Hiding reality for the sake of the American Dream in film
By: Jacqueline Schaffer
CW: This article contains topics of abuse, drugs, suicide, pedophilia, and spoilers
After the recent death of revolutionary director David Lynch, I decided to re-visit some of his most iconic and impactful works. Lynch’s films are raw reflections of our reality, and appeal to wide audiences due to the artistic fashion in which they reflect the disturbing underbelly of the world we live in. Specifically, American suburbia.
The American Dream can be defined as “the belief that anyone, regardless of where they came from or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success.” (Investopedia) Although that dream is subjective, there is a formula that has been pushed through years of media: the nuclear family, a house with a white picket fence, a well-paying job for a ‘comfortable’ lifestyle.
But with the desired notion of picture-perfect lifestyle, there is a history of hiding the unsavory realities of life. I believe this has been best explored through film.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) by David Lynch
Lynch’s 1992 horror film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is a feature-length prequel to his hit show Twin Peaks. The film received mixed reviews from fans as it did not have the same light hearted, silly ambiance of the show. However, for fans who love the character of Laura Palmer, the movie is a major turning point.
The show Twin Peaks follows Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) on his investigation of the death of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). The series introduces many characters and creates a deep lattice of stories to reveal the shady on-goings in the seemingly quiet town of Twin Peaks.
Laura’s character is explored more thoroughly in FWWM, as her promiscuous nature, drug addiction, and traumatic past are uncovered in the prequel.
Source: Reddit
Laura is portrayed as the all-American girl. Blonde, beloved, beauty queen, with a dutiful best friend and handsome boyfriend. Her parents appear happy in their large home with its sprawling lawn, and their town is peaceful on the surface. But there is a darkness to her character.
She is a damaged person. We find out her father has been sexually abusing her for years, seemingly under the possession of a demon called Bob. Her mother is in complete denial of any wrong-doings happening under her roof. Laura makes money for drugs by prostituting herself with another student.
How important is appearance to society? And what lengths are the ones around us willing to go to ensure those truths are not revealed?
FWWM, as aforementioned, still brings about many revelations for Laura and her suburban life. We learn about how twisted her past is, and how agreeable it became to overlook how others were taking advantage of her when seen through the lens of Twin Peaks.
However, the film managed to do something that was not achieved in the series: it saved Laura. Her death is inevitable, but many argue FWWM has a happy ending. In the final moments before her death, an angel descends and Laura begins to laugh and smile. She is finally free from her torturous life.
Source: American Cinematheque
Many of Lynch’s other works, such as Blue Velvet, are a reflection of Americana. They discuss the most taboo topics in a way that may make audiences uncomfortable, but they are an honest telling of what is going on in the lives of others that we choose to ignore.
The Virgin Suicides (1999) by Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola’s directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides, is a haunting exploration of the mundane. In the mid-70’s in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, the five beautiful and sheltered Lisbon sisters live in a picturesque home on a tree-lined street.
Source: Yahoo
The film begins with the youngest sisters, Cecilia Lisbon (Hanna R. Hall), suicide attempt. Her attempt is unsuccessful, but just a few weeks later, she jumps off the roof of her home, completing her mission.
The striking suicide of the 13-year-old is not ignored by the community she grew up in, and it is frowned upon. The fathers of the street quickly unionize to tear out the sharp fence Cecilia’s body was removed from, but was it for the sake of the Lisbon family or for the neighbors to forget the unsavory memory?
On the anniversary of Cecilia’s initial suicide attempt, the four sisters follow.
The novel, as well as the film, are narrated by one of the few neighborhood boys, nearly 20 years later, who had a deep fascination with the Lisbon girls. This perspective is unsatisfactory when attempting to solve the mystery of why the suicides took place, but is vital when examining the story for its message.
The Lisbon family successfully secured the American Dream, a beautiful home and family in a good neighborhood, but the girls felt trapped and dissatisfied with the restrictive rules they lived under.
In their own ways, each daughter expressed a desire for a life outside the plain city of Grosse Pointe. Cecilia’s fascination with mysticism, Lux’s drive for passion and love, Therese’s vast knowledge of science and travel. But these distinctions are generally ignored by the town’s members. They were simply objects taking their brief moment in the spotlight in the prosaic town.
