Spielberg and electric toothbrushes
08-16-02, 02:11 PM
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Spielberg and electric toothbrushes
While studying the supplementary material on the A.I. DVD, I have been shocked at one of Spielberg's explanation. To further illustrate the notion of artificial intelligence, he gives the very weird example of being emotionnally entwined with an electric toothbrush. (interview on disc 1)
I watched this sequence again and again while trying to figure what could be Spielberg's real intent, what was the unseen force that motivated him to compulsively talk about electric toothbrushes. I even noticed nervous spasms every time he prononced the words "electric toothbrush".
While I consider Spielberg a true auteur, I started studying the implication of the theme of the electric toothbrush in the famous director's body of work. I realised that it represents a motif, or "leitmotiv", something that reaches very deep in his wonderful heart, the place of the toothbrush in our society, past, present and future.
What I found out was terribly shocking and fascinating. The theme is much more present than we could imagine.
Starting by his most recent work, Minority Report, we can identify in the film a scene including an electric toothbrush. In this scene in which a technician lovingly brushes the pre-cog's teeth, we perceive exquisite eroticism, very rare in Spielberg's work. Notice that the toothbrush is in close-up, forcing the viewer to acknowledge its presence, how it dances with the characters (and us!) like the plastic bag in American Beauty, a film produced by Dreamworks, Spielberg's company.
The interview found on A.I.'s dvd can also be considered as part of the auteur's conceptual continuity.
I take this time to remind you that Spielberg does not blatantly give us all the answers. One must learn to read between the lines, find the different clues to get closer to the real meaning of his films.
Let's take a look at some obvious references to Electric Toothbrush in Spielberg's work.
E.T the extra-terrestrial -----> (or E.T, the E.lectric T.oothbrush)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (C. E. T. K.) Here, again, we find the E and the T of Electric Toothbrush. What are the other initials for? Maybe Cry-Baby Electric ToothBrush Krakatoes? I'm still not sure on that one.
Jaws ---------> (pretty obvious link here)
Baterries not included (probably inspired following the purchase of an electric toothbrush, looking on the cover)
Schindler's list (a more abstract reference but still there: multicuspid tooth removal)
Matt Damon's teeth in Saving Private Ryan (too white, we can imagine Spielberg frenetically brushing each of his actor's teech, same thing can be said of Amistad.)
Tom Cruise, very close friend of Spielberg's and Minority Report actor, equally demonstrated a obsessive fixation on toothbrushes, exemplified by his wearing of braces.
Here's a quote from an interview:
Visually speaking, Spielberg is very coherent. I invite you to compare these two following images: one is the poster of Hook, the other represents real dentist tools. Here, Spielberg warns us of the perils of not brushing your teeth, speaking directly into our subconscious.
Even the disastrous 1941, which we obviously would think has nothing to do with toothbrushes, contains very evident links.
The following picture consists of a toothbrush created by Clerys, a company founded in 1941. Happy coincidence? Why did Spielberg especially choose this year for his title?
Consider this item from a World War II timescale.
1941 -1945 - Dental hygiene takes a giant leap forward during World War II when the Army orders soldiers to brush their teeth regularly. This marks the first time most Americans brush their teeth.
Still skeptic?
The annual observance of children's dental health began as a one-day event in Cleveland, Ohio on February 3, 1941. During that year, February 3-7 was designated as Children's Dental Health Week in Akron, Ohio. Since 1941, the observance has grown from a two-city event into a nationwide program.
Another coincidence? Again? What are the chances!
In this article that appeared on www.starbanner.com, we discuss the new footage inserted in E.T. (or E.lectric T.oothbrush). Like me, you will not be surprised that:
To further my "investigations", I lended my researches toward the spiritual side of toothbrushes.
I was overblown to learn that the toothbrush (not electric, but artisanal) is considered as a sacred item in many religions, including Islam.
According to the facts, Spielberg, being jewish and american, tried to synthetise is own spiritual toothbrush, electric to be different. The ultimate toothbrush to which all of his fellow jews could identify.
