Pleasantville and Moral Panics

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

I want to add a couple of addendums. First I think it's important to acknowledge that being confused or uncomfortable with change is okay, it is never okay to weaponize that discomfort or make it someone else's problem. Unless that person is a therapist you're paying. Second, qveerness and resistence to heteronormativity have also been there all along. It's just that it was more hidden and so it is a thing that can be discovered from within, the way the colour is in the film. Last thing is my seperating the qveer narrative from the trans narrative was intended to be a generic versus specific thing, not to separate groups from under the big rainbow umbrella

[@adrianpetyt9167]

I love how we can see Betty's lovely grey-green eyes even when she's in black and white makeup.

[@ItsAllNunya]

I cried watching this. "Can they change back?" no. no i cant. its such an honest question though. and its a fair one to ask. its so innocent for somebody who's scared. i just hope they accept my answer.

[@Tevoro1962]

Wow - do I wish there were more people on this planet with even a fraction of your capacity for insight. This was brilliant. Thanks so much for recording it!

[@joanmoriarity8738]

One of my favourite conversation topics around this movie is “what do you think causes people to change from black and white to colour?” My answer is that the change happens when a person does what they had believed to be impossible. I’d never considered it as a trans allegory, but maybe I should have, especially since that was effectively my own experience coming out.

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

I think it’s knowing yourself, whether that’s your gender or your abilities or emotional range.

[@AdrianColley]

I thought it was about breaking the programming of what you believed you were supposed to do.

[@booksvsmovies]

I love the lens you look at media through. Every video is so insightful.

[@MahoganyRaven]

Hi, I was watching Pleasantville just now and was looking for a philosophical video on it I watched before and stumbled on your channel. I love video analysis on movies so I'm glad I found your channel. I am now subbed!

[@zingakielinska]

I was brought here from Jessie Gender's post and I'm very glad she shared this video, because I think you did a great job not only in analyzing the movie and wording your reasoning, but also in editing. I am now subscribed and on my way to binge your other works.

[@austin.luther]

Also here because of Jessie Gender!

[@dianamiller3307]

Can you link to that?

[@austin.luther]

@@dianamiller3307 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jH-yfWOKqJade6c That's to a video of hers on the fetishizing of transgender people in pop culture. She covers a lot of topics and always tries to approach each side's argument from a position of empathy.

[@dustind4694]

I like to tie this in with the movie Falling Down, with Michael Douglass. William H. Macy (love the guy) presents us the same anxieties and doubt and desire to go back that Michael Douglass does. He doesn't start killing people and he's definitely not an abuser willfully lying to himself (which is distinct), but he wants to go home, and that desire is rooted in a lie about what home is, and there are some moments when the possibility this will manifest in violence aren't misguided. Likewise with our two modern protagonists: one rejects everything more complicated than a prescribed role in a small section of the world and the other retreats from the world entirely. The fact that both of them share this fear/desire and rejection with the patriarch is pretty important.

[@gloriathomas3245]

Absolutely love this movie and its allegorical themes.

[@AgentPedestrian]

gdi I should not have watched this on the bus to work crying in public "doesn't she look beautiful. don't you wish you could tell her that" i can't process why. but this touched me very deeply

[@KathyTrithardt]

I haven't seen this one is such a long time, and this makes me want to watch it again!

[@LunarKnight22]

When you bring up watching the movie and viewing it from a different place in your life, it reminded me of something I read by a comedian I no longer value that I still think was interesting. He mentioned having watched a movie at four or five different places in his life, and how he went from agreeing with protagonist and believing in his stance, to arguing that the protagonist was an idiot. And I think it’s an interesting thing when you can step back and look and realize that life changes a great deal and sometimes see a story from another perspective. An acquaintance suggested you and I’m glad they did. I very much enjoyed this first video of yours I’ve watched. Thank you for your perspective. As a cis gendered, mostly straight, person I like to know what people around the world, who live lives different than I do think because it helps me understand the world a lot more.

