Welcome to the Dollhouse - "Special People's Blog"

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

H: This movie finally gave me a definition for what '90s means. Before now, I didn't have a clear concept of what it was. Prior decades were much easier to classify, but this movie epitomized the '90s. You had the Macintosh SE30 (which my family had), you had the print pants, the long haired singer with earrings as the male ideal of beauty, you had the old Chevette, the bad makeup, the insistence on making home videos - all of this was the '90s.

K: Not only the look, but the feel of the movie. I would say, and I am saying, that the '90s were a point of either total confidence or lack of. Let's generalize another decade, the 50's. The 50's had the greasers, and the goody goodies (Thanks, American Graffiti!) I think the three main characters that epitomize these two feelings are the brother and of course, Dawn.

H: Yeah, Steve (the singer/badass) is even more confident. At the same time, every generation has the jocks vs the nerds. As in American Graffiti, we have the thick glasses nerd, only this time he's not successful with girls. The way the '50s treats nerds is hopeful. By the time we get to the '90s treatment, it's more real and at the same time hopeless. They don't get the attractive person, they don't become popular, they just try to make it with the other nerds.

K: Sure every decade has its misfits (Thanks, Breakfast Club!) The approach to Dawn was realistic. Here is a misfit that is a reflection of her society. She repeats the slurs thrown at her, she's found her role as a bully, and continues her role as a *pushover (not sure this is what I want to say...but she's still a geek) So is she a likable character?

H: Yes, you commiserate with her and you agree that life is inherently unfair (or rather her life, because my life is sort of fair). We've all been the ugly sister to a barbie doll, right?

K: If you think about it, this movie is about as old as Dawn was. And yes, Henry, you have been an ugly sister.

What did you think about the relationship between Brandon and Dawn? Take out the threats of rape, and it's almost sweet.

H: I agree. At first I hated him and that little jelly stain of a cut on his face, but at the end I liked him, since he wasn't dealing drugs and his dad was obviously the source of his meanness. Their relationship is what I meant when I said "they just try to make it with other nerds", although I suppose he's more of a tough than a nerd. What did you think about sibling relationships in the movie?

K:The sibling relationship was realistic, they interacted with each other like an office sitcom, really sharing space with each other rather than having to interact.

The younger sister didn't need to be a fully developed character, more of a caricature. While the older brother had a bit more depth. His few scenes alone gave him some motivations, and of course his need to get into a good college. They also don't seem to be fueled by their parents, which I liked. Sometimes it seems siblings are used as an extension of parents.

H: We don't really understand why the parents are the way they are. In that way, they're like a force of nature or another source of unfairness like a school principle. Parents are inherently unfair like all of the other structures in Dawn's life. Who knows, maybe she'll become a total hottie when she grows up and things will improve.

K: I think what really worked for this movie is how it approached it's character's goal. There are so many films where the character wants to be popular, because popularity means being loved, and that is the real goal. At least in this movie everything is soaking in realism. Everyone wants out and get to the big city, or a good college, or just survive middle school.