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Author Topic:   The Theme of Repression in the film "American Beauty"
Heart--Shaped Cross
Knowflake

Posts: 7178
From: 11/6/78 11:38am Boston, MA
Registered: Aug 2004

posted February 10, 2008 01:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Heart--Shaped Cross     Edit/Delete Message
I love this movie.

Watched it again recently.

It's fascinating...

Nothing in this movie is as it first appears. The characters whom the viewer is led to be suspicious of, those who outwardly engage in eccentricity, intensity, honesty, and other socially frowned-upon behaviors, end up proving their innocence, and rising by their own devices, while the ones who put on a mask, and pressure themselves to be perfect, or just "normal", ultimately collapse under their own weight, frequently dragging the others down with them. The stigmatized behaviors only become troublesome on account of their stigma, and because they are forced underground. The secrecy is what leads to so much estrangement, suspicion, misunderstanding, and, ultimately, violence. What an incredible, touching portrait of unnecessary tragedy; The American Dream turned nightmare. Like all the best works of art, I see more in this movie every time I view it.

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Xena
Moderator

Posts: 398
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2006

posted February 12, 2008 02:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Xena     Edit/Delete Message
Ohhh yes...I know ALL about the topics you describe (excuse swollen-headedness here).

The lesson is that it's best to be comfortable with oneself - however much of a fight one might need to put up.

Although, one may not need to put up a fight as such. It depends on the situation one finds oneself in and how much one is willing to *do* about it.

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ListensToTrees
Knowflake

Posts: 3844
From: Infinity
Registered: Jul 2005

posted February 12, 2008 02:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ListensToTrees     Edit/Delete Message
It's kind of about enlightenment.

Finding truth behind the illusion.

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