羅蘭·艾默里奇和他的災(zāi)難電影
羅蘭·艾默里奇(Roland Emmerich)1955年生于德國(guó)斯圖加特市,從慕尼黑影視學(xué)院畢業(yè)后,先后在德國(guó)和美國(guó)從事導(dǎo)演、編劇和制片工作。他最熱衷于拍攝災(zāi)難電影,并在好萊塢實(shí)現(xiàn)了自己的理想和愿望。1996年導(dǎo)演的《獨(dú)立日》、2004年導(dǎo)演的《后天》以及2009年導(dǎo)演的《2012》在當(dāng)年都引起了轟動(dòng)并在票房上獲得成功。在接受《A日美國(guó)》(USA Today)采訪時(shí),艾默里奇說(shuō),這是他最后一部災(zāi)難電影,也是所有災(zāi)難電影的終結(jié)者:
“ said to myself that I'll dO one more disaster movie,but it has to end all disaster movies,SO I packed everything in.”
《2012》在中國(guó)上映后也取得了巨大的票房成功,在觀眾中引起了很大反響,尤其是影片中關(guān)于中國(guó)拯救世界的因素著實(shí)使國(guó)人興奮不已。有些觀眾認(rèn)為這反映了中國(guó)的崛起和西方的日漸沒(méi)落。也有批評(píng)者認(rèn)為影片是用中國(guó)元素作噱頭來(lái)賺錢(qián)。還有人譴責(zé)影片中展現(xiàn)的中國(guó)和中國(guó)人面孔模糊,缺乏深度。作為一部融合了各種元素的災(zāi)難電影,《2012》在許多方面折射著西方的思維和意識(shí)形態(tài),需要我們更深入地解讀。
《2012》的故事情節(jié)
劇情上,本片基本上分兩條線索:一條是地質(zhì)學(xué)家阿德里安·赫爾姆斯利博士(Dr,Adrian Helmsley)(通過(guò)一名印度科學(xué)家的觀測(cè))率先發(fā)現(xiàn)了太陽(yáng)導(dǎo)致地球內(nèi)核變熱的現(xiàn)象,并向美國(guó)政府報(bào)告。美國(guó)政府一方面對(duì)公眾隱瞞這一地球?qū)⒃鈿绲南ⅲ环矫媾cG8峰會(huì)的其他大國(guó)分享秘密,并聯(lián)手在中國(guó)青藏高原地區(qū)秘密修建“諾亞方舟”,一個(gè)國(guó)家一艘。這些國(guó)家的政府還聯(lián)手封鎖消息,凡是知曉秘密的人都受到嚴(yán)密監(jiān)控,凡是意圖向大眾透露秘密的人都會(huì)被暗殺。為了籌措建造方舟所需的巨額資金,大國(guó)領(lǐng)袖們還決定向有錢(qián)人出售登舟門(mén)票——每張高達(dá)l億歐元。這樣,除了各國(guó)政要、繁衍物種所需的優(yōu)選人類(lèi)和動(dòng)植物,容量所限的40萬(wàn)人逃生名單中也不乏這樣的億萬(wàn)富翁。
另一條線索是科幻作家杰克遜·柯蒂斯(Jackson Curtis)帶著孩子去黃石國(guó)家公園度假,卻發(fā)現(xiàn)曾有美好回憶的湖泊已經(jīng)干涸了,而這個(gè)地區(qū)也成為了禁區(qū)。充滿疑惑的他在黃石公園附近的營(yíng)地偶然認(rèn)識(shí)了通過(guò)自己的私人電臺(tái)向美國(guó)人布道并宣稱世界末日來(lái)臨的狂人查理(Charlie Frost)。查理告訴他由于自然環(huán)境和資源長(zhǎng)期被人類(lèi)掠奪性破壞,地球自身的平衡系統(tǒng)已經(jīng)瀕于崩潰,人類(lèi)即將面臨空前的自然災(zāi)害。查理說(shuō)有些國(guó)家已經(jīng)在聯(lián)合秘密研制并建造可以躲避這場(chǎng)災(zāi)難的方舟,只是這些國(guó)家的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人將眾人蒙在鼓里。杰克遜以為他是個(gè)瘋子就一笑了之地離開(kāi)了。
沒(méi)想到,第二天災(zāi)難果然發(fā)生了。強(qiáng)烈的地震伴隨著火山噴發(fā),讓眼前熟悉的家園變成了_人間地獄。在地球的其他地方,各種各樣的自然災(zāi)害也前所未有地大規(guī)模爆發(fā)。杰克遜一家和眾多家庭一樣踏上了求生之路。面對(duì)全球性的自然災(zāi)害,不知何去何從的他突然想起查理提到過(guò)的方舟和地圖,于是決定前往方舟基地尋找生存的機(jī)會(huì)。
杰克遜一家在經(jīng)歷生死考驗(yàn)之后終于到達(dá)了方舟基地——青藏高原。然而已經(jīng)制造完成的方舟數(shù)量遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不能滿足從世界各地聞?dòng)嵱縼?lái)的受災(zāi)人群。
誰(shuí)去誰(shuí)留已然成為挑戰(zhàn)整個(gè)人類(lèi)的道德抉擇。面對(duì)災(zāi)難,來(lái)自不同國(guó)家的人作出了最重要的抉擇:“所有人都是平等的,都有平等的生存機(jī)會(huì)!”最后人類(lèi)終于在方舟中躲過(guò)了這一全球性的災(zāi)害,獲得了繼續(xù)繁衍和發(fā)展的希望。
影片折射出的西方意識(shí)形態(tài)
1 原罪與世界末日(originaI Sin and Doomsday)
