Do you love talking about Films?
Are you trying to watch more films in English?
Join Peter’s English Film Club!
Saturday 31st January at 13:00 UK Time
We will discuss… Fight Club
You can find more details on how to participate on Patreon and Discord!
What is Film Club? – Fight Club
Film Language Document – Conversation Questions – Extra Resources
What is Peter’s Film Club?
The Film Club is a great opportunity to practice English speaking skills by talking about a film.
Peter invites Thinking In English Conversation Club members (Patreon levels: Learner and Master) to join him on Zoom one Saturday per month, for free!
If you are not a Patreon member, you can pay to join the film club on Peter’s website
But it’s not just about improving speaking skills. Every film has a different topic so talking about them is a really effective way to increase your vocabulary.
Also, you can practice your writing. After every meeting, you can write your thoughts about the film and Peter will read it amd give you detailed feedback!
How to Prepare the Film Club:
1. Watch the film!
2. Prepare by studying the Film Language Document.
(The Film Language Document contains 10 Themes, and 30 Vocabulary Items specific to the film. It also contains the 10 conversation questions we will discuss in the meeting!)
You can find the Film Language Document (and more) below…
Fight Club (1999)
Here is a simple description of the film
Fight Club is an iconic film starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt about two men that start a club in their basement where men can come and fight each other. It’s a kind of ultra-violent therapy!
We follow the (unnamed) narrator who lives a normal and unsatisfying life in which he works a job he doesn’t care about and spends his free time thinking about new things he can buy for his home from Ikea!
When he meets Tyler Durden, his life changes. Tyler criticises the consumerism, femininity, and meaninglessness of modern life and helps the narrator become a real man.
The film explores these themes, offers some answers, but gets increasingly hellish as the group of men become a violent revolutionary group. It is full of powerful dialogue, shocking scenes, and surprising turns. People tend to love it or hate it!
Conversation Questions!
- Did you enjoy Fight Club? What were you feeling or thinking when it ended?
- Talk a little bit about the relationship between the narrator and Tyler. Is Tyler good for him, bad for him, or a bit of both.
- Recall one scene you find particularly memorable. Why does it stick in your mind (was it interesting, shocking, funny, violent?)
- How does the narrator feel in the first act of the film? Why do you think he can’t sleep? Why does he enjoy going to the cancer survivor meetings?
- Do you think the film Tyler is right that consumerism is bad? Do you, like the narrator, sometimes feel like you will “be complete” when you have the perfect apartment or wardrobe?
- Why does the narrator lose control of Project Mayhem? Is it what Tyler wanted, or is it trying to demonstrate the danger of mob mentality and groupthink?
- This is a film heavily focussed on masculinity. Do you think it is empowering for men? Or does it glorify the most dangerous aspects of masculinity? (Or is it subtly mocking them?)
- This film is famous for the twist (relating to identity and mental illness). Did you like this aspect of the film? Did you see it coming?
- There are two sides to the narrator’s personality. Is one of them the “real” him? Which one?
- Think about the final shot of the film as two of the characters hold hands, with this in mind, what do you think is the message of the film? Is it triumphant, tragic, or something more nuanced?
Do you have any more thoughts or questions?
Why not prepare 1 or 2 more of your own questions or opinions about the film?!
Extra Resources
If you want to do even more, you might want to look at the online resources:
IMDb Page
IMDb page where you can find everything about the film including: Videos, Characters, Cast and Crew, Plot Synopsis, Quotes, Reviews and more!
Film Trailer on YouTube
See if you like the look of the film by watching the trailer.
… and it might help you refresh your memory if you saw it a long time ago!
Fight Club Vocabulary
Learn and practice the vocabulary for this film!.
Practice using 5 different study games and activities – including writing, listening, and memorisation techniques!
Flashcards
Matching Game
Learning Game
Test Yourself
Listening and Spelling
General Film Vocabulary
Learn and practice vocabulary for this Thinking in English Conversation Club.
Practice using 5 different study games and activities – including writing, listening, and memorisation techniques!
Flashcards
Matching Game
Learning Game
Test Yourself
Listening and Spelling
See you at the Film Club!
