The Method of American Beauty

[mr_reed]

Most of you have seen this acclaimed film I’m sure. It is considered a “classic” among the film community, and this is something I would agree with primarily for the following reason. It manages to take characters who behave completely unacceptably in a warm and accommodating emotional light that the mainstream can associate with

Comments

[ex_miss_dec]

I'm patiently waiting for a movie from the German perspective during WWII that portrays National Socialism as somethign other than Jew-hating devil worship.

[mr_reed]

It seems a strange thing to wait for.

I rented Laurence of Arabia about a week ago and was watching some special features. One was a conversation with Stephen Spielberg abut how the film inspired him. He said something along the lines of this: “With a story like this, that’s based on historic material, I think it’s ok to bend the truth a little to make it entertaining as a movie. Of course there are some things that should always be represented accurately, like the Holocaust.” In other words, “Bend history as much as you like but don’t fuck with the Jews.” Who is more top-brass in Hollywood than Spielberg? What he says goes.

[ex_miss_dec]

True, Spielberg is pretty much golden around here. As someone who has lived in LA for years I'm familiar with the industry, and there are certain things that you just can't do in major films. A good amount of the producers, writers, and directors are Jewish, and tend to focus on it too much, in my opinion.

(Have you seen For Your Consideration? If not, I highly recommend it, it's a very accurate view of the industry)

I find it particularly interesting how it's acceptable to "bend the truth" with certain portions of history, but not with others. I wonder why that is, what makes some historic material okay to screw around with to make "entertaining as a movie."

And you're exactly right, in LA you can't fuck with the Jews. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists sure. But Jews? Heaven forbid, apparently being God's chosen people means that you're immune.

[immortalrite]

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I remember first watching it half expecting that it was going to be some mindless chick-flick and being completely blown on my ass. The comments it makes about inauthenticity and over-socialization in modern society are exceptionally profound. It actually reminds me somewhat of "The Death of Ivan Ilych" by Leo Tolstoy; it describes a depressed a dissolutioned man attempting to find peace in a situation where he is constantly surrounded by fake, smiling idiots who lie to themselves in a desperate ploy to cover up the hopelessness of the situation. People don't want to admit reality so they put on a happy face and pretend that nothing is wrong.

[mr_reed]

I see many parallels between American Beauty and Fight Club. Lester might as well be an older version of Jack (the unnamed narrator). They both speak of men regaining themselves but from different perspectives. And now that I think of it, Carolyn could easily be a settled-down Marla, pensive in the memory of the vibrant woman she used to be and blaming her mate for it. As far as those characters are concerned, the main difference is the length of their relationship and the advent of children. The influence in behavior these differences cause can be clearly compared in each films blackmail scenes.

[mesahomie]

The absolute truth. The regaining of men in both cases is of the blind variety.

Also: I like Carolyn as Marla, as if she devoted her youth to indifferent acting out and reckless behaviour, and once she found one with whom she desired procreation (or more likely once she found herself in a place where she felt obligated to commit), she was clueless as to the next step, confronted with the impending responsibilities and such, and nestled into a stereotypical niche.

[mesahomie]

I don't know, I thought it was successful because Lester was an insignificant, forgettable person who came to happiness by considerably overcompensating for his unhappiness with exceedingly self-indulgent behavior, which was followed by his realization that he had managed to evolve from one who is disregarded by society to one who contributes nothing to it. You can even mark a point in the movie, when Angela tells him that he would be her first, where he has indulged enough. "I would be a very lucky man." No more smoothtalk ("You like... muscles?") for the high-school girl, no more misguided sense of purpose. Too little, then too much, and finally he has settled into the plateau of the logistical curve, and he no longer needs to exist

[mr_reed]

A considerate and articulate response; superior to my original post. I admit that I wrote this as a sporadic thought and after having posted it thinking “I should hold off and think about this some more,” but ended up posting it anyway. Maybe it was the pressure of work. But you’re right in any case. Thanks for always being a balance keeper.

[mesahomie]

I would do anything for you, Shayne! It has been long since words have passed between us. How has life been?