Emmerich is the same intellectual Krakatoa that in "Independence Day" had a woman and dog outrun, in slow motion, an explosion in a tunnel. 
Posted on 05/27/2004 10:04:24 PM PDT by Dont Mention the War
Roland Emmerich, the German director of "The Day after Tomorrow" made these illuminating remarks in interviews in the German press. It says a lot about him but also about the Hollywood mindset.
Here is the German original, the translation of the excerpt is mine. Do you think he would say this to American audiences?
Q: Will the anti-Bush mood outside of America be conducive to the success of the film?
A: I had no idea that Bush would get up to all the things he did eventually. During the last election campaign I was already writing the script. I hope America comes to its senses. They have been so lied to by the government. For us Europeans this is crystal clear, but also for a few Americans. However there are still 50% of Americans who want to vote for Bush – this is absolutely inconceivable for me.
Q: Don´t you get into all kinds of trouble when you as a German take such a stand?
A: As I already told my mother, they probably won´t let me back in. (laughs)
Q: But you are not the only one fulminating against Bush. Many filmmakers think the same way.
A: That is indeed new and it is good. I admire colleagues who are commited to political awareness and engage in a critical discourse with people.
Q: The American people do not have the best reputation with regard to ecology. How environmentally conscious are the Americans really?
A: Totally, just not their government. Of course I can only speak for my friends. This may perhaps sound a bit elitist, but most of them drive an electric car. The Americans would approve if those on top would do more for the environment. But they never had a green party in the government which could have had some influence – in contrast to Germany. There is a great gap: Americans want to recycle. 78% of all people there are worried about the environment. But the government doesn´t see it that way. In the last election, the environmental candidate Al Gore had the consent of the regular voters, and only the electoral college finally changed it. I still think it was a family affair in Florda. There was something fishy about it.
Q: You seem to be downright furious.
A: But this all goes much further. With a policy of fear they tried to find a pretext to invade Iraq after September 11. The Americans were made insecure, to make them agree to that. The intelligent Americans are so appalled by what their president does, you cannot imagine it.
Q: Are these things really communicated in the open?
A: Yes, for the first time there are now open discussions.
Q: Whereas the infamous Patriot Act has even succeeded in muzzling media.
A: That is a giant problem. As soon as you criticize something, you are no longer a patriot. What about that? America is the oldest democracy in the world. Since then they have totally developed beckwards. Euope was most of the time under monarchic influence [sic], but is today three or four times as democratic as America. I hope this will soon change. I think that will work out.
And in a recent interview with the German Spiegel newsmagazine:
"We must not destroy our planet. The United States are the most powerful country, and there sits George W. Bush, a president who cares about nothing but oil. How different would the world be if the Democratic environmentalist politician Al Gore would have come to power? All this is hard to bear for me as a German. I never want to be an American."
Then he claims his next car will be a hybrid fuel/electric one, but asks: "Why does the industry build the ugliest bodies for hybrid cars? There is method behind it. They want to keep selling their expensive fuel models..."
Another newspaper writes that currently he still drives his "old" BMW.
It´s all there, isn´t it? I think this should be better known in the US.
Posted by: werner at May 28, 2004 at 07:32 AM
AARRRGGGHHH these lefties....why can't they just stick to making films and shut up?
Emmerich is the same intellectual Krakatoa that in "Independence Day" had a woman and dog outrun, in slow motion, an explosion in a tunnel.
Me, I'll wait until it shows up on Mystery Science Theatre. You know, the one with the smarta$$ little robots transposed on the bottom of the screen.
You'll be waiting a while. MST3K has been cancelled.
well, the explosion was moving in slow motion too, so it was a fair race...
This director just makes different variations on the same crappy movie and, amazingly, gets people to swallow it all.
MENTAL MIDGET ALERT!
Yeah, the Patriot act muzzled the media...
Cite chapter and verse, bud!
However there are still 50% of Americans who want to vote for Bush – this is absolutely inconceivable for me."
me too.... it should be 70% ...
Ind. Day was a totally crappy movie. pushing all emotional buttons with a horrible script...
it actually explains it. the 'patriotism' in that movie was hackneyed, juvenile and false.
The Patriot was much better, but had its moments of PC hollywood nonsense.
This guy comes off as pretty smug for a fellow who based his script and "science" on a book written by Art Bell and a guy who says he's been in a flying saucer.
the most recent ratings on Rotten Tomatoes fansite says it's rotten, although about 50/50.
The NYTimes reporter liked it, but my favorite comment was that it was an Irwin Allen movie...actually, I liked Irwin Allens' movies, but didn't believe them.
I miss Crow T Robot and the gang.
bump
And get the electricity from where, dumbass? Germany is washing its hands of nuclear power . Since consumption is not falling, Germany is replacing the power lost with French electricity . . . . wait for it . . . . generated with nuclear power. Dumbass! Hypocrite!
What did your family do in the war, Roland?
But this guy is in some ways worse: he claims to have significant insights. He claims to know something about science. He claims to be an independent artist. (Contemporary Hollywood hacks always like to pose as if they flip the studios the bird.)
If only we could be on the same plane as they are.
So many stupid little people to educate, so little time.
Damn.
Typical idiot Lefty. As we all know, electricty comes from the Power Fairy and produces no pollution.
Electric cars displace the pollution and in study after study cause more pollution from the plants than the vehicles.
Evening ping.
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