Pleasantville (M) PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

Pleasantville (M, 1998) Presented in 35mm Film by The Revival House Perth

Twin siblings David and Jennifer (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon) are arguing over a 1950s television sitcom called Pleasantville when a mysterious television repairman (Don Knotts) transports them into the show itself. Suddenly, they're living in the black-and-white world of Pleasantville, a picturesque small town where everything is perfect, orderly, and entirely artificial. The brother and sister attempt to survive in this wholesome sitcom by following its rigid rules: nothing bad ever happens, everyone is polite, and every problem is solved by the end of each episode. But as they introduce modern ideas, sexuality, and genuine human emotion into this repressed community, the town literally begins to change—people and objects start appearing in color as they experience authentic feeling for the first time. The town's rigid authority figures resist this transformation, leading to conflict between those who embrace change and those desperately clinging to artificial perfection.

Director Gary Ross crafts a visually inventive fable about conformity, sexuality, and the necessity of embracing authentic emotion. The 1998 film uses color as metaphor for liberation and self-discovery, with the black-and-white Pleasantville gradually erupting in vivid hues as characters break free from repressive social constraints. Tobey Maguire brings earnest sincerity to David, the more cautious sibling who initially tries to preserve the show's status quo, while Reese Witherspoon's Jennifer becomes the agent of change through her refusal to hide her sexuality and individuality. The supporting cast—including Joan Allen as Jennifer's prudish mother and William H. Macy as her emotionally stunted father—creates believable characters undergoing genuine emotional awakening. The film's social commentary about conformity, book burning, and the suppression of sexuality remains urgent. Randy Newman's jazzy score and the contrast between black-and-white and Technicolor cinematography create visual poetry that reinforces the film's themes about the beauty of authentic human experience.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Sunday, August 9th at 1:00PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: M (Low level coarse language)