History Creator / DavidFincher

* SirSwearsALot: The man certain isn't shy about swearing, as the above quote and any interview of him can prove.

* OddFriendship: With Creator/CameronCrowe. As detailed above, Fincher believes in movies that [[DownerEnding don't end well for its characters]], while Crowe's outlook tends to be more optimistic, mostly making mmvoies that are either EarnYourHappyEnding or, at worst, BittersweetEnding. Yet when Fincher was having issues with getting the script to ''Film/FightClub'' right, he turned to Crowe for help, and it was Crowe who suggested fleshing out Tyler Durden.

* ''The Killer'' (2023)

* ''The Killer'' (2023) (upcoming)

* SignatureStyle: Dark neo-noirs with low MoodLighting, a cold, claustrophobic feeling throughout and one or more gut-punch moments, often soundtracked by [[Music/NineInchNails Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross]].

** He's also admitted in interviews that he is not proud of ''Film/TheGame1997''. He has explained that he was fighting with executives at Creator/PolyGramFilmedEntertainment, which was the distributor of the film and that he agreed with his wife Cean Chaffin, who produced the film, that he never should've made the film, citing that they couldn't get the third act, "and it was my fault, because I thought if you could just keep your foot on the throttle it would be liberating and funny."

* CreatorBacklash:
** He's disowned ''Film/Alien3'', due to the amount of ExecutiveMeddling he had to endure.

** He's disowned ''Film/Alien3'', due to the amount of ExecutiveMeddling he had to endure (hence why it's listed as his BerserkButton on the main page).

* PrimaDonnaDirector: He has a Creator/StanleyKubrick-like obsession with getting actors to do take after take of the same scene (The opening scene of ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' was shot a whopping ''ninety-nine times''). Given the quality of his work, it's almost always worth it. It should also be noted that despite this, he is very respectful and amicable towards his actors and enjoys good relationships with them, making the process much easier than if he were simply a bullying taskmaster.
-->'''Fincher:''' So everybody bitches and moans over how many takes I shoot. So for the record, the scene where Creator/NeilPatrickHarris [[Film/GoneGirl parks his Jaguar dead center of the frame]] was take two. It is take two and it is in the movie. We walked away after take two. So please... go fuck yourselves.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Aside from maybe ''Benjamin Button,'' his films are usually planted far on the cynical end:
-->'''Fincher:''' I think people are perverts. That's the foundation of my career.

* PrimaDonnaDirector: He has a Creator/StanleyKubrick-like obsession with getting actors to do take after take of the same scene (The opening scene of ''Film/TheSocialNetwork was shot a whopping ''ninety-nine times''). Given the quality of his work, it's almost always worth it. It should also be noted that despite this, he is very respectful and amicable towards his actors and enjoys good relationships with them, making the process much easier than if he were simply a bullying taskmaster.

* OddFriendship: With Cameron Crowe. As detailed above, Fincher believes in movies that [[DownerEnding don't end well for its characters]], while Crowe's outlook tends to be more optimistic, mostly making mmvoies that are either EarnYourHappyEnding or, at worst, BittersweetEnding. Yet when Fincher was having issues with getting the script to ''Film/FightClub'' right, he turned to Crowe for help, and it was Crowe who suggested fleshing out Tyler Durden.

* PrimaDonnaDirector: He has a Creator/StanleyKubrick-like obsession with getting actors to do take after take of the same scene (The opening scene of ''Film/TheSocialNetwork was shot a whopping ''ninety-nine times''). Given the quality of his work, it's almost always worth it. It should also be noted that despite this, he is very respectful and amicable towards his actors and enjoys good relationships with them, making the process much easier.

* BerserkButton: '''Never''' mention ''Alien 3'' in front of this gentleman.

* PrimaDonnaDirector: He has a Creator/StanleyKubrick-like obsession with getting actors to do take after take of the same scene (The opening scene of ''Film/TheSocialNetwork was shot a whopping ''ninety-nine times''). Given the quality of his work, it's almost always worth it. It should also be noted that despite this, he is very respectful and amicable towards his actors and enjoys good relationships with them.

* PrimaDonnaDirector: He has a Creator/StanleyKubrick-like obsession with getting actors to do take after take of the same scene. Given the quality of his work, it's almost always worth it. It should also be noted that despite this, he is very respectful and amicable towards his actors and enjoys good relationships with them.

* SternTeacher: Widely known as a taskmaster, who will have actors do take after take after take until it's perfect. However, many actors end up respecting if not outright appreciating his methods, since he makes them do nothing he wouldn't do himself if it were possible. Fincher also mentored Mark Ruffalo when the latter directed his first film, the two having worked together on ''Film/{{Zodiac|2007}}''.

* ''Series/{{Mindhunter}}'' (2017 - 2019) (Directs seven episodes along with producing the show)

* ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo2011''

* ''Series/{{Mindhunter}}'' (2017 - present) (Directs seven episodes along with producing the show)

* Music/TheRollingStones - "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te6VBiRjhqA Love is Strong]]" (1994)

* Music/{{Foreigner}} - "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5atiLWT4emI Say You Will]]" (1987)

* ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'' (2007)

* FilmNoir: Much of his work is at least influenced by noir, but especially ''Film/{{Se7en}}'', ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'', and ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo2011''.

* SternTeacher: Widely known as a taskmaster, who will have actors do take after take after take until it's perfect. However, many actors end up respecting if not outright appreciating his methods, since he makes them do nothing he wouldn't do himself if it were possible. Fincher also mentored Mark Ruffalo when the latter directed his first film, the two having worked together on ''Film/{{Zodiac}}''.

* ArtisticTitle

* Music/{{Loverboy}} - "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AeRtYEtRX8 Notorious]]" (1987)

* ''Series/{{Mindhunter}}'' (2017 - present) (Directs four episodes along with producing the show)

* ''Film/TheGame'' (1997)

* ProductionPosse: Jeff Cronenweth has been the cinematographer on four of his movies, and before that was a mere camera operator on one film and second unit cinematographer on another; similarly, Conrad Hall Jr. has worked with him three times--the first two as camera operator and the third as cinematographer--while Claudio Miranda has also worked with him three times(twice as a gaffer and the third time as cinematographer); gaffer Chris Strong has worked with him twice. Creator/BradPitt, Creator/JaredLeto, Richmond Arquette, and Creator/HoltMcCallany are regular actors in his pictures. Costume designer Michael Kaplan, editor James Haygood, and as mentioned above Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have all collaborated with him on numerous films.