American Beauty

This week I took a break from the Six Feet Under Reading and Read the screen write for American Beauty. One thing that I found astonishing is how similar is how easy it is to tell that the same person wrote Six Feet Under. They both have that sense  of morbid sarcasm and irony. But even more so this movie had the same styling by having the main character play out in their mind about how they want reality to work, which is exactly what happens in Six Feet Under. One thing that is apparent in both bodies of work are the essence of death through out the stories as well as common issues of homosexuality. I think that being able to show how aligned the two pieces of work are, but also be able to bring up the differences between the two.

American Beauty Quote:  (Ending Scene)

I guess I could be pretty pissed off

about what happened to me... but it's

          hard to stay mad, when there's so much           beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel           like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's           too much, my heart fills up like a           balloon that's about to burst...

          ...and then I remember to relax, and stop

          trying to hold on to it, and then it           flows through me like rain and I can't           feel anything but gratitude for every           single moment of my stupid little life...               (amused)           You have no idea what I'm talking about,           I'm sure. But don't worry...                                                 FADE TO BLACK.                      LESTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)           You will someday.

Six Feet Under Update

In the last few episodes of Six Feet Under that I have read, Ruth has been dealing with conflicting emotions that she has for two men in her life, Hyriam and Nikolai. Nate is dealing with trying to keep up with Brenda while trying to convince her that they have a good romance and hope she will not bore of him. Which has become increasingly hard for Nate because even though he loved Brenda, he has to deal with her bipolar brother, Billy.  David is trying to keep his life together as well as help keep his boyfriend, Keith's life from getting to hectic either. And Claire having the better luck at the moment by discovering that she has budding talent to become an artist.

I think that a good idea to bring into my paper would be to bring up how hectic all of the characters lives are, but they are too wrapped up in themselves to notice that their entire family is have just about as much trouble as themselves. Even though they are family they never really talk to one another, and one tries to talk they end up getting shut down, this is usually Ruth. I think it would be interesting to show how disconnected an entire family can be even though they all live under the same roof.

thesis statement ideas

So far I have read through almost three seasons of Six Feet Under. And one thing that I have noticed throughout the book  is that even though all of the main characters s the show, David seems to be the most troubled out of all the characters. I when I was first researching for who I wanted to write my paper on I came across a few passages that said that Alan Ball loved putting himself into his writing. And he has done this very well with the character david. One of the biggest things you will notice between the two is the fact that they are gay. One of the biggest things that david over comes within the first few seasons is admitting to his family that he is gay. Alan Ball is openly gay and often brings these similar subjects into the shows he write. I think that this would be an interesting thing to investigate through my paper.

Corpse Symbolism

So Far I have read up to the season one finale of Six feet Under: Scene Eleven: Ruth's Car.

(In the first season episodes I have read, Nate Fisher, has been sucked into the family business, only to be kept under his younger brothers thumb. Claire and Ruth Fisher are struggling with their disheveled mother daughter relationship. Ruth is also trying to forgive herself for cheating on Nathaniel while he was still alive. And David Fisher tries to find a balance between home and work, while being pressured by his boyfriend to come out to his family that he's gay and is also being stalked by an obsessed woman.)

I think Alan Ball most defiantly uses symbolism in his writing. The Six Feet Under episodes that I have just finished show many different uses of symbolism. The one that I think shows up the most and most clearly is the conversations the main characters have with corpses that the family business takes in. In the episodes I have read so far all of the main characters have to work their way through some kind crisis that they have discovered. I think that the dead bodies, or possibly, the souls of the deceased at as a conscience for whom ever they are talking to. A soul that occurs quite often is the soul of the dead father and husband of the Fisher family, Nathaniel. All of the main characters have spoken to Nathaniel so far. And every time they do it is to discuss a problem the other leading character is having to face. But what makes me think that the souls are more of a conscience, then a psychologist is how they talk in favor of the one they are speaking to. They talk as if they are talking with themselves.

Six Feet Under: An Open Book. Thesis Blog.

