The Truman Show, How the Media Manipulates and Control - Movie Review Example

Our modern society is so dependent nowadays on the means of global communication for its proper everyday functioning, that we can hardly imagine our life without mass media. The example of the huge role of mass media in the modern world is a perfect exemplification of how we often become dependent on the means which initially were aimed at making people freer, and, in its turn, the film "The Truman Show" offers a very interesting interpretation of possible consequences and ramifications of the enormous power of mass media in modern societies. The film tells us a story of the life of Truman Burbank, who since his birth is being incessantly shown throughout the world in a kind of a mega reality show, so that he became a star already because he simply existed. At same time, ironically, he himself is not even aware of being spied by cameras in every part of his world. But aside from the unusual plot itself, what makes this film especially powerful is the way it manages to show through a wise combination of images how manipulation and control are implemented over people by mass media. The director of "The Truman Show" Peter Weir employs a set of fine cinematographic techniques to show his deep understanding of the potential of mass media to manipulate and control people, which makes the film so strong in its influence on the audience. With these considerations in mind, we can look in more detail at how the film manages to achieve its effect. In the process, we can compare the films message with relevant messages contained in the film "Chicago" and in a cartoon picture by Peter Nicholson that parodies the naive trust of the audience towards mass media. First of all, it seems that the main reason why the film proved to be so successful and resonant is that the picture is critical of the popular perceptions and images that dominate our society nowadays. While presenting to us the story of Truman in an allegorical form, the film nevertheless conveys a clear message that invokes in viewers associations with our reality. Basically, what is important in the film is that the world of Truman, despite being constructed in such a way as to mimic reality, is nevertheless feigned. This is evident for example from the scene which shows the short story of the Trumans life and its important milestones. The commentary goes like this: ". . . people were there for his birth . . . tuned in for his first step . . ." In this way, the main hero of the film is under the invisible influence of his spectators, whose demands as of consumers underlie the essence and the plot of Trumans life. Indeed, the support the claim that 5000 hidden cameras are there to observe Truman, a lot of different cinematographic techniques are used. In the film we can see multiple zoom effects and unusual focuses and angles that add to the sensation of participation in a surveillance. In this manner, "The Truman Show" deftly manipulates the perception of reality contrasted to illusion. This apparent contradiction is intensified by Christof who says: ". . . the world Truman inhabits is in some respects counterfeit", but at the same time acknowledges that "there is nothing false about Truman himself". Also, the contrast between reality and illusion can be seen when we witness in the film how the life of another person may serve as an entertainment for others. This is represented by glimpses of the mesmerized spectators of Trumans life - a man watching the show in the bath, people watching the story of Truman's life in the Truman Bar, a woman so engulfed by the show that she pays no attention to a baby. These comic personages who represent how "the world stood still" are used to issue a warning to the actual audience of the film that aims to dissuade them from unquestioned acceptance of the offered reality. And this warning is warranted, because, as Christof states himself, humanity is willing to accept the reality of the world that it sees and experiences, even on TV. If this acceptance becomes absolute, then those who create this reality obtain almost godlike qualities. This is represented in the film by images of Christof who occupies much more space on the TV screen than the world of Truman. This subtle technique of contrast between Truman and Christof hints at the true role of the media in the creation of reality which is always subordinate to it. Indeed, it is hard for Christof to avoid the sensation of personal divinity if he starts every day by saying: "Cue the sun . . . I am the creator". What is interesting is that this empowerment makes Christof so cynical that despite the moments when Christof manifests his concern with Truman (when he is shown near the screen where Truman is sleeping), he nevertheless begins to believe that "Truman prefers his cell". This is why the episodes with the control room of Christof are made, in a visible contrast to the world of Seahaven, in darker colors that suggest the evil nature of media. On the other hand, even Sylvia, who belongs to those people who adequately see the position of Truman as of a prisoner, bolsters the image of media as of a powerful godlike entity, for instance when she is shown appealing to the TV in relation to Trumans situation "Please, God". Interestingly, to prove his point Weir sometimes employs in the film techniques which he at the same time criticizes, and often makes them exaggerated to the extreme point, like with the scene which depicts Seahaven as a beautiful idyllic landscape filled with bright lighting. There are similar and peacefully looking houses, and the ocean in the background. Christof, who is the author of this setting, aptly describes it as "how the world should be", which to a large degree explains the reason why so many people find solace in The Truman Show. The masterful combination of all these elements creates an absolutely artificially looking environment, but nevertheless forces an impression of an ordered, perfect and happy place. Apparently, Truman conforms to this image as each day, which is always sunny