To get a better understanding of the toothbrush in the big world of religion, I studied the Miswaak concept. Miswaak is a wooden toothbrush, mostly used by members of the islamic religion. For them, the Miswaak represents a lot more that a mere toothbrush. Here is a picture of the Miswaak and its principal fonctions:
(you will note that it looks a lot like Shrek's toothbrush, another film produced by Dreamworks.)
1) It chases bad breath and improves the sense of taste.
(because during sleep, the stomach sends back some stuff that does not smell too good. Miswaak's use eliminates it. )
2) Miswaak sharpens memory and intelligence.
3) Eliminates glary mucus(Ihya-oul-Ouloum)
4) It is a cure for diseases (Hazrat Aïcha)
5) Fortifies gingiva and prevents dental caries.
6) Clears headache problems
etc, etc, etc
Please note that, not being part of that religion, I tried my best to understand the concept and would not want to disrespect members of that religion. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Anyway, we must admit that no toothpaste company can claim to provide as many advantages as the Miswaak, so more power to you!
On another hand, there are some rumors circulating around the internet perpetrating the idea that Spielberg and his lontime friend Stanley Kubrick would have shared the same toothbrush!!!!
I found this information on the following site:
http://www.ironminds.com/ironminds/i...escreen2.shtml
If Spielberg would admit his own homosexuality, it would not be surprising that sexual gratification could only be achieved through the use of toothbrush.
One last note, In Jackie Chan's next movie, called The Tuxedo, produced by Spielberg, Chan will interpret a chauffeur working for a spy. This spy finds himself in a coma at the hospital, and Chan, going back to his house to gather some personal items, discovers a powerful tuxedo. So, what are these personal items?
We will only know when the movie hits the streets, but let's here some info from Mr. Chan himself:
You can find the rest of this interview at http://actionadventure.about.com/lib.../aa070901c.htm
In conclusion, do we know exactly what the toothbrush represents in Spielberg's heart and mind? No, my guess is that I've just uncovered the tip of the iceberg, and from now on, I encourage you to gather more and more information while watching the talented director's films in a new and exciting way.
I watched this sequence again and again while trying to figure what could be Spielberg's real intent, what was the unseen force that motivated him to compulsively talk about electric toothbrushes. I even noticed nervous spasms every time he prononced the words "electric toothbrush".
While I consider Spielberg a true auteur, I started studying the implication of the theme of the electric toothbrush in the famous director's body of work. I realised that it represents a motif, or "leitmotiv", something that reaches very deep in his wonderful heart, the place of the toothbrush in our society, past, present and future.
What I found out was terribly shocking and fascinating. The theme is much more present than we could imagine.
Starting by his most recent work, Minority Report, we can identify in the film a scene including an electric toothbrush. In this scene in which a technician lovingly brushes the pre-cog's teeth, we perceive exquisite eroticism, very rare in Spielberg's work. Notice that the toothbrush is in close-up, forcing the viewer to acknowledge its presence, how it dances with the characters (and us!) like the plastic bag in American Beauty, a film produced by Dreamworks, Spielberg's company.
The interview found on A.I.'s dvd can also be considered as part of the auteur's conceptual continuity.
I take this time to remind you that Spielberg does not blatantly give us all the answers. One must learn to read between the lines, find the different clues to get closer to the real meaning of his films.
Let's take a look at some obvious references to Electric Toothbrush in Spielberg's work.
E.T the extra-terrestrial -----> (or E.T, the E.lectric T.oothbrush)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (C. E. T. K.) Here, again, we find the E and the T of Electric Toothbrush. What are the other initials for? Maybe Cry-Baby Electric ToothBrush Krakatoes? I'm still not sure on that one.
Jaws ---------> (pretty obvious link here)
Baterries not included (probably inspired following the purchase of an electric toothbrush, looking on the cover)
Schindler's list (a more abstract reference but still there: multicuspid tooth removal)
Matt Damon's teeth in Saving Private Ryan (too white, we can imagine Spielberg frenetically brushing each of his actor's teech, same thing can be said of Amistad.)