[@poteeto1735]

heyo, i stumbled across this video bc i recently rewatched the movie showcased in your video. thank you from the bottom of my queer nonbinary heart for making this video and putting it out there in the interwebs. i think you handled the trans topics very well, proud of you for being an ally. thanks again for posting!

[@hahlilvndr]

Thanks for sharing this! Pleasanville is one of my favorite movies for these same reasons! I saw my queerness in the characters, & my experience of being trans reflected back to me. The use of color to illustrate self-acceptance is still one of my favorite uses of visual storytelling I've seen.

[@mcwjes]

Thank you for making this.

[@kkimsey5866]

Amen! This was great, thank you.

[@incredabbles]

This was such a good video, I think I need to go back and watch Pleasentville!

[@GiantPetRat]

I really like the way you talk about how different perspectives- in this particular case, those that concern personal identity- are all valuable and that they all bring something different to the table; they allow one to see more colors than they previously could before, which should never be a bad thing. I think that there are many people that self-identify as intellectuals who are seriously shortchanging* themselves by buying into the narratives proposed by others whose main goal is to use fear to their own advantage. *briefly exits to Google whether "shortchange" is a compound word or not... it's not. Sigh. English.

[@JRaymond-v8i]

I'm glad you broached this subject in your film review. I've seen it multiple times and I watched it through a purely entertainment lens as a fairy tale and gradually saw reflections of social issues that divide progressive and right wing evangelicals. Seemingly it was ahead of its time because we are now seeing these prejudices unfold in real time. The film is indeed an allegory of what we now experience. The fact that the film Barbie has set the right wing on fire is directly projected from the town hall meeting. Both films are rightfully provocative in dismantling chauvinistic 1950's stereotypes. As for the feminist movement I agree that it is eating itself by getting into bed with the erstwhile oppressors of feminism. LGBT+ cannot be debated out of existence. Activists like JKR will at best just be a "useful idiot" tool that the bigots will use to drive them underground and then like a Frankenstein monster it will then turn it's attention back to suppressing feminists. A case of be careful what your wish for. I say this 1000 times to the power of a million. The only defence you have with the purveyors of such nonsense is vote THEM underground. Vote! Vote! Vote!!

[@finngswan3732]

I literally thought I dreamed this movie up. Thank you for covering it. You did a wonderful job.

[@gregoryeatroff8608]

I think it works on multiple levels, certainly the LGBT context that you discussed here, but also the race/ethnicity level much more smoothly than you've argued here because racial minorities are often effectively invisible or kinda-sorta accepted as an inferior stratum of society as long as they accept the rules and the rule of the group in power, but become a thorn in the power structure's side when they start demanding equal rights and the power to express themselves outside of the imposed paradigm. I think working on so many levels is one of the film's strengths.

[@ghazaln]

Thank you for this video 🥺🙏🏼 this subject has been heavy on my heart too

[@cathylindeboo.9598]

When the characters confront the fear within themselves, do they grow and become "colorful". When the dad allowed himself to cry, he became colored. When Bud was able to express his anger he became colored. When Mary Sue discovered the empowerment in learning, instead of her prior hedonistic shallowness she became colored. I love that movie!! Very nice take on it, thanks.

[@alanmacification]

That whole bathroom thing always puzzled me. All our bathrooms at home are uni-sex. I know people who attended university with uni-sex dorms, and bathrooms and shower. I live in a small conservative city whose businesses complied to two bathroom rule by making one for employees and one for customers. This whole issue smells of Christian AstroTurf.

[@ragingbanshee]

This was such a lovely piece.

