Music and the Fictive Dream: The Greatest Showman
Music and the Fictive Dream: The Greatest Showman
Biographical Information:
The Greatest Showman is based off of the life of a man, P.T. Barnum. In the movie he is played by Hugh Jackman. It takes place in the 1850's and 1860's in America. The movie was created in premiered on December 8, 2017 and was directed by Micheal Gracey. The Greatest Showman is about what goes on behind the world famous circus. P.T. Barnum grew displaying a natural talent for publicity and promotion. He went on to grow up jumping from multiple jobs and then eventually to show business where he found his calling. He ended up creating the Barnum and Bailey Circus. His circus ended up having mesmerizing spectacles and breath taking performances. His shows and performances that he held became known as the greatest show on earth.
What role does the work serve:
The role that The Greatest Showman serves a couple of meaningful roles within the movie. The first one being that you should never give up on your dreams. During the movie some of the performers felt like the stood out for being who they were. In the movie there was a women who had facial hair because she had a hormonal problem and she felt different and got made fun of. The movie reminds us that it is okay to be unique. It reminds us that you need to proud of yourself for who you are. Another meaning that was displayed within the movie is at certain points of Barnum's career he didn't have the confidence in himself that he could run the show, or even get it up and running. But never gave up and continued to try. He found a business partner who agreed to run the show with him and help with funding. Barnum never gave up on his dreams and continued to fight for his show. Because of all of his hard work he ended up being known for the greatest show on earth.
Social Commentary:
The Greatest Showman- 2017 featured the song This Is Me shows the important message that it is okay to be you. When people try to hate on you and shame you for who you are to not listen to them. This is because during the time of when the movie was made and even today people like to shame others for looking different and being different. This song was made as a push back to them people who judge and shame others. "But I won't let them break me down to dust. I know that there's a place for us." is a line during the song. Showing that they won't let judgers break them down, that they are going to rise above and continue to be who they are.
Music:
Your Opinion:
The Greatest Showman portrays a beautiful message and I've always loved the deeper meanings to it. It was the first musical I actually took a liking to. It portrays the message of how you should never give up, be who you are and also how family is important to have in your life. It shows the importance of how you need to have a community around you to do what you want to achieve.
Sources:
The Greatest Showman(2017) IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1485796/plotsummary/
The Greatest Showman. Wikipedia
This movie is beautiful, I think that having the story of the circus and the people behind it was a fantastic way for someone to make a movie showing people that it is okay to be different. What other songs do you think made an impact on this movie? I think they all tell their own small story.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first watched the movie and this song came on it instantly gave me genuine chills up my spine. I love the message that it's ok to be you even if others say you're different! The cerograph done by the actors, the sound of the drums in the back, the lyrics, and the harmonical blend done by the voices just make this song a masterpiece. I also love how the other songs in the film also have their own message making the film unique to me. Thank you for picking this song!
ReplyDeleteThe Greatest Showmen is an awesome movie choice! Your choice for the song in this movie is perfect. The song fits the spirit of the movie perfectly, it inspires an unbroken spirit. This song definitely had a major impact on the movie, setting a tone of self acceptance and perseverance. If you are looking for another song like this one you should listen to "Just a Wish" (From "Walt Before Mickey") by Julie Zorrilla, it has a similar feel to "This Is Me". Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bamvD2KvSo
ReplyDeleteI loved this movie, especially the music and this song. You can hear how silent it is in the beginning until the beat drops. It makes you feel the buildup of confidence the characters are beginning to feel!
ReplyDeleteThis movie is wonderful! All the stories and messages sent within are powerful. I remember watching this movie as a child and thinking how cool and unique the characters were. This movie sent positive messages that impacted many people!
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