MovieChat Forums > The Truman Show (1998) Discussion > I *HATE* the audience applauding at the ...

I HATE the audience applauding at the end

posted 12 years ago by quantumfog-478-586069
15 replies | jump to latest

One might think that when Truman decides to walk out of the artificial world created by Cristof, and the viewing audience (from the bar, the old ladies, Japanese family), the the audience breaking out in applause was a good thing.

Wrong. Wrongity, wrong, wrong!

I hated that scene. Why? Were they applauding Truman's growth as a human being. No, they were applauding a plot twist. Did they care that Truman saw the light, so-to-speak? No, they were giddy over a character development. Were they pleased that he came to the realization that what was real was more important than what was safe? No. They were just selfish bastards that were only concerned about what they viewed as a large-scaled soap opera.

Gawd, that pi$$ed me off.

[–] IkuharaKunihiko 12 years ago

My take on it - the viewers basically kept the system rolling, but they saw a man in trouble, go through the greatest quest and ordeal to live the way he wants - free - and succeed, and for once in their life, they acted normally, the way anyone would do - they cheered that he made it. I actually do not have a problem with that.

The final scene is a satirical commentary at that, though, which deliberately leaves a bitter taste: the viewers felt there is some truth that Truman found, and that was shared with them through the TV, but are so shallow that they just forgot everything the minute it ended.

[–] quantumfog-478-586069 11 years ago

but are so shallow that they just forgot everything the minute it ended.

Agreed. Specifically the part where the security guards said "Let's see what else is on".

Grrrr.

[–] ArtAesthetics 11 years ago

This!

Hated that part. Talk about marring a perfectly elevated scene with something stupid and mundane. And yes I could have done without the clapping and cheering too.

[–] archer6749 11 years ago

It seems kind of like a mirror to people watching this movie by showing them how they act when a certain film or actor is a huge hit (Titanic, Twilight etc.) and how the fans make it their lives but when the hype is over they quickly forget about it and move on to something else they can obsess over

[–] SataiDelen 10 years ago

The parking attendants (they were not guards, they were parking attendants) saying, "Let's see what else is on," is specifically to point out that as involved as they were with Truman and his life, and following it, the reality of it all is that once a T.V. show ends, people immediately clock out of the show and do indeed forget all about it because they want immediate gratification, so they want to find another show to invest in, and that yes, people ARE that shallow. Further, it shows that life goes on. THAT was the point.

[–] Koosh_King01 8 years ago

(they were not guards, they were parking attendants)

That's how they're credited, but the patches on their uniforms say "security," so I guess they both attend to the parking garage and provide security.

I mean, really, how many times will you look under Jabba's manboobs?

[–] v_anzaldua 10 years ago

The one thing I found upsetting was the fact that the viewers were neglecting the other things they had to do, like working or taking baths. . .or even eating. But that's precisely what the producers of reality shows want: people who stay glued to their seats watching other people who agree to star in these pathetic farces--and people who watch obsessively, at the expense of everything and everyone else in their lives.

[–] sackofwhine 9 years ago

That was the whole point. The selfish and not-caring attitude people have. Its a great social commentary. This is us. We are the people cheering and switiching channels, not even thinking about what we just saw. We only consume and dont produce. Food for thoughts

[–] tomkaren1994 11 years ago

The scene was totally appropriate. It expressed the shallow nature of the viewers. I thought it was great.

[–] badida_1995 11 years ago

What did you want them to be sad? Did you honestly expect that they would still want Truman stuck in that miserable world? Of course, not. They were being sympathetic, even though they even didn't think about murdering Christof who robbed him of his life. They were sort of selfish. But I loved the way they were happy. What I actually hated is the extreme ending scene, where two police officers decide to move on THAT quickly. I mean, come on. It can't be that way. Nobody is that cold-hearted. I would look him up, and be his friend, and really have him have a happy life with Sylvia. This movie, I think, was kinda misanthropic. Except for Sylvia, it made everyone look evil and cold-hearted.