雖然電影名稱來(lái)源于瑪雅人的日歷神話,2012年的末世論實(shí)際上是一種西方思想,并非瑪雅人所創(chuàng)。電影只是借用瑪雅人日歷的傳說(shuō)?,斞湃諝v每隔5125年就進(jìn)行一次新的循環(huán),而舊歷結(jié)束的日子是2012年12月21日,這一天會(huì)出現(xiàn)翻天覆地的事件。實(shí)際上,世紀(jì)末與末日審判的概念來(lái)源于基督教。在《圣經(jīng)》的記載中,上帝創(chuàng)造了世界和世間一切生物,人類(lèi)始祖亞當(dāng)與夏娃因偷吃蘋(píng)果被生氣的上帝逐出了伊甸園。后來(lái)人類(lèi)的胡作非為觸怒了_上帝。他以橫掃一切的洪水給人類(lèi)以滅頂之災(zāi)的懲罰。只有好人諾亞聽(tīng)從上帝事先的指示建造了方舟才使其一家和動(dòng)植物延續(xù)下來(lái)。關(guān)于這段情節(jié),《圣經(jīng),創(chuàng)世記》(Genesis)記述道:
God, seeing the wickedness of man, is grieved by his creation and resolves to send a great flood. He sees that Noah isa man \"righteous in his generation,\" and gives him detailed instructions for the Ark (方舟). When the animals are safe onboard God sends the Flood, which rises until all the mountains are covered and all life that lived on dry land and breathedthrough its nostrils is destroyed. At the height of the flood the Ark rests on the mountains, the waters abate (退卻), and dryland reappears. Noah, his family, and the animals leave the Ark, and God vows (發(fā)誓) to never again send a flood to destroythe Earth.
人類(lèi)的罪惡源于不聽(tīng)上帝的話,違背道德而棄善從惡。上帝對(duì)人類(lèi)的懲罰以自然災(zāi)害的形式出現(xiàn),例如洪水,地震,火山爆發(fā),干旱以及雪災(zāi)?!?012》正是基督教文化對(duì)人類(lèi)違背自然規(guī)律、破壞自然環(huán)境和生態(tài)而遭到懲罰的潛意識(shí)解讀。聯(lián)系艾默里奇導(dǎo)演的另一部災(zāi)難電影《后天》對(duì)全球變冷的詮釋,基督教的這一影響顯而易見(jiàn)。
Apocalypse(啟示)/Judgment Day(末日審判)
Jackson Curtis: I was listening to the broadcast and I was wondering what is exactly that's gonna start in Hollywood?
Charlie Frost:It's the Apocalypse,End of days,The Judgment Day,the end of the world,my iend,Christians called itthe rapture(升天),but the Mayans knew about it,the Hopis dE美印第安人的一個(gè)部落),the IChing(中國(guó)的《易經(jīng)》),theBible....
2 科學(xué)與上帝斗法(Science vs,God)
在歐美歷史上,宗教在國(guó)家與個(gè)人生活中曾占最重要的地位,尤其是在中世紀(jì)(約公元500年~1500年)。這反映在歐洲諸國(guó)政教合一的政治制度以及人們禮拜上帝的習(xí)俗上。在任何一個(gè)村鎮(zhèn)或城市,最富麗堂皇的建筑就是教堂。然而,自文藝復(fù)興以來(lái),宗教與上帝的地位受到科學(xué)的不斷挑戰(zhàn),哥白尼、伽利略、布魯諾等都是站在科學(xué)一邊與羅馬教廷斗爭(zhēng)的。斗爭(zhēng)的結(jié)果世人皆知:科學(xué)占了上風(fēng),上帝退居次席。
地質(zhì)學(xué)家阿德里安博士的報(bào)告基于對(duì)太陽(yáng)輻射變化以及地球內(nèi)核變化的長(zhǎng)期科學(xué)監(jiān)測(cè)與觀察,所以美國(guó)高官和總統(tǒng)對(duì)其深信不疑,立即開(kāi)始研究對(duì)策。這反映了科學(xué)在西方國(guó)家政治經(jīng)濟(jì)生活中的主導(dǎo)地位。
Belief in Science
President Thomas Wilson: Six months ago, I was made aware of a situation so devastating that, at first, I refused tobelieve it. However, through the concerted efforts of our brightest scientists, we have confirmed its validity (~). Theworld, as we know it, will soon come to an end.