and nice, he goes to work, does his duties, returns home for dinner, meets a friend, and in general lives a simple but cozy life. However, soon Truman begins to suspect that not everything is all right and that he is the only one who is not pretending. And the clues for this amass - at first a stage lamp falls in front of Truman, then he meets his father who was supposed to be dead. These unexpected for him images that contradict the Trumans perception of reality gradually strip Truman of "right" behavior as he becomes aware of being manipulated from outside and becomes angry with this fact. As he tries to manage his life, we are left with the impression of his imperfect life juxtaposed with the perfect environment, so this serves as an analogy with inevitable imperfections of our existence. The exaggerated approach to the creation of the mentioned image of Seahaven is reminiscent of numerous analogous techniques widely used in advertising. Another image that immediately invokes association with advertising occurs when Meryl shows Truman the "Chef's Pal", with the accompanying close-up of her face. This technique of dollying helps us see her feigned and persistent smile that is in full accordance with the tone of her exclamation: "it's a dicer, peeler, grater all in one". Even though the dialogue between them is known in advance to be artificial, the response of Truman "that's amazing" shows to what degree he (and we as well) is preprogrammed and controlled by the media. The degree of the control that commercial images have on us is also exemplified in gardening scenes. In general, it seems that Truman, who is used to advertising-like environment, has apparently grown even more susceptible to the manipulative influence of images, and became much more defenseless in their face. This is not strange, as the limited scope of Trumans abilities was maintained by Christof, for whom his fear of the waters was instrumental in keeping Truman under control on his island separated from reality. We can see how this fear limits Truman when he recalls his childhood, and the drowning of his father. Aside from the father's alleged drowning that gave Truman a fear of water, a fear of flying is instilled in him by the travel agent, and the idea that there was no need to leave this perfect place was maintained in Truman by his wife and his friend Marlon. The image of the bus which is unable to depart to Chicago embodies the shackles that keep Truman in place. Similar messages are present in the film "Chicago", which depicts America in the 1930s/40s. This film convincingly shows the enormous power that carefully elaborated words and framed up imagery displayed before public possess. Indeed, one of the characters of the movie, the slick lawyer Billy Flynn, bases all his success on his ability to manipulate and control the public opinion. His power is so great that he can turn a convicted heroine of the film into a widely-acknowledged mega star. Perfectly knowing the essence of the human nature, Billy Flynn manages to carry Roxie Hart though all those statuses and to her miraculous acquittal and recognition as a celebrity. Here, in the episode with the court press conference, arguably one of the most powerful images of total manipulation occurs, when through the symbolic use of strings attached to puppet-like people we can see how Billy controls the course of events. At this moment we can immediately witness how a new reality, which is different from what we know about Roxie, is being created by manipulation and control. This tendency towards escapism from the unpleasant and disturbing aspects of our reality is perhaps nowhere more present than in the stance that our society has towards war, about which most people have a perverted notion. In this regard, a cartoon picture by Peter Nicholson is probably the most vivid rendering of this existing contradiction. At this picture a man is sitting in a comfortable chair before a large TV screen and is watching a film about war. On the screen there are hostilities represented in suitably aggressive colors, which the man takes for the truthful image of the war itself as he exclaims: "So this is what war is really like!" However, the comfortable environment of the room makes it hardly possible that the man indeed experiences anything reminiscent of being really at war. Yet, he firmly believes in the validity of the offered media images of war, and, perhaps, revels in his heightened knowledge. Here, we can hardly avoid another analogy with "The Truman Show", in which the audience similarly begins to forget that the main hero is controlled, and prefers to view him as real. Under this view, we come really close to the very definition of manipulation and control which permeate unthinking societies. Finally, the main task of the discussed techniques of presentation of images is to make society adequately and freely comprehend all the precautionary messages contained in the films, which, in contrast to dry sociological warnings, are impressive because they speak directly to our heart and emotions. Indeed, what is the ultimate purpose of manipulation and control as such if not the subjugation of a subject in such a way as to prevent him or her from making own judgements Still, in order to make people see this it is not sufficient to simply make statements, it is necessary to awake the realization of this fact in peoples imagination. In this regard, "The Truman Show" helps viewers to heighten their comprehension of how media uses images as a tool to manipulate and control our actions and emotions. And akin to perhaps the most important scene of "The Truman Show", when Truman changes and takes control of his life by cutting the strings of manipulation, we also should realize that only by having enough courage to become ourselves can we live our own life and avoid the restraining influence and control of the media and its false imagery. References: Marshall, Rob. "Chicago". Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 2002. Weir, Peter. "The Truman Show". Paramount Home Entertainment, 1998. Read More