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American Beauty (1999): Films
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The message of "American Beauty" seems to be that great beauty can inspire a man to re-invent himself, to start over. It can kick-start him and pump new life into him, get him out his meaningless rut of existence. Too bad this rosy vision is scrambled by an ending that opts for a quick way out without confronting those issues. The film's attempt to look at the "big picture" of existence from the standpoint of death is about as unrewarding as trying to find the meaning of life by looking at the Grand Canyon. At least, in the case of "Grand Canyon" there is something pretty and inspiring to look at.
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Dreamworks Home Video is presenting "American Beauty" in its original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio in a transfer that is enhanced for 16x9 television sets. The transfer is highly detailed and balanced, bringing out the best of Conrad L. Hall’s poetic cinematography. The print is clean and mostly without speckles or blemishes, and the film’s grain is held at bay for the most part, limited to only a few select scenes. "American Beauty" uses a very bold color palette that is incredibly articulate and changes with any given scene almost. Sometimes carefully painting the images in pastel tones, the screen is awash in red at others, that is so vibrant that it appears to leap off the screen - quite literally. Still, there is no noticeable over-saturation of colors and skin tones are always faithfully rendered, firmly rooting the film’s color schemes.
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The score to American Beauty was composed by Thomas Newman. The soundtrack features songs by artists such as The Who, Free, Eels, The Folk Implosion, Gomez, and Bob Dylan, as well as a cover version of The Beatles "Because" performed by Elliott Smith. The film ... features "Don't Let It Bring You Down" performed by Annie Lennox, though this was not included on the soundtrack.
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American Beauty was filmed in Canoga Park, CA (Mr. Smiley's), LA, Sacramento, and the South High School in Torrance, CA. The film was originally going to be shot in San Jose in Santa Clara County, but the police would not let them fly below 300 feet for the aerial shot, because of the noise level the helicopter produced.
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The fall film season kicks off in high gear with American Beauty, a comedy of shocking gravity that comes front-loaded with advance raves and Oscar talk. Now the question is: Since buzz can lead to backlash - check those Blair Witch spoilsports - can Beauty stay unbruised? Let's hope so. Made for a i5 million pittance by the megabucks boys at DreamWorks - Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen -, American Beauty is a triumph of acting, writing and directing that defies glib…
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If you want to watch a light-hearted film with some elements of comedy and some elements of drama, don't see American Beauty. But if you enjoy films that make you think, and are entertained by an excellent cast, excellent directing, and an excellent screenplay, this film should be at the top of your list.
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