[@juls_krsslr7908]

Wow, you said some really important things in this video! I feel like I've known these things, but I can't easily put them into words, so it's a relief when someone else can articulate them so well. I also like the "banning umbrellas to stop the rain" metaphor. I'm going to use that in the future. The reality is, we can't stop change, and even the most authoritarian crackdown on deviance, even genocide, will ultimately fail to alleviate the fears driving it. I also liked the part about the different responses to change and uncertainty. My parents, especially my dad, is a "George," and it's so frustrating to me because he's not a bad person, but he's allowing other people to manipulate him with fear. I feel like it's easy to call all conservatives "evil," but they aren't. Maybe "weak" is a better word. They don't believe they have the strength to handle change. Btw, you looked so cute in your high school photo!

[@ferncrafted]

I wanna wrap myself up in this video and sleep in it like a blanket. This is such a gripping, beautiful essay. Thank you so much

[@renatanovato9460]

Engaging so the algorithm understands the relevance of this channel.🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏴🚩

[@twistysunshine]

This was a great video, thank you for sharing

[@andriy_tato]

Oh, those moral panics. Surely it was unwarranted, right?

[@Trump20-24years]

Great video 😊

[@Honeyybun]

Watching this 2025.. never heard of this movie but wow does it actually highlight it perfectly

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

@@Honeyybun it should be streaming somewhere, it’s a good movie even if I spoiled the plot for you

[@Honeyybun]

@ forget spoiling the plot.. you just validated something huuuuge and added a NEW movie to my watch list!! Ty 🫶🏽🥰

[@searchingfororion]

I've spent the last 20 years of my life studying Psychology with a subspecialty in Human Sexuality and Gender Studies. This is one of my favorite films, and I always had a "weird" interpretation of it. You knocked it out of the park on this for me. Also, the personal segment where you discuss your individual feelings regarding your identity and feminism is beautiful and (intentionally or not) is a fantastic visual allegory for the moment Betty's make-up reveals her. I'm stunned this video doesn't have more views and engagement in general. It's superb. Thank you for this.

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

It’s a special film, I’m glad you liked my take on it.

[@searchingfororion]

@@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic Thank you for the reply to my ( *very* long) comment. You're clearly a special *person* and I'm glad to give praise where it is due. (Be forewarned - I'm going through your previous videos now, so you'll probably get yet more from me.) Have a joyful [insert appropriate seasonal celebration] and many wonderful things for you in the future. 🏳️‍🌈😃

[@silversamantha]

Really like your read on this. I liked Pleasantville when it came out, but didn't see much past the surface (and boy are there reasons for it). I like to think Pleasantville is not unlike what might happen if Disney tried to make a John Waters movie for straight people (I know it's New Line or whatever but y'know). That said, (a) maybe it's not that simple and (b) maybe some people need that. Trans rights!🏳️‍⚧️❤️

[@AdrianColley]

> if Disney tried to make a John Waters movie for straight people 😂

[@digitalHistorian]

Being seen is the most powerful thing in the world. As someone who loves this movie and as a trans man in my 40s, I think you were spot on in your analysis and agree and appreciate your aside. Thank you and keep up the great work!

[@arielg7000]

so cool man fuuny

[@micah5847]

I love this so much!!!

[@thompur]

I think you missed a "familiar face" at the end. I only noticed it because I recently re-watched the Buffy episode "Out of Mind, Out of Sight". The teacher talking about AIDS, was the same actor, Denise Dowse, who played Miss Miller, the teacher who was helping Cordelia. * Just the Buffy nerd in me* ;-)

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

I figured I might not have got all of them. I mostly wanted to do the Riley gif at the end.

[@onbearfeet]

THAT'S where I knew her voice from! Thank you! 💜

[@Smile-ni9nc]

I love how you express your opinions, especially at the end. As a bisexual, cis afab feminist I can only whole heartedly agree

[@BlackCover95]

“…and of course, nobody suddenly changes race.” _Uncle Ruckus_ (no relation) _has entered the chat._

[@Tokahfang]

Loved Pleasantville, was looking forward to this video, was not expecting a bonus magnus opus on trans rights!! Thanks for remembering intersex people and transmen exist. =)

[@Redrum420CF]

I forgot how good this movie is, at the time I was like it’s that one movie with that guy who played spider-man and my dads favorite actress (yea his 2 favorite actress are Reese Witherspoon and Julia Stiles I guess …) I’m glad you where able to take a break from fat videos, not that I didn’t like them but nice to have a break. As for my favorite actress was Elliot page but probably Margot Robbie now because of I tonya and Harley Quinn.

