Welcome to the 46th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we read deeper into The Truman Show, a cinematic wonder that foretold the dangers of social media in the contemporary setting.
Released in 1998, The Truman Show is a film based on a false, fragmented reality through the eyes of innocence. Based in an artificial society, lead role Truman Barback takes the audience on a journey through his everyday life, unaware of the backstage production forcing every antic. As cameras follow the character, broadcasted live, Truman slowly becomes self-aware. Obscure events take place, such as stage lights falling from the sky, and Truman grows suspicious of his surroundings and begins to act sporadically.
Unbeknownst to him, his wife, friends and purpose are counterfeit, directed entirely for external viewing pleasure. The film leads with credits of these so-called actors, setting the tone for the movie. Onlookers are forcefully broken through the 4th wall and subsequently immersed into Truman’s show. As the plot progresses, discomforting undertones are masked with a rose tinted lens and the decline of Truman’s mental health is sugar coated with upbeat music and cheerful scenery.
Although intentionally difficult to see, the artistry lies in the overarching premise and forethought put into the film, creating a distinct connection between our base consciousness and his. Genius in both screenwriting and symbolism is executed flawlessly, allowing spectators to project Truman’s point of view and evoke sympathy for him. Speaking to norms we regard as typical, such as pervasive social media use seen in the current age, the film gains timeless notoriety, ironically produced before any hyper-connective platforms were actualized.
In The Truman Show, his character develops in pursuit of truth, facing the heights of his fears to set sail and break through the confines of his world. The Truman Show reminds us to chase our curiosities indefinitely, and prevail even when feats appear impossible to overcome.
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