The Truman Show facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Truman Show |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Peter Weir |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Andrew Niccol |
| Starring | |
| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Peter Biziou |
| Editing by |
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| Studio | Scott Rudin Productions |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | June 1, 1998 (Los Angeles) June 5, 1998 (United States) |
| Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $60 million |
| Money made | $264.1 million |
The Truman Show is a 1998 American comedy-drama movie. It was directed by Peter Weir and written by Andrew Niccol. The main star of the movie is Jim Carrey.
The film is about a young man named Truman Burbank. He lives in a made-up town called Seahaven. The whole town is inside a giant dome. Truman's life is shown on television all over the world. He has been on this TV show since he was born. He was one of six unwanted babies chosen for the show. Truman does not know that his life is a TV show. He thinks everything is real.
Christof is the person who created the show. He is in charge of everything. He wants the show to go perfectly and does not want to lose Truman. Truman slowly starts to realize that his world is not what it seems.
Meet the Characters
This section introduces the main actors and the characters they play in The Truman Show.
Truman Burbank: The Main Star
- Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank.
- Truman is the main character. He does not know that his whole life is a TV show. Everyone watches him every day. He works in insurance and has a wife. But he starts to notice strange things around him. Jim Carrey was chosen for the role because the director saw his acting skills. Carrey wanted to show he could be a serious actor, not just funny.
Meryl Burbank: Truman's Wife
- Laura Linney plays Hannah Gill, who acts as Meryl Burbank.
- Meryl is Truman's wife on the show. She works as a nurse. The TV show makes money by showing products. So, Meryl often shows off things she has "bought." These moments are some of the strange things Truman notices. Her job is to be Truman's wife and have a child with him. She leaves the show after a big fight with Truman.
Christof: The Show's Creator
- Ed Harris plays Christof.
- Christof is the person who created The Truman Show. He is very dedicated to the program. He controls everything that happens. He often directs the show himself. Ed Harris took over the role at the last minute.
Marlon: Truman's Best Friend
- Noah Emmerich plays Louis Coltrane, who acts as Marlon.
- Marlon is Truman's best friend since they were little. He works for a company that sells snacks. Marlon promises Truman he would never lie to him. But Marlon is part of the show and has to lie. The actor, Noah Emmerich, said his character felt bad about tricking Truman.
Sylvia: The Truth-Teller
- Natascha McElhone plays Sylvia, who acts as Lauren Garland.
- Sylvia was hired to be a background actor in the show. She played a student at Truman's college. But Sylvia believes Truman should be free. She tried to tell him the truth about his life. She was removed from the show before she could tell him everything. After that, she protested against The Truman Show. She wanted Christof to let Truman go.
Truman's Family on the Show
- Holland Taylor plays Alanis Montclair, acting as Truman's mother, Angela Burbank.
- Brian Delate plays Walter Moore, acting as Truman's father, Kirk Burbank.
- Walter's character, Kirk, was "killed off" the show when Truman was a child. He supposedly died in a storm at sea. This event was planned to make Truman afraid of water. This fear was meant to stop him from leaving the show's set. Walter later sneaks back into Seahaven. He pretends to be an extra. Truman sees him, and his character is brought back to the show. They say he had amnesia to explain his long absence.
How the Movie Was Made
This section talks about the creation and filming of The Truman Show.
Writing the Story
Andrew Niccol first wrote a short idea for the movie in 1991. It was called The Malcolm Show. The first idea was more like a scary science fiction story. It was set in New York City. Niccol said that everyone sometimes wonders if their life is real. In 1993, a producer named Scott Rudin bought the script. Paramount Pictures agreed to release the movie.
Choosing the Director and Star
Many directors were thought of for the movie. But Peter Weir became the director in 1995. He wanted the movie to be funnier. He felt Niccol's first script was too serious. Weir believed the audience could watch a show like this all day, every day. Niccol wrote many versions of the script.
Later in 1995, Jim Carrey agreed to be the star. He was busy with other movies, so Weir waited a year for him. Weir felt Carrey was perfect for the role. Weir also wrote a fake book about the show's history. He thought about the characters' pasts. He encouraged the actors to do the same.
Filming Locations and Design
Peter Weir looked for places to film in Florida. He found Seaside, Florida. It was a planned community that looked perfect for the movie. Most of the filming happened there. Truman's house in the movie was a real house owned by the Gaetz family. Other scenes were filmed in Los Angeles. The movie's look was inspired by old paintings and postcards from the 1960s. The filmmakers also studied how surveillance cameras work for certain shots.
Special Effects and Look
Filming took place from December 1996 to April 1998. The movie's look was influenced by television, especially commercials. Many shots show characters looking right at the camera. Inside scenes were very bright. This was to remind viewers that everything in Truman's world was for sale. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) was used for the top parts of some tall buildings. These digital buildings did not need to look perfectly real. This was because the whole town was meant to look a bit artificial.
What the Movie Means
The Truman Show explores ideas about media and reality.
Media and Reality TV
The Truman Show is seen as a movie that predicted reality television. It shows how fake reality TV can be. The movie suggests that people's lives can be controlled by what they see on TV. Truman's life on the show inspires people around the world. This means their lives are affected by his. The movie shows how powerful media can be.
Similarities to Utopia
The movie has some ideas like the old book Utopia by Thomas More. In Utopia, there is an island with only one way in and one way out. Only those who live there know how to get in and out safely. This is like The Truman Show. Truman's world has limited ways to leave. Truman is afraid of leaving his small community because of a childhood event.
In Utopia, everyone thinks alike. The people in Truman's world also think alike. They all work together to keep Truman from knowing the truth. The town looks like the "American Dream" from the 1950s. This perfect look is meant to keep Truman happy and unaware.
See also
In Spanish: The Truman Show para niños
