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《American Beauty》 美国丽人 每个人都心深如海

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2020年04月03日

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No.061 《American Beauty》 美国丽人 每个人都心深如海

英文导读

American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. Kevin Spacey stars as office worker Lester Burnham, who has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter's best friend, Angela (Mena Suvari). Annette Bening co-stars as Lester's materialistic wife, Carolyn, and Thora Birch plays their insecure daughter, Jane; Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, and Allison Janney also feature. The film has been described by academics as a satire of American middle class notions of beauty and personal satisfaction; analysis has focused on the film's explorations of romantic and paternal love, sexuality, beauty, materialism, self-liberation, and redemption.

Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a man in his mid-40s going through an intense midlife crisis; he's grown cynical and is convinced that he has no reason to go on. Lester's relationship with his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) is not a warm one; while on the surface Carolyn strives to present the image that she's in full control of her life, inside she feels empty and desperate. Their teenage daughter Jane (Thora Birch) is constantly depressed, lacking in self-esteem, and convinced that she's unattractive. Her problems aren't helped by her best friend Angela (Mena Suvari), an aspiring model who is quite beautiful and believes that that alone makes her a worthwhile person. Jane isn't the only one who has noticed that Angela is attractive: Lester has fallen into uncontrollable lust for her, and she becomes part of his drastic plan to change his body and change his life. Meanwhile, next door, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper) has spent a lifetime in the Marine Corps and can understand and tolerate no other way of life, which makes life difficult for his son Ricky (Wes Bentley), an aspiring filmmaker and part-time drug dealer who is obsessed with beauty, wherever and whatever it may be. American Beauty was also the screen debut for screenwriter Alan Ball.

Ball began writing American Beauty as a play in the early 1990s, partly inspired by the media circus around the Amy Fisher trial in 1992. He shelved the play after realizing the story would not work on stage. After several years as a television screenwriter, Ball revived the idea in 1997 when attempting to break into the film industry. The modified script had a cynical outlook that was influenced by Ball's frustrating tenures writing for several sitcoms. Producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen took American Beauty to DreamWorks; the fledgling film studio bought Ball's script for $250,000, outbidding several other production bodies. DreamWorks financed the $15 million production and served as the North American distributor. American Beauty marked acclaimed theater director Mendes' film debut; courted after his successful productions of the musicals Oliver! and Cabaret, Mendes was nevertheless only given the job after twenty others were considered and several "A-list" directors turned down the opportunity.

Spacey was Mendes' first choice for the role of Lester, even though DreamWorks had urged the director to consider better-known actors; similarly, the studio suggested several actors for the role of Carolyn until Mendes offered the part to Bening without DreamWorks' knowledge. Principal photography took place between December 1998 and February 1999 on soundstages at the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, California and on location in Los Angeles. Mendes' dominant style was deliberate and composed; he made extensive use of static shots and slow pans and zooms to generate tension.

Cinematographer Conrad Hall complemented Mendes' style with peaceful shot compositions to contrast with the turbulent on-screen events. During editing, Mendes made several changes that gave the film a less cynical tone.

Released in North America on September 15, 1999, American Beauty was positively received by critics and audiences alike; it was the best-reviewed American film of the year and grossed over $350 million worldwide. Reviewers praised most aspects of the production, with particular emphasis on Mendes, Spacey and Ball; criticism tended to focus on the familiarity of the characters and setting. DreamWorks launched a major campaign to increase American Beauty's chances of Academy Award success; at the 72nd Academy Awards the following year, the film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (for Spacey), Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography.

《American Beauty》 美国丽人 每个人都心深如海

获奖情况

1999年第72届奥斯卡:最佳影片、最佳导演、最佳男主角、最佳原创剧本、最佳摄影奖,并荣获最佳女主角提名、最佳原创配乐提名。

影片信息

导演:萨姆·门德斯

编剧:艾伦·鲍尔

主演:凯文·史派西、安妮特·贝宁、索拉·伯奇、米娜·苏瓦丽

类型:剧情

制片国家(地区):美国

上映日期:1999-10-01(美国)

片长:122分钟

又名:《美丽有罪》《美国心·玫瑰情》《美国大美人》《美国少女》《美国美人》

剧情简介

一个名叫莱斯特·伯哈姆的中年男人,正面临着家庭和事业的危机。他的妻子卡罗琳在事业上取得了卓越的成就,拥有自己的房地产公司。而他自己在一家广告公司待了14年却毫无成就。在妻子面前,他认为自己是一个失败者。妻子对他的态度越来越冷漠,夫妻关系恶化到难以交流的地步。

