Despite its name, “Don’t Talk About Fight Club,” a recent event here at MCLA, left attendees empowered to discuss it.
The “Fight Club” movie showing was organized by the Gender and Sexuality Center’s GENTS, alongside the Television and Film Society, with event support from Residential Advisors Jack Bortle and Natalie Rowan. It took place off-campus at the North Adams Public Library, on Wednesday, November 20th and over fifteen attendees travelled from MCLA to the viewing. The showing was an opportunity for students to experience a film in the presence of others with interest in the aspect of masculinity within themselves.
“This event was made to bring a particularly masculine audience together to watch a film that dives into toxic masculinity. And as an audience, kind of evaluate and analyze that and look into ourselves and see what that’s like in our lives. And how we, or how masculine-minded people in particular experience masculinity, whether that be in a toxic way or not,” stated Residential Advisor Natalie Rowan.
The event was an outlet for those interested in learning about toxic masculinity through the lens of a popular film, allowing viewers to resonate with characters going through similar thought processes as them.
Rowan reflected on the event’s success, saying, “I think it went really well. A lot of people went. It was a collaboration between several campus organizations and clubs, so that brought in a lot of people. And even in my brief conversations with people after the movie, they were talking about how it was a good experience for them and how they had fun. I also think it was a nice change of scenery to do it at the North Adams Public Library.”
“Fight Club”, Chuck Palahniuk’s masculinity-masterpiece, follows an unnamed narrator (Edward Norton) struggling with insomnia and dissatisfaction in his corporate life. He befriends Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a charismatic anarchist, and together they form a “Fight Club”: a secret group where men channel their frustration through brutal fights.
As the club grows, it evolves into Project Mayhem, a reckless and chaotic organization with the goal of dismantling consumerist society. The narrator comes to realize that Durden reflects his split personality, and represents his secret desires for rebellion against the modern world. In a tense climax, the narrator stars in dramatic showdown against Durden’s influence and attempts to regain control of his own life and mind.
The film has impacted the lives of millions across the globe and has no shortage of effect on the students of MCLA. “I’d say the movie itself had a big impact on me. And even the car ride back in the MCLA van, we had a really nice discussion about it. It was a really riveting experience watching that movie. It’s intense,” remarked Guhan Nandakumar, regarding his favorite part of the event.
This admiration for the movie seemed to be present in all of those that attended, but the influence the film had on those watching is where the success of the event really showed.
“I thought it was great. The transportation was great. I liked how it was a pretty decent size of an audience, and how we got some people outside of MCLA. It was a lot of fun. I thought that it was well set up to accentuate the film and the experience of watching the film,” said Nandakumar.
Even though we’re warned against talking about Fight Club in the film, fostering discussion about the movie might be worth breaking that rule, due to its profound impact on viewers and mesmerizing representation of toxic masculinity. The event was a powerful example of this, and more reason to invite opportunities with open minds.
Be on the lookout for Television and Film Society along with the Gender and Sexuality Center’s events coming up next semester. They might end up being the one riveting experience that impacts your life for the better.
