It is said that most movies are metaphors that reflect on the society and culture in which they were written and produced. Is this true? Are movies truly a reflection of us and our society? I would like to discuss this and take note especially of Westinghouse Work Films. What is the depth of these movies? How can they be explained? Specifically, I will focus on the two movies made in the 1990s The Truman Show and Pleasantvile.
The late nineteenth century and early twentieth century were times of great change within American society; culture and society were affected greatly. Industrialization was gathering speed and the agricultural based economy was shifting towards an industrial one. Immigrants were flooding into the American cities as well as men women and children were taking up industrial based jobs in order to support the families. The United States was one of the leading industrial powers of the time with industries in textiles, iron steel and crude oil thrivi ng. Conditions for the workers within these factories were harsh; workers would be expected to work long hours in hazardous conditions, many deaths occurred in the work place during this time. The state of the work place was depicted in a series of films called the Westinghouse Works films(1904) these were intended to showcase the company's operations but really negatively reflected Americas poor working conditions for the fir time on film.
A key change in culture of American here was the introduction to women into the work place. They increasingly needed to work to support the families but the range of jobs they could work in was limited by American culture and society. Women were seen to be only suitable for jobs in factories, teaching and generally domestic based work. The famous Westinghouse Works and the pharmaceutical company of Parke Davis were represented in film during this time and are a metaphor for the increased role of women with American society during th is period.
In recent times many films have represented or portrayed a particular aspect of the culture from which it was made. Noticeably the film The Truman show gives a metaphor of predominantly American culture but it may also be applied to a worldwide cultural basis. The film depicts accurately the celebrity spectacle, theme parks and the incursion of pop culture into aspects of people lives. Its parallels the view that, today everything American is entertainment, and filled by consumer bliss safety and uniformity.
The film offers a metaphor for this situation of the American public. The fake landscape Truman (main character) lives in, is reflective of the media landscape in which news, politics, advertising and public affairs are increasingly made up of theatrical illusions which we live in. Like our media landscape, it is convincing in its realism, with lifelike simulations and story lines. The theme is that people are becoming over powered by a media creat ed world, which only serves those in power the plot suggests if people want to avoid being controlled by the media and lead an authentic life people must withdraw from its fascination and its controlling features. The film creates the sense that media is taking over and slowly allowing no independence, privacy and plays on the idea that we as are being watched all the time. This is related to the mass media culture, which is currently engulfing peoples private lives through the world today, The Truman show is an extreme representation of late 20th and early 21st century culture, but it does successfully represent the feelings from within society through the medium of film.
This quote gives a typical view of an idea into the negative views towards certain media at this time. The phrase playing God has great meaning through out this film, a media company as a marketable product is using Truman the main actor in the film, and the control over Truman from the media company is based on personal gain. Cameras for a reality TV Show are watching him all day, the editors don't let him escape when he wants to stop being filmed, and they are controlling his life playing God. The Truman show draws from the thoughts and worries of today's society, that the media limits our emotion, imagination and freedom it explores these limits so realistically, which makes it such a success.
Another film that is similar in the fact that it represents society at the time it was made is Pleasantville. Like the Truman show this film introduces societies questioning illusion and reality, control and freedom and also it follows a similar story line in that the people in Pleasantville are being watched. Both these films are derived from the media and use it as a villain within the film. This fact alone reflects societies view towards the press at times. Both these films are based on a TV audience, which are happy to get into and enjoy watching the programs. Pleasan tville suggests that or life may not be al as it seems and puts doubt into the minds of people who watch it. In comparison with The Truman show it offers more hope and suggests that things should be changed and can be changed. Which represents how society is thinking in the modern day.
Both these films are good parodies of contemporary issues that enable us to reflect upon modern society and culture in an enjoyable way. Pleasantville and the Truman Show both show the over-dependence that is evident in today's society in respect to becoming overly reassured and believing of the media. Both films have been a success, in my opinion this is not down to the directorship of the films or the quality of acting, but the successful way in which the writer has incorporated modern day metaphorical views with in the film in relation to society and culture.
Mary Anne Winslow is a member of Essay Writing Service counselling department team and a dissertation Writing consultant. Contact her to get free counselling on custom essay Writing.
Author:: Mary Anne Winslow
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