有一位比自己强很多的妻子已经让莱斯特焦头烂额了,再加上一个未成年的女儿,更是让他头疼。女儿珍妮憎恨自己的父母,因为她感到他们几乎从未真正注意过她。当她发现她的新邻居里奇用摄像机偷拍她的时候,她竟然没有生气,甚至觉得很刺激。

令人意想不到的是,莱斯特竟然会喜欢上女儿的好朋友安吉拉,一个未成年女孩。从此,莱斯特的生活发生了翻天覆地的变化,他变得不再堕落,可是他也正一步步走向一个陷阱。此时,他的妻子有了外遇,事情发展得越来越有趣,越来越出乎预料……

是什么样的事情使得里奇的父亲举起枪,为什么枪口对准的人竟然是莱斯特?

制作花絮

切维·切斯、杰夫·丹尼尔斯和汤姆·汉克斯都曾是扮演莱斯特的人选。

本片结尾与凯文·史派西于1995年出演的《非常嫌疑犯》结尾非常相似,都是在凯文·史派西的画外音中用淡出的手法为影片画上句号。在莱斯特的卧室中可以看到《非常嫌疑犯》的海报。

本片片名源于一种玫瑰。

当接近影片结尾时,里奇打开厨房的门看见莱斯特,开门的手其实是导演萨姆·门德斯的手。

斯蒂文·斯皮尔伯格推荐萨姆·门德斯来执导本片的。

尽管根据影片外景可以断定是在芝加哥郊区拍摄,但片中出现的航拍画面却是在美国加利弗尼州首府萨克拉曼多拍摄。最初剧组想在圣何塞拍摄,但当地警方为防止噪声扰民不允许直升机在300英尺以下飞行,而剧组设想的飞行高度是100英尺。

克里斯·库柏是最后敲定的演员,当时影片的排练已经开始,他之所以犹豫不决是因为弗兰克这个角色很可气,他有些畏惧这个剧本和机会,而且导演选中自己也让他有些不寒而栗。

《American Beauty》 美国丽人 每个人都心深如海

重点学习

Lacking in self-esteem

lack in是英语中的一个固定搭配,主要用于be lacking in形式,是“缺乏(某种特性、特点或品质);欠缺…”的意思,文中是“缺乏自信”的意思,比如:Everyone seeks peace and harmony, because this is what we lack in our lives.(每一个人都不停在寻觅安详与和谐,因为这些正是我们生命中所欠缺的东西。)

And can understand and tolerate no other way of life

在英语中,A way of life is the behaviour and habits that are typical of a particular person or group, or that are chosen by them. a way of life也就是“生活方式”的意思,比如:Most people who come from other countries seem to fit in with the way of life here.(大多数从外国来的人似乎适应这里的生活方式。)另外,way of life常引申为“行为准则”的意思。

单词时间

midlife[ˈmidlaif] n. 中年

cynical[ˈsinikəl] adj. 愤世嫉俗的;冷嘲的

desperate[ˈdespərət] adj. 不顾一切的;令人绝望的;极度渴望的

self-esteem[ˈselfisˈti:m] n. 自信;自尊;自负;自大

unattractive[ˌʌnəˈtræktiv] adj. 不吸引人注意的;没有魅力的;不美丽的

aspiring[əˈspaiəriŋ] adj. 有抱负的;追求…的;高耸的

worthwhile[ˈwə:θˈhwail] adj. 值得做的,值得花时间的

uncontrollable[ˌʌnkənˈtrəuləbl] adj. 无法控制的;无法管束的;难以驾驭的

lust[lʌst] vi. 贪求,渴望

tolerate[ˈtɔləreit] vt. 忍受;默许;宽恕

dealer[ˈdi:lə] n. 经销商;商人

tenure[ˈtenjuə] n. 任期;占有

outbid[ˌautˈbid] vt. 在开价上战胜;出价高于

distributor[diˈstribjutə] n. 经销商;[计]分配器;分配者;散布者;[电工]配电盘

dominant[ˈdɔminənt] adj. 显性的;占优势的;支配的,统治的

composition[ˌkɔmpəˈziʃən] n. 作文,作曲;构成;合成物

turbulent[ˈtə:bjulənt] adj. 骚乱的,混乱的;狂暴的;吵闹的


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