Tom Cruise, very close friend of Spielberg's and Minority Report actor, equally demonstrated a obsessive fixation on toothbrushes, exemplified by his wearing of braces.
Here's a quote from an interview:
Q. So you say. But something is going on. Now you're even changing your teeth?
A. Yes, I got braces. Can you believe it?
Q. No. How can your smile, of all people's, be improved?
A. I did a lot of research for my kids, looking at their teeth development, and my upper teeth were coming down hard on my lower teeth and kind of fracturing them. I couldn't close my mouth.
A. Yes, I got braces. Can you believe it?
Q. No. How can your smile, of all people's, be improved?
A. I did a lot of research for my kids, looking at their teeth development, and my upper teeth were coming down hard on my lower teeth and kind of fracturing them. I couldn't close my mouth.
Even the disastrous 1941, which we obviously would think has nothing to do with toothbrushes, contains very evident links.
The following picture consists of a toothbrush created by Clerys, a company founded in 1941. Happy coincidence? Why did Spielberg especially choose this year for his title?
Consider this item from a World War II timescale.
1941 -1945 - Dental hygiene takes a giant leap forward during World War II when the Army orders soldiers to brush their teeth regularly. This marks the first time most Americans brush their teeth.
Still skeptic?
The annual observance of children's dental health began as a one-day event in Cleveland, Ohio on February 3, 1941. During that year, February 3-7 was designated as Children's Dental Health Week in Akron, Ohio. Since 1941, the observance has grown from a two-city event into a nationwide program.
Another coincidence? Again? What are the chances!
In this article that appeared on www.starbanner.com, we discuss the new footage inserted in E.T. (or E.lectric T.oothbrush). Like me, you will not be surprised that:
Universal Pictures also is touting the ‘‘never before seen footage’’ in the 20th anniversary version. But Spielberg only inserted two brief scenes, one of which takes place when Elliott plays hooky from school to stay home with E.T. The two go into the bathroom, where E.T. weighs himself, fumbles with a tube of toothpaste and splashes in the bathtub.
To further my "investigations", I lended my researches toward the spiritual side of toothbrushes.
I was overblown to learn that the toothbrush (not electric, but artisanal) is considered as a sacred item in many religions, including Islam.
According to the facts, Spielberg, being jewish and american, tried to synthetise is own spiritual toothbrush, electric to be different. The ultimate toothbrush to which all of his fellow jews could identify.
To get a better understanding of the toothbrush in the big world of religion, I studied the Miswaak concept. Miswaak is a wooden toothbrush, mostly used by members of the islamic religion. For them, the Miswaak represents a lot more that a mere toothbrush. Here is a picture of the Miswaak and its principal fonctions:
(you will note that it looks a lot like Shrek's toothbrush, another film produced by Dreamworks.)
1) It chases bad breath and improves the sense of taste.
(because during sleep, the stomach sends back some stuff that does not smell too good. Miswaak's use eliminates it. )
2) Miswaak sharpens memory and intelligence.
3) Eliminates glary mucus(Ihya-oul-Ouloum)
4) It is a cure for diseases (Hazrat Aïcha)
5) Fortifies gingiva and prevents dental caries.
6) Clears headache problems
etc, etc, etc
Please note that, not being part of that religion, I tried my best to understand the concept and would not want to disrespect members of that religion. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Anyway, we must admit that no toothpaste company can claim to provide as many advantages as the Miswaak, so more power to you!
On another hand, there are some rumors circulating around the internet perpetrating the idea that Spielberg and his lontime friend Stanley Kubrick would have shared the same toothbrush!!!!
