David Fincher: films that scar

There is a growing critical consensus that David Fincher is one of the most talented filmmakers in contemporary Hollywood. He has reanimated the crime genre, created films that make audiences question the boundaries between art and reality, and challenged Hollywood's crushing commercial drive for narrative closure. What motivates this exceptionally talented stylist? David Fincher is one of the most exciting filmmakers working in Hollywood today. He has produced a string of groundbreaking films that have achieved both critical and commercial success, while constantly challenging audiences to rethink their expectations of generic boundaries. David Fincher: Films That Scar is the first truly analytical work on the films of this mysterious and complex filmmaker. This insightful book analyzes all of Fincher's feature films, as well as examples of his commercials and pop videos, tracing key influences that include his background in special effects. It considers how he creates roles for strong women, how he has extended the detective genre, and how he adapts cult texts. The book also questions whether Fincher's films, famous for their downbeat endings and "dark" visual style, are really bleak or just part of an unconventional approach to filmmaking. In the end, readers will understand the development of Fincher's individual films and appreciate how the films relate closely to each other. --Book Jacket.

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Introduction -- Opposites attract: commercials and pop videos -- Woman in peril or final girl? Alien 3 and Panic room -- To catch a killer : Seven and Zodiac -- It's only a game : The game and Fight club -- It's not like the book : The curious case of Benjamin Button -- The new De Palma? -- A sense of an ending : no "happy ever after"? -- Conclusion.