fUSION Anomaly. The Truman Show

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The Truman Show
This nOde last updated May 7th, 2003 and is permanently morphing...
(11 K'an (Corn) / 12 Uo - 24/260 - 12.19.10.4.4)

Truman Show, The (1998)
Directed by
Peter Weir

Writing credits
Andrew Niccol

Genre: Fantasy / Drama / Sci-Fi
Tagline: On The Air, Unaware

Plot Outline: An insurance salesman/adjuster (Jim Carrey) discovers his entire life is actually a TV show.

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey .... Truman's World: Truman Burbank
Laura Linney .... Truman's World: Meryl
Noah Emmerich .... Truman's World: Marlon
Natascha McElhone .... Truman's World: Lauren/Sylvia
Holland Taylor .... Truman's World: Truman's Mother
Brian Delate .... Truman's World: Truman's Father
Blair Slater .... Truman's World: Young Truman
Peter Krause .... Truman's World: Lawrence
Heidi Schanz .... Truman's World: Vivien
Ron Taylor .... Truman's World: Ron
Don Taylor .... Truman's World: Don
Ted Raymond .... Truman's World: Spencer
Judy Clayton .... Truman's World: Travel Agent
Fritz Dominique .... Truman's World: Truman's Neighbor
Angel Schmiedt .... Truman's World: Truman's Neighbor

MPAA: Rated PG for thematic elements and mild language.
Runtime: USA:102 / Japan:103 / Spain:104
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color (DeLuxe)
Sound Mix: DTS / Dolby Digital
Certification: USA:PG / UK:PG / Brazil:12 / Finland:K-12/9 / France:U / Germany:12 / Hong Kong:I / Mexico:A / Australia:PG / Portugal:M/12 / Spain:T / Sweden:11 / Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) / Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) / Netherlands:12 / Belgium:KT

Philip Glass is the composer of the film music, but it may not be widely known that he appears in the control booth playing synthesizers.

a movie with

transhumanist elements. a more palatable and less sci-fi

Philip K. Dickian tale of "what is

real". vaguely reminiscent of

The Prisoner. - @Om* 12/9/99

Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) is the most famous man in the world, and he doesn't even know it. Raised entirely 'within' a television show which comprises his entire world, Truman is an Everyman for the post-television age. Truman's world, "Seahaven", is an Eisenhower-era model of American bliss, recalling the prison-like Port Meirion and the moral certainty of Bedford Falls (Its a Wonderful Life). Surreptitiously filmed around the clock by 5000 hidden cameras, the show exists inside an enormous geodesic dome with simulated weather and even its own ocean. Through a series of production blunders Truman slowly realises that he is being controlled and that perhaps all in his world is not as it seems. His surrogate father by proxy, 'Christof' the producer/director, goes from being benevolent social scientist to evil genius as his attempts to frustrate Truman's wanderlust become more and more deadly. Will he escape?

The film raises some interesting points about our fascination with life as seen through the magnifying lens of tv, and the morality of real lives viewed as so much entertainment. But like most soaps the scenes from "The Truman Show" that appear within the movie are variously dull, mawkish and sentimental. At points the film has a problem deciding on whether it is going to be a straight escape-chase movie or a philosophical piece about morality and technology. The t.v. show's inherent blandess also lends little to the pace or our sense that there are characters worth caring about.

Carrey is good. This in itself is gratifying, and a tribute to a script that walks the tightrope of imitating bad t.v. in tandem with the metaphysical angst of Truman's unique situation. If it isn't quite the film it could have been, The Truman Show is still pretty much unique in the recent crop from our cultural overlords in Hollywood. No arthouse here, this is a watchable, big-budget think piece, with well-executed and stylish direction. Its too early to say but this film may have given some execs at NBC, ABC et al. one very bad idea...

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