Altman The Player Analysis

Whose reality Sample piece
Three body paragraphs

Is it the media that guides us through our reality? Or is it how we perceive the presented information and accept it for reality? Often it is the media that influence and twine our thoughts, and allow us to construct our sense of reality. Altman’s idea of presenting to its stars, an ideal world highlighting all positive aspects of life and hiding what may potentially tarnish its image, creates a reality for those involved. Similarly, in our world today, we convey information in the media – news and newspapers in general, and make that the reality of the world we inhabit. This constructs one reality as we learn and respond to what is visible rather than guess and interpret what cannot be
Altman consistently explores the allure and ultimate emptiness of the icons and institutions of the 20th century. In ‘The Player’ he delves into the microcosm of the Hollywood studio system, conveying his fascination with the trend of Hollywood. ‘Happy Endings’ is an element required to make a successful Hollywood film. Along with other components such as ‘suspense, laughter, violence, hope, heart, nudity, sex’. The Film’s title suggests a lack of seriousness, but it’s about a man who gets away with murder, and any normal scale of moral is skewed. The player, the contestant, the participant, is Griffin Mill, and the game is all about winning. If he is playing a mere game he is deadly serious. Murder does not seem to matter as much as retaining power and control in the studio. Griffin wants a ‘happy ending’. On the contrary, this defies the laws of reality in our world today. Criminals are punished for their fault, there are no happy endings. For this microcosm is a world where innocence is lost and where integrity and honesty are both rare and dangerous qualities to possess. Basically only those committed to nothing but themself have the means to survive in the world. This is expressed when Celia points out to Bonnie, when she got fired, ‘I’m not just me, I’m also the job’. Insinuating that, she cannot be a friend and that Bonnie has to manage by herself. Our world is very similar to that notion. People often deceived each other, treating their closest companions as tools. Take Julia Gillard for example, she betrayed Kevin Rudd in 2010, and has now fought so desperately to keep her position as Prime Minister. What we perceive as being our reality, it can be change by others’ action. Hence, one’s reality is purely influenced by the ones around