Pleasantville

While Pleasantville is seeping in links to our semester’s readings, these five points of the movie were first to make pen to paper. As the wholesomeness of the our ideal selves meets the universally accessible manipulation of society we all discover our “TechniColor” reality.

Poster’s article of virtual realities is brought to mind as the main characters of Pleasantville are expierencing a virtual reality of their 1990’s life. As Jennifer decies to stay in her new reality and embrace her new identity, I am reminded of class discussion on choosing the profile we out, virtually, per Poster’s article.

Early in the kids’ experience in Pleasantville, the mother won’t let her children leave with out a disgustingly large breakfast. This immedialty brought me to the Folly Food Mill article. As marketing played off of the fears of mothers and their ability to provide wholesome nutrition for their families, Pleasantville mothers felt pressured to stuff their families before a day of school/work.

“Mary Sue and Bud” prepare for a night out as Mary Sue makes note of her unnatural undergarmet. Moments of the Corset article flooded my mind. The unnatural shape of women and Bud’s assurance that “they don’t notice things like that”. Just as the corset was meant to make women subtly more attractive, Mary Sue’s 1950’s garment was meant to make her subtly more feminine.

As the citizens of Pleasantville acted out, they discovered new mediums to express their new values. Appadurai points out a similar practice as globalization has found a new medium. While Appadurai is wondering if westernization is losing is potency because of the widening availability of mediums, the citizens of Pleasantville could experience a loss of continuity with the widening of the message of new values.

Similarly, the citizens’ demonstrations link to Marling’s research of the 1950’s. 1958 is a poienette year in Marling’s work as this is when the Elvis shift occurred, as the shift in Pleasantville took place this same year. Marling pints on the changing of society from “perfection” as the wholesomeness of youth began to diminish, just as the youth of Pleasantville discovered their attraction toward one another.