In True Stories the most memorable scene with food is where David Byrne is invited to the mayor’s home for dinner. Husband and wife are not speaking to each other and at the dinner table they communicate with each other through the children yet they still keep their dining mannerisms. It is the typical suburban unhappy family. The husband is obsessed with his career and the kids get caught in the middle of their parent’s arguments. The parents do not care much for the kids in that they are playing with their food and the parents go on without even noticing even though there is a guest present. The wife hardly speaks a word and is obviously not content with her housewife status. The mayor’s obsession with the development of the town is displayed when he begins to rearrange the display of the food in which nobody is really eating except David Byrne. He creates quite a commotion with the flinging of peas and carrots yet it is all very visual of his dreams of the future of the town. It is representation of the people of the town in which the from the audiences perspective the town is a monotonous failing suburban town yet every member of the town is very passionate of their town. The mayor especially in this scene it is clear that he believes his town is the next revolution in the history of living. Although the scene is average in the way that audience can relate in David Byrne’s dining experience at the same time the lighting up of the lobster the sterile look of the food all convey a sense of surrealness to the event. Overall the whole movie is one of a surreal quality |
