Pleasantville

Changes, as we all know, are necessary. Without changes, we cannot even identify who we are, what are our real characters and what are our own mistakes to be washed away. Even in Pleasantville, a town of perfection in a TV show with the same name where things are supposed to be always perfect, had to change no matter the way it is changed into. That is the message that Gary Ross, the director of the film Pleasantville, wanted to tell us. Set in the common modern family background of the 1990s, Pleasantville features David and Jennifer “Jenny”, the twin children of a broken marriage who live with a mother who’s always away from home. They are quite different from each other. David is introvert, shy, kind and mainly likes to watch the b&w (black and white) 1950’s TV show Pleasantville while Jenny is an extrovert, kinky, lazy and flirty girl who only likes dating and kissing boys. One day, a mysterious TV repairman comes and gives David a special TV remote control which he and his sister then fight upon. During their fight, they are strangely transferred to be the main characters, Bud and Mary Sue Parker, in the b&w TV show. They had entered the place of conformity where parents are always caring and protective of children, basketball players never miss a shot, the weather is always sunny, everyone treats each other kindly and sex as well as profanity is forbidden (George and Betty’s beds can be seen separated from each other). David got thrilled about the changes but then excited about them as Pleasantville has always been his favorite TV show. Jenny, on the other hand, is horrified and wanted to go home immediately. However, since they cannot get back until the repairman shows up again, they have to get used to this new life. Soon after, their futuristic, 1990’s ideals bring such changes into Pleasantville as colors start to fill in the b&w scenes. Such extreme and negative feelings appears (the resident and David argue angrily upon each other in the court). Eventually sex starts emerging (can be seen in scenes such as Skip and Jenny make love with each other, Betty masturbating in a bathtub and the picture of a naked woman is shown). Besides, even Jenny changes herself (it was not until her appearance in Pleasantville that she read books in a library) and the old family values also begins evolving to be more 90’s. Above all, perfection has begun to slip away from Pleasantville since David and Jenny appeared. Pleasantville, as considered by many audiences, is one of the few films which are both thought-provoking and entertaining. The director has skilfully implicated thinkable lessons behind hilarious scenes. This implication can be seen when Pleasantville residers are curious and a bit horrified about the rain falling down in the town for the very first time. This scene is thoroughly funny for most audiences, but on a deeper scale, it means the Pleasantville people are starting to learn how to accept changes. Not only themes of changes and sexuality as mentioned before are clearly shown, other themes, though auxiliary, are secretly implied. Examples of these can be identified as the themes of personal freedom (a list of rules mentioning some particular colors and music Pleasantville people are allowed to use or listen to is read aloud at the court) or discrimination between people (‘No coloreds allowed’). Another massive, important factor contributing to the film’s success is the visual technology effects. Throughout the movie, color is used impressively and effectively. As Pleasantville starts to change gradually from partly-colored (a red rose growing against the other b&w ones) to fully-colored (when the local kids are gathering in a park), the theme of change is emphasized stronger as more colors are filling the b&w vistas. According to the producers, the film needed a highly-technology type of digital special effects which is almost new to the current-time cinematography, and it should be seen more than once to absorb how the color scheme has been built and carried out. Moreover, all the actors performed in a solid, deep and meaningful way. Tobey Maguire (Spider Man) played a comfortable and charming boy whom audiences can hardly dismiss. Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon (Walk The Line) is successful in playing both a typical American “bad girl” in the 90s modern society and another “good girl” in the 50s Pleasantville despite their opposition. William H. Macy is successful as the Father-knows-it-all who is frightened upon the town’s changes as well as Joan Allen as the amorous, protective Mother. The supporting casts, Jeff Daniels as Bill the soda shop owner, Don Knotts as the mysterious TV repairman and the late J.T.Walsh as the resident who reject all changes are all highly appreciated for their performances. In brief, Pleasantville can be said as a modern-time fairytale, but it’s unlike the other old-fashioned fairytales which only take us to have-it-all realms. In fact, it not only entertains us with its extraordinary plot and excellent visual effects but it also encourages us to think about its themes and learn the lessons derived from such situations. I myself have learned a valuable lesson from what David told his real-life mom at the end of the film – “There’s no right house, no right car, no right husband.” In fact, there’s no Pleasantville. Nothing is perfect. We should learn to accept changes as well as identifying who we are and what we mistake so we can grow up and complete ourselves.