MovieChat Forums > Pleasantville (1998) Discussion > So how much meat loaf is in this movie a...

So how much meat loaf is in this movie anyway?

posted 9 years ago by Metafizzypop
20 replies | jump to latest

Has anyone else noticed how many references there are to meatloaf in this flick? At the beginning there's "Could that be your meat loaf in the oven?"
"It might be."

Then at the end, Margaret tells Bud/Dave she made him a meatloaf sandwich and hands him a paper bag.

And there's more references in between. I counted four conversations about meatloaf. That's a lot of loaf.

So what's up with all the meatloaf? Was that the great American food of the 1950s?

☔

[–] TxMike 9 years ago

Yes, it was.

..*.. TxMike ..*..
Make a choice, to take a chance, to make a difference.

[–] Metafizzypop 9 years ago

I guess it was. The movie makes it seem like it's the only thing that people ever ate.

Except for cheeseburgers. Yeah, cheeseburgers. And a cherry coke.

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[–] TxMike 9 years ago

I actually grew up in the 1950s, and I don't recall my mother ever cooking meatloaf. We ate fried chicken, steak cooked with a gravy, various fish meals, and hamburgers. But that was in the deep south. When I got to college in 1963 and ate most of my food in the college cafeteria I don't recall meatloaf, but maybe I just don't recall! 

I'd think meatloaf was popular in certain parts of the country. But I suspect the writer/director had other reasons to use that as the featured meal in this movie.

..*.. TxMike ..*..
Make a choice, to take a chance, to make a difference.

[–] Metafizzypop 9 years ago

I'd think meatloaf was popular in certain parts of the country.

Yeah, it might have been a northern thing. Real cosmopolitan. 

But I suspect the writer/director had other reasons to use that as the featured meal in this movie.

I was thinking that, too. Except I can't figure what that reason could be. IDK. Maybe he sees it as something real innocent, a real benign thing to eat.

☔

[–] richspenc 7 years ago

I think, from what I've been told, meatloaf and burgers were very common in the 50s cause they weren't that complex and difficult to make. Also, beef was the most available and plentiful meat around at the stores, butcher shops, resteraunts, etc. Chicken was either a close second or a maybe a tie, I'm not sure.

[–] fillshertease 9 years ago

In my country we don't have meatloaf.

:-(

All my life I've been watching American movies and TV shows that reference it and all my life I've wondered what it is and wanted to try it. Then, a few months ago, I discovered that they had pre-made meatloaf in the meat section of my local supermarket, so I immediately bought it and raced home to make it. I love it and I've eaten about 20 of them now! There really is nothing better than a meatloaf sandwich on crusty white bread. The funny thing, I suppose, is that in the movies and on TV, people are usually complaining when they have to eat meatloaf, but I could spend the rest of my life eating nothing else (though I'm sure that will change in a few months after I've eaten another 20 of them!)...

:-)

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[–] Metafizzypop 9 years ago

I see you've discovered one of the most delightful of all American foods. Isn't meatloaf wonderful? On crusty white bread, that sounds very good. Have you tried putting beef gravy on it? That's very good. Also, mushrooms are nice on the sandwich, too.

I'm sure that the food in your country is also wonderful, but it is very hard to get tired of meatloaf. That's why people in the USA (and other places too) can eat so much of it. In fact, it's what I'm having for dinner tonight. I made it myself.

Yummy yummy yum.

☔

[–] JohnM_99 8 years ago

"Meatloaf is a traditional German, Scandinavian and Belgian dish"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatloaf

[–] Metafizzypop 8 years ago

Then the people in those countries definitely know how to eat well!

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[–] dialixii 9 years ago

It was symbolism for ideal American values. It shows how midwesterners can stretch a meal by adding meat to bread and eggs and whatever you can find, topped with ketchup, to feed a large family. Not what the upper crust of society would be eating yet not starving either.

[–] WileyJack (147) 2 years ago

That’s pretty much my experience. We had a lot of meatloaf growing up in the 50s and 60s. Also in rotation were chipped beef on toast (a.k.a. ‘shit on a shingle’), navy bean soup with ham hocks, fish sticks with tartar sauce, Chili Mac, chicken & dumplings, and ‘American’ goulash (an abomination, compared to the Hungarian original). It was a way to economically feed a family. Of the lot, chicken & dumplings was probably my favorite. Beans and ham hocks (with a puddle of vinegar floating on top) ran a close second.

[–] TheHypeConnoisseur 8 years ago

None. But you could check out Rocky Horror Picture Show or Fight Club for some Meat Loaf

[–] WileyJack (147) 2 years ago

R.I.P. Meat Loaf

[–] TxMike 8 years ago

See also

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120789/board/nest/251807797

..*.. TxMike ..*..
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes not.

[–] PixieDragon 8 years ago

I don't know about you but I didn't see any references to Meatloaf. 😜

Schemers try to control their little worlds.

[–] Metafizzypop 8 years ago

I don't know if you're being serious or not, but I'll talk about it anyway, just in case there's people around who missed the meat loaf references.

I counted four times that characters talked about meat loaf, and I gave two examples in my OP. I'll give two more now.

When Mom is leaving Dad, and giving him instructions on how to heat up some food, she tells him that there's a meat loaf in the oven. Then later, when Bud is in jail and Dad comes to visit, Dad says that he's really hungry and almost climbed through a neighbor's window because he smelled her meat loaf cooking.

☔

[–] yesanything 8 years ago

Not enought, I just put up (put up is Texas thing) my gourmet turkey meatloaf, should be ready in about 1/2 hour!

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[–] Metafizzypop 8 years ago

Not enought

I couldn't agree more.

I just put up (put up is Texas thing) my gourmet turkey meatloaf, should be ready in about 1/2 hour!

Turkey meat loaf? Well, that sounds interesting. Sounds good.

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[–] WileyJack (147) 2 years ago

That’s interesting. In the Central and Midwest US, “put up” generally referred to canning or preserving fruit & vegetables, for instance, pickles, tomatoes, jellies, jams.

[–] KinkyInk (1693) 2 years ago

Meatloaf is mentioned more times in Wedding Crashers.

MA! THE MEATLOAF! FUCK!