During my break I was basically trying to find the rest of the screen writes that I wanted to to read. But I also read through one more script from Six Feet Under. The script was about the funeral of a pornstar from the eighties. In the stories, of Six Feet Under, the dead people talk to the main characters. One thing that I saw come up a lot is conversations concerning one of the fisher siblings' sexuality. The younger brother, out of the three children, David, is gay and has yet to tell his family. And the spirits of the dead people often act as the devil and angel on David's shoulder as well as the other main characters, such as Rico or Nate. Through out the screen write David gets very uncomfortable around Nate and Rico concerning the dead pornstar, because he feels guilty for his decision on not liking women.

My american author choice, Alan Ball, is openly gay and he often puts gay characters or gay issues into his screen writes. I think discussing how he is able to put himself and his thoughts into his work would be an interesting topic to use in my paper.

Pilot for Six Feet Under: Quote and Thoughts

Scene Two: Fisher Kitchen. Pilot.

David: That new hearse was a total waste of money. There was nothing wrong with the old one.

Ruth: I think your father is having some sort of midlife crisis.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know that this is a short quote but I think that it basically sums up my reading. I was able to finish reading the pilot to six feet under from when i began reading. The reason I think that this two line quote sums up my reading is how ironic it is. What I mean by that is having the words hearse and midlife crisis in the same conversation. I like the subtle contrast it shows between life and death. A midlife crisis is some thing most people experience at some point, but you keep on living, hence it being part of life. But a hearse is literally a vehicle for the dead. Which makes it a little funny to have both put casually in the same conversation. I think the contrast between life and death I have seen in the writing style so far would be a good subject for my paper.

American Author Proposal

American Author Proposal

 

            For my American Author paper, I want to research Alan Ball. Alan Ball was born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on May 13^th, 1957. He grew up in the suburb of Marietta. Even though Alan Ball was an undergraduate student from Florida State University School of Theatre, but he did not receive his diploma. Alan Ball is best know for writing his screen play for the Oscar winning film, “American Beauty” as well as for creating and writing “Six Feet Under.” He is also known for being a director, producer and occasional actor, for other plays and movies.

In total Alan Ball has written eight whole bodies of work. Two movies, five television shows, as well as five plays. The entitled movies are “American Beauty” and “Nothing is Private” also known as “Towel Head”. Out of his five television credits he is best known as the head writer for HBO’s success show “Six Feet Under.” His other television credits are “Oh Grow Up”, “Cybil”, “Grace Under Fire” and “True Blood.” One of the many thing Alan ball in know for are his comedic plays, including: "Made For a Woman", "Bachelor Holiday", "The Amazing Adventures of Tense Guy" and "Your Mother's Butt."

For all of these screenwrites Alan Ball has received An Oscar, (for “American Beauty”) as well as ten other rewards and has been nominated for sixteen awards in total. Those award shows were: WGA Award (Screen), for American Beauty; WGA Award (TV), for Six Feet Under; SEFCA Award, for American Beauty; ShoWest Award, for best screenwriter of the year; Golden Satellite Award, for best original screen play; Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic, for both Six Feet Under as well as Grace Under Fire (in both 2003, 2004 and 2006); OFCS Award, for American Beauty; ALFS Award, for screenwriter of the year; Sierra Award, for best screenplay; Golden Globes, for best motion picture; Stephen F. Kolzak Award; DGA Award, for Six Feet Under (three years in a row); Chlotrudis Award, for best original screenplay; BAFTA Film Award, for American Beauty’s screen play. He has also been nominated for the Emmys four times, in 2002, 2003, 2005, as well as 2006; he how ever only won the 2002 Emmy award.

What draws me to research the screenwriter is ability to be morbid but also be able to use comedy and romance in the same piece of work. I also enjoy how much of himself he puts into some of his characters. Alan Ball is outspokenly gay and his work often includes gay issues or characters such as David Fisher, who is one of the main characters on "Six Feet Under." I think this would be an interesting topic to use as part of my American author paper. Another issue I wanted to discuss is the mortality issue that constantly arises on Six Feet Under. In the end of the series one of the brothers, named Nate, passes away from AVM disease. Through out the show the family business is dealing with death, which makes them seem as if they are immune to it. But with the dieing of one of the family members brings you back to the reality: “Everything Has to End Sometime.”

The three bodies of work I want to focus on, for my paper, are: “American Beauty;” “Five Women in the Same Dress;” and “Six Feet Under;” especially the pilot and the series finale to see how the show progresses. I also how ever want to read others of his plays, if I am able to find the screen writes.