Truman+Discussion

Home To what extent are the issues shown and raised in The Truman Show relevant to our society? Choose any example from the film describe its use and analyse its effectiveness as an agent for social change.

Thoughts on Gattaca & Truman Show
( from The Rough Guide to Science Fiction - John Scalzi . 2005 )

These two films are essentially “cross over genre - Science Fiction - Drama films. __**Gattaca**__ proposes a future where all are classified by genetic fitness. While the film was only moderately well received it now holds a reputation as a thoughtful and compelling film. It goes past the short hand plot device of genetic engineering that is used in many other films.


 * __The Truman Show__** - while TV reality shows like “Survivor” are in actual production the possibility of a programme about a man whose life, from birth to age 30, has been one long TV show remains speculative.

The notion that an actual human being - Truman - is being watched, and craved the attention from the characters in the film and, implicitly, the audience who know that he does not know the truth... Truman is a man without a single private moment to his name.

Truman’s nemesis is Cristof - the symptom but not the cause of Truman’s woes. The true nemesis is the audience who craves to be entertained regardless of the cost. Compared to Network (1976) in which the TV host is killed for having low ratings Truman is an optimistic film. Note that the audience is to blame for Truman’s plight even though they cheer for his self-discovery and flight from the fantasy world they have helped create.

The final words of the film sum up the real problem and why in the world that Truman exists would retain the set and plant another baby under the spotlights... a not very encouraging thought in our present world.