[@throughthedin]

I cried quite a bit watching this. Queerness and trans-ness is magical and inherently valuable. Thank you. 🌈💖

[@Alina_Schmidt]

About the change that comes from within: I think about what you said about Black people‘s continuing restistance against racism, a resistance that didn‘t appear out of nowhere. Isn‘t that also true for queer movements that resisted heteronormativity and cissexism? Don‘t this movements also have a history which didn‘t come out of oneself without further context? I do see the queer metaphors in the movie as you pointed out. And I agree that it works better as a metaphor for queer movements than for antiracism. But the metaphor is still not perfect - of course not, it‘s a fairytale. In real life there isn‘t such a clear devide between „the agressive conservatives“ and „the confused conservatives who are nice people actually“. And if people feel overwhelmed by „change“ it is not a natural thing because it always has been that way - it is because they were cut off from many aspects of reality which would make clear that it it wasn’t that simple to begin with. But of course, in the metaphor of a fairytale, pleasantville at the beginning is „simple“.

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

You are right. I think I should have said that the LGBTQ movement would have more of a feeling of coming unexpectedly from within because people and history could hide or be hidden. And of course people don’t become queer, it’s something we discover within I should have been clearer is what’s happening in the film. I do think it’s natural for people to be confused by change or perceived, the problem is our society discourages healthy ways of processing that confusion.

[@unerevuese]

Yes!!! Feminism is better when we include others who have been victims of systems of oppression.

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

The forces that keep us down are all using the same playbook so our only chance is to work together.

[@VirtualJMills]

Not a looks comment, but a videography comment: In some sections, you're using a virtual greenscreening technique in software that isn't detecting sufficient contrast to your wardrobe / dress. This is most evident in the early intro where your (actor's left) side disappears into the background underlay briefly, and when sections of your hair disappear in the "mid-edit commentary" later in the video. This might be solvable via a brighter background, or pivoting to an actual greenscreen backdrop.

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

I know, those bits are shot with my webcam and it struggles to white balance on me. I’ll figure out a new system at some point, I just don’t feel like showing my living room on screen.

[@VirtualJMills]

@@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic I've found that improving boundary contrast helps with edge-finding. Might be as simple as tweaking lighting locations (potentially even some fill-light behind you) so the software sees "boundary" versus "blur".

[@Mike80097]

I see this as an homage to individuality…

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

Well a good story can be read many ways.

[@Heothbremel]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@andrewmahoney3482]

I do appreciate this, but it might be important to address. A trans story IS a queer story. We are apart of the queer community. And I know your intentions are good, speaking of us separately does somewhat play into trans exclusionary rhetoric a bit. So rather than saying this is a trans allegory over a queer one, say its a specifically trans allegory within the queer experience. I know you're not trans, but we are in the same community. 💙💙 [Edit: and I'm not trying to tone police or anything, I really do greatly appreciate the compassion. I just also think language is important.]

[@pierreetheve4572]

As I understood it, it was more of a "zoom in" on trans story as a part of queer story than a dichotomy between the two. We are the same community, LGBT has a T for a reason, and those trying to deny that are a) probably a loud but small vocal minority b) morons.

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

Thanks for the note, and of course you’re right we are part of the same community. I was trying to move from general to specific, but you’re right I kind of lost that in the process.

[@andrewmahoney3482]

@@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic totally makes sense! I have no idea what video writing is like, but I truly do enjoy your content. I've seen a few of you videos now. I'm also hyper-analytical, so don't let this take away from how good a video it actually is!

[@rtwindsor]

Love this commentary on Pleasantville! Thank you so much!

