I can only think of a few films that have so much packed into them--"Tender Mercies" comes to mind. I almost don't know where to start without seeming to be writing a doctoral dissertation.
The national obsession with the post-war period in America is rooted in the white middle class and is something I would compare, in a dissertation, to the myth of the "Gone Withe the Wind" version of the American South pre-civil war.
Tackling these issues by making this film in 1998 was a brave undertaking, IMO. Naturally, viewers like me tend to pontificate about every frame of the film (not here) and the writer, director, etc., will find this type of analysis overblown. They were on a budget, had many technical issues to overcome, and were busy "making the magic." They had internalized the story long before and were struggling with how to get it onto film on time and within budget, dealing with the actors, the locations, and all the minutia that it takes to make a film like Pleasantville.
Clearly, the film takes on that mythical period in America. I say mythical because the white, middle class enjoyed probably the most comprehensive period of positive growth and progress in our short history as a nation. Since this was the majority of the population at the time, history, as captured in film, TV, and music of the day, was mostly positive and upbeat to reflect the times and the feelings of those living in them--I was one of those children, and I was completely oblivious to the world as most children were and some still are. "Duck and cover" was about as real as the world got to us.
If you don't understand the impact of this script and the film, I don't know how to bring it to you. Either you were not there or you have not spoken to enough people to "get" the point.
The very sad part of all this is that most of the issues in the film are not only alive today, but also are front-and-center in our political players, discourse, and actions today.
Maybe if we all helped our friends and neighbors view this film again (or for the first time), we might start a more positive discussion about where we are as a nation and what kind of country we want to be.
The national obsession with the post-war period in America is rooted in the white middle class and is something I would compare, in a dissertation, to the myth of the "Gone Withe the Wind" version of the American South pre-civil war.
Tackling these issues by making this film in 1998 was a brave undertaking, IMO. Naturally, viewers like me tend to pontificate about every frame of the film (not here) and the writer, director, etc., will find this type of analysis overblown. They were on a budget, had many technical issues to overcome, and were busy "making the magic." They had internalized the story long before and were struggling with how to get it onto film on time and within budget, dealing with the actors, the locations, and all the minutia that it takes to make a film like Pleasantville.
Clearly, the film takes on that mythical period in America. I say mythical because the white, middle class enjoyed probably the most comprehensive period of positive growth and progress in our short history as a nation. Since this was the majority of the population at the time, history, as captured in film, TV, and music of the day, was mostly positive and upbeat to reflect the times and the feelings of those living in them--I was one of those children, and I was completely oblivious to the world as most children were and some still are. "Duck and cover" was about as real as the world got to us.
If you don't understand the impact of this script and the film, I don't know how to bring it to you. Either you were not there or you have not spoken to enough people to "get" the point.
The very sad part of all this is that most of the issues in the film are not only alive today, but also are front-and-center in our political players, discourse, and actions today.
Maybe if we all helped our friends and neighbors view this film again (or for the first time), we might start a more positive discussion about where we are as a nation and what kind of country we want to be.
Tell Your Friends