Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Film and TV, China
Chloe Rowland
David Fincher's iconic Fight Club has been given a different ending in China, sparking fury among fans.
The 1999 cult classic flick starred the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, and recently made its debut on Chinese streaming platform Tencent Video.
The movie chronicles the story of Norton's insomniac character, The Narrator, who meets soap salesman Tyler Durden, played by Pitt. Soon, Norton is embroiled in an underground fight club and soap-making scheme as the pair spiral out of control.
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However, viewers were quick to notice that the ending of the film had been changed in line with China's strict censorship regulations, turning the movie's anti-capitalist message on its head.
In the original closing scene, The Narrator kills his imaginary alter ego Tyler before watching several buildings get demolished, a nod to the character's bid to bringing modern civilisation down. The new version in China, however, takes a very different direction.
During the closing scene, The Narrator does indeed kill off Tyler, however, instead of watching the buildings explode, viewers are shown a black screen along with the caption, 'The police rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals, successfully preventing the bomb from exploding.'
It also explains that following a trial, Tyler was sent to a 'lunatic system' for 'psychological treatment' as a result of his actions, before being discharged in 2012.
The change solicited an angry response from fans, with many taking to Twitter to air their views. 'The first rule of Fight Club in China? Don’t mention the original ending. The second rule of Fight Club in China? Change it so the police win,' wrote one person, while another said, 'Companies shouldn’t completely change the intent and purpose of films just to sell out in Chinese markets.'
Another viewer described the move as 'outrageous', while a fourth wrote on China’s social media platform Weibo, 'Fight Club on Tencent Video tells us that they don’t just delete scenes, but add to the plot too.'
This isn't the first time a movie has been changed in China. For instance, in 2019 several scenes referencing Freddie Mercury’s sexuality in Bohemian Rhapsody were removed for its release in the country.
Just a year later, the China Independent Film Festival was 'halted indefinitely'.
It's not clear who is responsible for the alternative ending in Fight Club, and Tencent hasn't spoken out amid the backlash.
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