The boys who take the sisters to prom, not knowing how to distinguish them from one another. The neighbors who live across from the Lisbon home, complaining about the poor visual state of the home. The boy who took Lux’s virginity, whose love turned to apathy shortly after the act.
We never learn why the girls did it. We know after Lux returns home late after her short-lived affair with Trip Fontaine, the girls are pulled out of school and are rarely seen outside their home. But we never get an understanding of what happens inside the overgrown home. We never reveal what is going on behind the picturesque image.
Source: The Dissolve
The suffocating monotony of suburban life, paired with the stifling repression imposed by their parents, left the Lisbon sisters with no path to autonomy—only a slow descent into isolation, longing, and ultimately, escape through death.
American Beauty (1999) by Sam Mendes
The controversial 1999 film debuted in an era where suburban families wondered “Is this really all there is to life?” Capturing the emptiness that is felt among those in a job they have no interest in, a life they have no passion for, and a routine they have been trapped in.
When it comes to taboo topics, American Beauty confronts one that is highly distained: If I have everything to make the perfect life, why am I unhappy?
A home, a partner, a child, stability. That was the American Dream. So how dare you strive for more, how dare you be ungrateful for what so many cannot have. But this is reality. We strive for a sense of fulfillment and when that is repressed, we for lack of a more fitting expression, crash out.
“In a year, I’ll be dead…and in a way, I’m dead already.”
Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is not a good person. He is selfish. He prioritizes his own happiness above that of his wife and daughter. He fetishizes a high school girl due to her virginity. But what drove him to this point?
Like in The Virgin Suicides, the dread of the mundane. The breaking point one reaches when he or she feels repressed to act out in a consequential way.
Carolyn Burnham (Annette Benning) is obsessed with the image of perfection. She reprimands her husband for his constant state of dread, and obsessively caters to her rose bushes in her front yard. She is also having an affair with a fellow realtor. Carolyn represents the hypocrisy of many Americans, hiding her secrets behind a wall of red roses. The superficiality that conquers her being (Earth Films).
Source: Cinema Sips
Their daughter, Jane (Thora Burch), is convinced that she has autonomy unlike her family, but she is a victim of societal expectations just the same. Jane often discusses her physical appearance, seen researching breast reductions at the beginning of the film. She craves the relationship she lost with her absent father, but she is not immune to the speculations that surround her.
In the years since its release, Mendes’ film has received backlash from viewers all over the internet despite its success in the awards category. While some argue the film was only great due to the time it was released or see the movie in a new light due to the upsetting revelations about Kevin Spacey (Today), generally mixed reviews are had about the film.
Besides what the audience believes, the message still stands today. Perceived perfection is not always as fulfilling as it appears, and those who point that out tend to be ostracized. Lester Burnham’s actions make him an incredibly questionable anti-hero, but they also reveal the multifaceted nature of all humans.
So, why should I care?
These movies and many others share the theme of darkness below the surface, but why? Relatability, for one. The saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ can be more tragic than it seems. Not only are there disturbing realities going on within scenic walls, but there is emptiness.
A life that appears fulfilling on the surface may be everything but. Ideally, a life driven by passion and happiness should be striven for, but is that possible today?
Job prospects and security are major influences in deciding what a student studies. According to a recent study, 41% of Americans believe the American Dream was once achievable, but no longer is. The majority of those that believe it is still possible are over the age of 50 (Pewresearch).
Younger generations have a different definition entirely of the American Dream, according to another study. Marriage and a family have fallen lower on their priority list, happiness, fulfillment, and freedom are dominant factors (Closeup).
Media history has reflected the dissatisfaction individuals have felt with the perceived American Dream, even dating back to the 1920’s with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book “The Great Gatsby.”
Today, society has a better understanding of following a path of fulfillment as opposed to one of ‘success.’ However, the pressures of society have not simply disappeared. Few Americans believe they can achieve the financial status they need to live ‘comfortably,’ (Bankrate) but the definition of comfortable is one that has been forced onto us.
The big screen may dazzle with promises of success, but these films remind us that, for too many, the American Dream is nothing more than a beautifully lit illusion — flickering, fading, and ultimately out of reach.
Jacqueline Schaffer is an Online and Print Editorial Writer for Rowdy Magazine. Follow her on Letterboxd @jackschaffer.
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