[–] SataiDelen 10 years ago

Um, it's not about being cold-hearted. It's about the fact that this was a show. So yes, they would move on that quickly, and that was the point that the movie was trying to get across. The WORLD was invested in this show which aired ALL day, EVERY day. They lived their lives around his, morning, noon, and night. And yet, as invested as they were while the show was on, once the show ended, they moved on. That is life, and it was a very realistic ending. And you wanting to look him up for genuine friendship would be the oddity/rarity. The majority of the people would not. Oh, they would probably run up to him if they saw him in the street and possibly ask for an autograph, or ask if they could take a picture with him, but that would be about it. That's just the way most people are.

[–] emergencyCALL_911 9 years ago

I would look him up, and be his friend, and really have him have a happy life with Sylvia. This movie, I think, was kinda misanthropic. Except for Sylvia, it made everyone look evil and cold-hearted.

How many millions of people do you think there are looking him up and wanting to be his friend? He can only hope that the other few billion will be content to move on to something else and quit obsessing over him, but of course it's highly unlikely those two officers won't tune in to all the news coverage that's sure to follow.

If there was a decent way to react to a show like that it would be to boycott it on principle, not for each person who'd been glued to the screen for years helping to keep the show running to make it their personal business to become Truman's first "real" friend. No matter how genuine their sentiment, it would still be another instance of them trying to insert themselves into a life that's none of their business.
______
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of things not found within recorded time.

[–] IpsaThis 11 years ago

First of all, you don't know why they're applauding. You're stating an opinion.

They could be happy that he's free (having grown so much themselves in recent days, watching him discover the truth). They could be happy they won money betting with the bartender. And they could be psyched about a "plot twist" like you said - although that seems very stupid and short-sighted, considering there is now no more plot. The show is over, and so I don't see how they could be excited about that plot development unless they didn't like the show. So I'm not sure your theory holds much water, except for those viewers invested enough to care so deeply about a plot twist, but stupid enough to not understand that the show is over.

I know at least some people were happy for him. There's Sylvia, and the security guard that yells out, "He made it. Yeah! Alright Truman!" That leads me to believe that there are many more out there like Sylvia (as do her Free Truman posters or bumper stickers and whatever else). My opinion is that most of those cheering are happy that Truman won his freedom.

Second of all, I saw a range of emotions. Most people were happy, but there were a few crying faces and one very furious man in a tub. You mentioned the old ladies. Not sure if I'm remembering right, but I thought one of them looked happy and one was sobbing (out of joy for her "friend" or sorrow for the loss of her friend, we don't know).

Third of all, even for those that are doing exactly what you say they're doing, I don't see how that affects the movie negatively. The point there would be that the viewing audience is shallow. Uh, gee, you mean the same audience that's watched a real human live in a fake world and be toyed with endlessly solely for their amusement and some business's bottom line? No duh they're shallow. We already knew that. That was kind of a major point of the movie.

[–] Gwasgray 10 years ago

I think it was a bit more than just a "plot twist" or a "character development". He was experiencing something that had never happened to anyone before in the history of the world. And they'd been watching him for the last 30 years. Don't you think such a thing would get a reaction out of people?

[–] zee944 9 years ago

Gawd, this stupid post pi$$ed me off.

Wrong. Wrongity, wrong, wrong!

Applauding a plot twist? What plot twist? Truman leaving a show is a plot twist for you? You didn't see that coming?

They've been watching Truman for 30 years already! They probably started watching the show for "selfish" reasons, only wanting to be entertained. After years of watching Truman, they became attached to him, most of them liked him, cared about a him and were happy for him when he found what he wanted. In essence, they were exactly "applauding Truman's growth as a human being". And this has nothing to do with if they're otherwise selfish/unintelligent/bad persons or not. It is just how human soul works, they'll root for a likeable hero. It was a totally unselfish, caring, touching moment, which would happen very similarly in the real world if a show like Truman's would exist.

This movie is not realistic as a whole, too light-hearted, too optimistic and all, but the way the audience reacts to Truman's discovery doesn't stand out; it's very much realistic under the circumstances.

I *HATE* the audience applauding at the end

I HATE the audience applauding at the end