[@gamewrit0058]

❤️👍

[@austin.luther]

I agree that all trans people have a perspective of value regarding feminism. I'm a trans man and my coworkers (who are mostly women) like to joke that it's refreshing to talk to a man who actually understands childbirth. But it's only half-joking.

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

I hope they value you for yourself too.

[@maryparker5486]

Wow I love this movie and its race allegory but I've never seen the queer allegory in it before. Great analysis

[@fundiptimes]

I fell in love with this movie the first time I watched it years and years ago, and it's really awesome seeing someone who appreciates it like I do When I first saw it, it was before I discovered myself, but I think it really fits as an allegory for queerness. I haven't seen it in a while, but I think I will watch it again later today

[@Owlpunk]

Thank you for this essay. I'm pretty much your age, and this movie (I first watched it when I was 17 or so) was absolutely formative for me. I'm a cis, not-exactly-het guy, but the queer reading if this story was crystal clear to me from the first time I saw it. This movie is so wonderfully non-judgemental. It basically ends on the forming of a polycule, and one of my favorite aspects is how Jennifer (who brought sex to Pleasantville and started it all!) gets her colors... after reading a bunch of books. God, I love it.

[@robZtvDVD]

Interesting take and while the queer and trans reading is valid, I think it’s likewise too narrow as is a strictly racialized reading. This is the second thoughtful and penetrating review of Pleasantville I’ve watched, but neither one mentions the elephant in the room: fascism. The predominant imagery of oppression here is taken straight from the Nazis-breaking storefront glass, clean cut street thugs, and book burning. (Worth noting, the first books burned by the Nazis was the library of the sexological institute that was identifying and validating transness, among other things.) Fascism relies on a shared myth of perfection for the in group and the elimination of all others who don’t fit the script, whether it’s based on color, creed, sexual orientation, or political belief. To fight fascism, we must find common cause and not fragment into different identity groups. All the individual struggles are real and important but we need to see the bigger picture and band together to fight the overarching political narrative, which is the slide into fascism. Solidarity forever!

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

A good work of art always has many readings. The film is exploring intolerance and that is always an element of fascism, though not exclusive to fascism. I would actually suggest that the imagery is not taken from the Nazis. All these things happened in America in response to the Civil Rights Movement, they happened in Britain in the 80s with the NF. You might say that’s all the same, but to most people then (and many now) Nazis were a particular evil of a time and place. It would be a different matter to think of the nice normal neighbor you see everyday doing that, or to think you’re capable of it. The film doesn’t want you to think about how awful Nazis were, it wants you to think about how your relationship to intolerance. Do you tolerate it or perpetuate it. What happens to a community when you do? It keeps things small and personal because that’s where you reach people emotionally when they don’t already agree with you. Of course the answer to what happens to a community that tolerates intolerance is fascism, as we’re seeing now, but telling people that is less effective than showing them. Sometimes you don’t name the elephant in the room not because you don’t see it, but because it matters more to the room owner if they name it themselves. So you draw them a picture of part of it.

[@robZtvDVD]

Thanks for reply! I don’t disagree with anything you say but I think talking about this movie without drawing an explicit parallel to fascism is like talking about Jaws without mentioning the shark (which could probably be pretty cool, actually). I’m not saying it’s a specific indictment of the Nazis, but suggests we all might have a little fascist inside us. Makes me think of that Twilight Zone episode, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, where a suburban idyll is shattered when paranoia takes hold through fears implanted by bad actors with remote control technology that turns neighbors against each other: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monsters_Are_Due_on_Maple_Street

[@Sara_TheFatCultureCritic]

@@robZtvDVD If I talked about Jaws without mentioning the shark, you sure would be thinking about sharks a lot and maybe pay attention to the shape of the water. That’s the point.

[@Mario-rl5fx]

The movie where the protagonist straight up commits sexual assault but it's okay because she's a girl

[@oinkooink]

Your readings are 180 degrees wrong.