I found this information on the following site:
http://www.ironminds.com/ironminds/i...escreen2.shtml
Suddenly, Spiels was Kubbee’s “best friend,” reviewing storyboards and dissecting scripts, and very, very close to the project. And he may well have been, but that does not make it his movie. I don’t care if they cuddled on cold nights and shared a toothbrush; it doesn’t give Spielberg the right to nab Kubrick’s dream project, set it to a John Williams score (“now I want a big swell here, John”) and release it as a “Steven Spielberg film” — all the while insinuating that Kubrick would have wanted it this way.
One last note, In Jackie Chan's next movie, called The Tuxedo, produced by Spielberg, Chan will interpret a chauffeur working for a spy. This spy finds himself in a coma at the hospital, and Chan, going back to his house to gather some personal items, discovers a powerful tuxedo. So, what are these personal items?
We will only know when the movie hits the streets, but let's here some info from Mr. Chan himself:
Tell us about The Tuxedo.
It's an American film. Dreamworks. Spielberg, he asked me to direct and I don't like. I said, "Why don't you direct?" He said, "No, I'm producer." I said okay. We found a director. Kevin Donnovan who is starting in September 1st until February the 4th. Tuxedo is what I want. More acting with a little special effects, with my own action and more acting, drama, because I don't want to be an action star. An action star, their life is so short. I want my life to get longer. I want my career to be longer.
What is the story of Tuxedo?
They won't let me say much. I'm a taxi driver and I help somebody and he was a spy. He was in a coma in the hospital and I go back to his house to help him get some things like a toothbrush and underwear. Then I find the tuxedo and the story begins.
It's an American film. Dreamworks. Spielberg, he asked me to direct and I don't like. I said, "Why don't you direct?" He said, "No, I'm producer." I said okay. We found a director. Kevin Donnovan who is starting in September 1st until February the 4th. Tuxedo is what I want. More acting with a little special effects, with my own action and more acting, drama, because I don't want to be an action star. An action star, their life is so short. I want my life to get longer. I want my career to be longer.
What is the story of Tuxedo?
They won't let me say much. I'm a taxi driver and I help somebody and he was a spy. He was in a coma in the hospital and I go back to his house to help him get some things like a toothbrush and underwear. Then I find the tuxedo and the story begins.
In conclusion, do we know exactly what the toothbrush represents in Spielberg's heart and mind? No, my guess is that I've just uncovered the tip of the iceberg, and from now on, I encourage you to gather more and more information while watching the talented director's films in a new and exciting way.
Last edited by old tree; 08-16-02 at 03:16 PM.
08-16-02, 02:33 PM
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The depths of Spielberg's intellect and talent continue to astound me. I too wondered about his toothbrush thesis in regards to A.I. Thank you for posting this, I must now re-learn all basic film theory.
.
08-16-02, 04:19 PM
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Originally posted by das Monkey
das
das
Wow... I stopped reading once I saw the words Minority Report, because well, I'm anal about anything that could possibly be a spoiler, but anyone who can write this much about the co-relation between Spielberg and Electronic Toothbrushes deserves some sort of congrats!
08-16-02, 05:13 PM
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what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
08-16-02, 06:03 PM
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You have WAYYYYYYYYY too much time on your hands, old tree. You could have used all that time to do something more contructive...like brushing your teeth! 
08-16-02, 06:08 PM
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hahahaha
I'm getting me an electric toothbrush too....
Maybe it's time to go to hot deals and find some good prices???
Anyway, thanks for the good read.
And welcome to the forum.
you sir, are my HERO. 
08-17-02, 08:11 AM
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I just discovered some more evidence that might give us a clue of what Spielberg was trying to achieve with his A.I.:
The Association would like to thank the Committee for its continued support for oral health care and specifically for its significant actions on the FY 2001 IHS appropriations. We believe that those actions will help reverse some of the troubling trends we recently observed regarding declining access to oral health services among AI/AN people.
It's a strange world.
Last edited by Tyler_Durden; 08-17-02 at 08:27 AM.
08-18-02, 04:27 AM
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I would figure that a person named "random" would enjoy a random thought like the one expressed in this thread.