fincher, and it immediately became one of favourite films of all time. It is one of the most coolest film ever made, with an epic twist. Fincher again showcased some of the very best opening credits, he does that best. I think I’ll have to stop, I have already broken the first rule of it.

FAVOURITE SCENE: The reveal.

RATING: A +

PANIC ROOM (2002)

Having an offer to direct “Catch Me If You Can”, Fincher rejected it and opted to do this instead. This film is not the league of all his other films. Fincher himself quoted the film as footnote film “Guilty Pleasures”. But, one thing I can say that if it is a guilty pleasure film, it certianly one of the very best of the category. This is a very simple film with a simple plot, and set in 24 hours. In the whole night, Fincher goes on creating feeling for the characters and hatered for some of them as well. Panic Room is by no means a masterpiece, nor it is close, but one of those films, which are thrilling as well as enjoyable.

FAVOURITE SCENE: The break-in the house.

RATING: B -

ZODIAC (2007)

When I hear the word “underrated”, the first thing that comes to my mind is the film Zodiac. Zodiac is like All The Presidents Men in serial killer films. It is a serial killer film, but it not shown from the prespective of the serial killer, it is showcased by the people investigating it. This film is nearly 180 minutes long, and it had to be that way. This film has some moments where I was left speechless. The scene’s with serial killer are upto horror level scary. They are really thrilling. This film builds up it’s character slowly and gives time to all of them. This is a criminally underrated film, which was snubbed by the academy awards that year, but got it’s it critical accalim. In terms of quality this is known as his best work, and it if not number one, no one is stopping it to be number two in my personal preference.

FAVOURITE SCENE: I’m gonna throw you’re baby before I kill you.

RATING: A +

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMAN BUTTON (2008)

Oh’ so yes, it is overlong and one of his weakest. But on the other hand, this film, may have one of the most intersting plot. This is one of those romantic films, that I actually quite liked, as romantic being one of my least genre’s. But, there is no doubt Fincher, really did something different, this could have been shorter in length then it in actual it was. But, I liked the concept, performances and cinematography of the film. It even earned, Fincher is long awaited oscar nod, but for the wrong film, typical Academy Awards.

FAVOURITE SCENE: The ending.

RATING: B -

THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)

This movie changed the image of Fincher. Before this, people said that, he does dark films, but then came The Social Network, the most different Fincher film till date. This is a film about owner of a social media site, almost everyone use “Facebook”. This is known as Fincher’s best film critically. This is a film, that I would call a modern masterpiece, it is one of my favourite film of 2010. This film had no big names in it, but Fincher managed to take out brilliant performances from not so great actors. Leaving all those things aside, it is one of the finest biographical films ever made! It is a film which is engaging, and uterly fast paced. A flawless masterpiece.

FAVOURITE SCENE: First meeting with Justin Timberlake in the night club.

RATING: A +

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011)

The remake of the great swedish film with the same name, and based on the same novel. Now, for most of the people, original was better, but for me Fincher’s vision on the novel, was better. First of all, this film is gorgeous, it has one of the best female performance of this decade. This credits of the film, Oh’ man, they are one of the greatest opening credits of all time. As most of the Fincher films, this is dark-complex mystery thriller, and yet again he managed to impress me with another film of his. This is far from being his best, as I have couple of problems with it, but certain very far from being his worst as well, a film which for me is in between.

FAVOURITE SCENE: Credits (Opening)

RATING: B +

GONE GIRL (2014)

His latest film is an adaption of novel by the same name. This time Fincher, decided to do a dark film but with a romance behind it. This film has twists, it is a very dark film, but more then that it is more about the characters. What they have been through, this movie is more about that. This showcases some of the best storytelling from Fincher. It does not tell, that which side you should be on, there are moments where you suspect that guy, then later this guy etc. That is what is special about his latest feature Gone Girl.

FAVOURITE SCENE: The reveal.

RATING: A -

Now here is the ranking of all his films-

1.    SE7EN (A*)

2.    ZODIAC (A+)

3.    FIGHT CLUB (A+)

4.    THE SOCIAL NETWORK (A+)

5.    GONE GIRL (A-)

6.    THE GIRL WITH THE DARGON TATTOO (B+)

7.    THE GAME (B+)

8.    PANIC ROOM (B-)

9.    THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMAN BUTTON (B-)

10.  ALIEN 3 (D+)

Hope you enjoyed my retrospective of David Fincher. So what is your favourite Fincher film and why?

Thanks for reading!

Don’t forget to tell your feedback!

More stuff coming soon!

-VASTIK MISHRA