Friday, October 2, 2009

地球末日記


地球末日記
(The Day the Earth Stood Still)

Robert Wise
1951|B&W|USA|92 min

播映時間與地點
10/06 (二) 20:30
蘇格貓底二手書咖啡屋




★1952年美國金球獎



或許現在的觀眾沒聽過《地球末日記》(The Day the Earth Stood Still),也不知道勞勃懷斯(Robert Wise)是誰,但若提起《真善美》(The Sound Of Music)或是基洛李維演的《當地球停止轉動》(The Day the Earth Stood Still, 2008),一定有一票人點頭說看過。

《真善美》就是勞勃懷斯的代表作之一,而2008年的《當地球停止轉動》正式翻拍他在1951年所拍攝的經典科幻電影:《地球末日記》,而本片亦被AFI票選為影史百年十大科幻片代表的第五名。

和許多同時期的知名導演比,勞勃懷斯的電影沒有「作者電影」那種強烈的個人風格。他在詮釋一部電影劇本時,會找尋最適合該電影主題的方式來拍攝,雖然有人說他的電影缺乏個人風格,但卻也是因為這種多元化的彈性,讓勞勃懷斯的電影不但可被商業化的好萊塢大廠接受,又不失作品本身應有的品味。

《地球末日記》雖然是科幻電影,但它卻巧妙呼應了冷戰時的美蘇關係。片頭的不明飛行物即使未經確認,美國軍方就言之鑿鑿地認為那是蘇聯的導彈,政府透過電台要民眾勿恐慌,但實際上政府卻束手無策;民眾認為政府會保護他們,只因為這是自由民主的國家。每一點都反映出冷戰時期的美國人對武器競賽或是對共產國家的不了解所引發的恐慌和焦慮。同時,電影也利用媒體嗜血又選擇性的採訪方式表達出媒體的不可靠。而無可救藥的人性和自尋毀滅的眾生相,也和外星人的和平與無畏成為對比。

《地球末日記》最大的恐慌是失去電力半小時的世界,而這個概念也被無數科幻作品拿來運用,其中2008年的《當地球停止轉動》是最完整的「重拍」。從人物到外星人的造型等,幾乎是1951年的完整移植,但可惜的是08年版本沒有傳承到原始版電影的精髓。

對未知生物的恐懼、因國際情勢緊張而毫無節制的武器競賽所隱含的憂慮、政府的包庇心態或媒體的無風不起浪,甚至是和外星人之間的互動,讓外星人理解人類的想法…等,2008年的翻拍版幾乎都沒做到,只把外星人來傳福音的行為做過度的渲染,使科幻電影淪為有點好笑的基督傳教片。

近年來因颶風、海嘯、氣候驟變等天災,使得好萊塢的科幻片多少都蒙上了一層聖經的影子。其實電影包含宗教思想很正常、也不是錯誤,但近年的科幻片(如:《當地球停止轉動》或《末日預言》)卻忘記科幻電影最該傳達的概念,只是將舊約以高科技的方式拼裝,表面上是醒世科幻片、實質上卻是基督傳教片,牛頭不對馬嘴,自然顯得電影立意薄弱。

勞勃懷斯的《地球末日記》雖然派了外星人來傳福音,但卻只是表面上的行為。電影本質還是緊緊咬著整個國際氛圍和人性的缺失,且在外星人和人類為了彼此了解而努力進行的互動上更是深刻,並非只是單純的互信與互愛,實乃電影百年科幻電影的經典代表。

(撰文:章聿珩)

Klaatu is from a planet with a civilization more advanced than that on Earth. As a messenger, he steps out a spaceship landing in Washington, accompanied by robot Gort to stop the manufacture of atomic weapons of mankind, for atomic weapons would result in the extinction of mankind. Earth people not only do not listen to him but also attack him. Gort wants to fight back but is stopped by Klaatu, who afterwards is imprisoned by Earth people. He escapes and goes into hiding. Finally, in order to persuade mankind and display his strength, he has all electronic appliances on Earth cease to function for an hour...

"The Day the Earth Stood Still", unlike most Hollywood movies, characterizes aliens as kind and open-minded beings coming to the United States to spread the message of peace. Still, some people are confused by rumors and prosecute the aliens.

The movie was remade in 2008 starring Keanu Reeves, but the original version is stunning nonetheless. The visual effects are particularly outstanding; although resplendent scenes are non-existent, the eerie atmosphere of heavy pressure is regrettably missing in the later version. Both sides in the movie symbolize the two parties from the early Cold War. Doubt, suspicion, mistrust, and confrontation sum up the relations between them. This movie takes the perspective of aliens in an attempt to examine the unexplainable things on Earth and thinks up solutions to change the status of confrontation so that human beings are able to live as the aliens do, with no armed forces and wars. When this well-intended attempt does not generate a positive response, aliens are forced to adopt the action as we expect them to--making Earth people believe that aliens have superior power to be able to accept the suggestions of managing this planet on the negotiating table rather than the battlefield.

(撰文:彭中嬿)

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