Hollywood Disaster Film Set to Turn Heat on Bush*

[kskiska]

Movie depicting horrors of global warming could boost votes for Democrat challenger


Here's the pitch: a dullish candidate, outflanked by his opponent's serious money, attacked for his liberal leanings, is swept to an unlikely victory thanks to a blockbuster movie that focuses on the effects of big business and the agro-industrial complex.

Audiences throw their popcorn aside, pick up their ballot papers and realise that they too can make a difference. The studio behind the movie: 20th Century Fox, owned by Rupert Murdoch. The director: Roland Emmerich; no Martin Sheen-style bleeding heart Democrat but the brawn behind Independence Day.

It sounds unlikely, but this summer might just see an alliance of commerce, populist entertainment and feel-good concern combine to weaken President George Bush and hand votes to his expected Democrat rival John Kerry.

On the other hand, the film could tank, like one of its director's other monster-budget summer openings, Godzilla.

May 28 sees the worldwide release of The Day After Tomorrow, the eco-armageddon story to beat all others.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1168456,00.html

[Minstrel Boy]

1. I think it will diminish people's concerns, not heighten them.

Pop culture has a way of doing that, when enviromental science gets churned into fodder for a high concept blockbuster. Remember "Waterworld"?

"Climate change" will seem every bit as genuine a peril as, oh, let's say Godzilla.

[fearnobush]

7. Water World was released when Clinton was pres.

The media will spin this, and even with bad reviews, ands negative tilt, they will ask their money questions to get viewers, "what will really happen in 20 years" could this really happen in just a few years??? this is the big money media whore stuff that actually gets votes away from the Rethugs. They did the viewer hype with Water World. Remember the Exxon Valdez was the evil bad people's home in Water World. I wonder if Day after Tomorrow will have a evil Bush the son symbol in it?

[Occulus]

15. It depends.

They very well could have actual experts giving factual information in the film. If they change the quality of the video to that of what one would see during a TV documentary, make it look "not as Hollywood" while that information is being given, it'll have a more real feel to it, IMHO.

[PartyPooper]

2. I hope it is released and that it does better than "Passion"

...both in media promotion and in ticket sales!

George Bush is in total denial of this phenomenon known as global warming. So, maybe this is the only way for the sheeple to learn something about global warming-and its catastrophic effects upon the environment-and all its inhabitants.


Just my 2¢.

[The Zanti Regent]

11. ThIs is from FOX??????

How did it get past Screwpert Murdoch???????????????

[Name removed]

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[Dr Fate]

10. Since when did Hollywood ever "bail our asses out?"

In what way are DEMS using the "scare factor"?? You got the wrong party there.

I thought it was BUSH who told us about fake WMDs 100's of times. I thought it was BUSH who said Saddam was going to nuke us.

Oh well- "whatever works" is what you always say.

[Paragon]

4. Doubtful.

This movie is from the morons who brought you Godzilla and Independence Day -- they're a fucking joke.

[alittlelark]

5. We all look towards possible futures

consciously or unconsciously. How could it hurt unless AAAAHHHNOLLLD or one of his minions turn it into a personal propaganda machine???

What we are facing is horrid - I hope it is being addressed in that context.

[Zero Gravitas]

6. LOL

Nice idea, but it is a Roland Emmerich movie, it will likely be too laughable to be take seriously. His usual partner in crime, Dean Devlin, is not involved with this, so who knows maybe old Rolie will try and make a watchable movie for a change, but I doubt it.

[bluestateguy]

8. Just like "The Day After" put Walter Mondale in the White House in '84

Oops!

[NashVegas]

9. Trailer Here

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/dayaftertomorrow/

I imagine the movie will be dreadful, but the effects look cool.

[Poiuyt]

12. Remember China Syndrome?

That movie turned people off to nuclear power so much that they were going out and selling their utility stock the next day, even though it was a fictional movie.

[Name removed]

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[King of New Orleans]

13. What about "Planet of the Apes"?

Didn't that lead directly to the election of Richard Nixon (and his anti-ape platform)?

The movie has been delayed more than once. By all Hollywood insider accounts, it's going to be a real dog.

[DeepModem Mom]

16. I think the environment is a sleeper issue --

If properly informed, people respond. One of the few hits Bush took in the beginning was the arsenic-in-the-water row. I think Al Gore made a mistake in not making the primary issue of his political life an issue in his campaign. I think Kerry should make it an issue. This movie might help.

[Dr Fate]

18. My semi-conservative, pro War cousin brought it up...

as his reason for supporting Kerry & not Bush. I did not see this comming.

I think you have point- and if correct, there is nothing for Bush to run on...

[T_i_B]

17. I guess we will have to see the thing...

...before we decide for ourselves.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

19. Here's a link to the trailer (Broadband, Quicktime)

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/dayaftertomorrow/trailer/large.html

[amazona]

20. seen the trailer -- it's extremely disturbing

However, a full-length movie is unlikely to be as powerful -- the message gets diluted -- it becomes entertainment.

On Edit-- if anyone remembers the trailer to Independence Day it was considerably more chilling than the actual film, which degenerated into nonsense and feel goodery. It was fun, sure, but nothing you believed could really happen.

[goforit]

21. With Murdoch behind this, is * using this as a scare tactic?

Rove running out of ideas to scare everyone, so why not use global
warming to to scare the shit out of them.

Should be an interesting flick.