當(dāng)人們的生活越來(lái)越依賴于科學(xué)發(fā)明和技術(shù)進(jìn)步時(shí),其精神卻變得越來(lái)越空虛,失去了生存的意義和前進(jìn)的方向。這時(shí),上帝總是不失時(shí)機(jī)地殺科學(xué)一個(gè)回馬槍。人類(lèi)的貪得無(wú)厭和索取無(wú)度遭到了自然環(huán)境惡化和全球變暖的懲罰。這一切就像是《圣經(jīng)》所預(yù)言的。影片中地球天崩地陷的時(shí)刻,我們似乎看到了_上帝對(duì)科學(xué)輕蔑的微笑。
Carl Anheuser: Where the hell is President Wilson!
Sally (President's Secretary): He's praying, sir, and under these circumstances that's not such a bad idea.
的確,科學(xué)技術(shù)(手機(jī),汽車(chē)、電視、互聯(lián)網(wǎng)等)在我們生活中起著越來(lái)越重要的作用,甚至可以說(shuō)人們的生活已經(jīng)須臾離不開(kāi)它們。然而,對(duì)科技的迷信使我們?cè)诰袷澜缰性絹?lái)越迷失,很少去思考個(gè)人與整個(gè)人類(lèi)生存的意義。以往人們會(huì)說(shuō),“人類(lèi)一思考,上帝就發(fā)笑”:現(xiàn)在恐怕得說(shuō),“人類(lèi)不思考,上帝干著急?!笨磥?lái),科學(xué)與上帝的斗法還遠(yuǎn)沒(méi)有到畫(huà)上句號(hào)的時(shí)候。
3 個(gè)人與國(guó)家:陰謀理論(1ndividuals VS,the State-Conspiracy Theory)
西方現(xiàn)代國(guó)家的建立是基于近代資產(chǎn)階級(jí)的產(chǎn)生及其倡導(dǎo)的公民權(quán)與契約論等理論,其具體形式為代議制民主以及憲法對(duì)公民權(quán)(包括言論自由、私有財(cái)產(chǎn)權(quán)、政治投票權(quán)等)的保護(hù)?;谶@種理論的政治體制強(qiáng)調(diào)公民對(duì)政府決策的知情權(quán)和監(jiān)督權(quán)。作為其反面,反映在西方許多影片中的是,政府濫用權(quán)力為特權(quán)階層謀私利,或者為了所謂的國(guó)家利益而踐踏公民權(quán),這就是所謂的“陰謀理論”。
Big Brother Is Watching You!(公民權(quán)遭到踐踏)
Adrian Helmsley: Sir, you don't have the authority.
Carl Anheuser: Who's got the authority? You? You've got the authority? You couldn't keep your goddamn mouth shut. Youbetrayed top-secret information last year. Could've had us all killed?
Adrian Helmsley: What the hell are you talking about?
Carl Anheuser: You told your father everything. Put this entire plan in jeopardy (危險(xiǎn)). Good thing for you the old man couldkeep his mouth shut better than you. Oh, come on. Don't look so shocked. We had to monitor everybody who knew. How do youthink we kept it a secret for so long?
Adrian Helmsley: So we just killed people who tried to talk?
Carl Anheuser: Anybody who tried to talk was not just an enemy of the state, they're an enemy of humanity.
Adrian Helmsley: The Director of the Louvre (盧浮宮) was an enemy of humanity?
Carl Anheuser: After he called a press conference, he was! Jesus. What did you think?
Whose Government Anyway? (為有錢(qián)人服務(wù)的政府)
Charlie Frost: Hey. Hey, guess what? They're selling seats.
Jackson Curtis: Put me down for three.
Charlie Frost: No, guys like you and me don't have a chance. You'd have to be Bill Gates or Rupert Murdoch or some Russianbillionaire or something.
Fair? In a Way, But... (貌似公平的不公平)
Laura Wilson: How were all these people chosen?
Carl Anheuser: The same way your art was: By experts from all over the world. We had geneticists (基因?qū)W家) determine theperfect gene pool we need to repopulate (重新繁衍人口).
Adrian Helmsley: These people were chosen by geneticists?
Laura Wilson:Looks to me like their checkbooks (支票簿) got them onboard.
Carl Anheuser: That's right, Dr. Wilson. Without billions of dollars from the private sector, this entire operation would'vebeen impossible.
Adrian Helmsley: We sold tickets. And what about all these workers? They all get passes (通行證)?
Carl Anheuser: What, life isn't fair? Is that it? You want to donate your passes to a couple of Chinese workers, you be my guest.
4 西方與東方:東方在崛起,格局仍未變(West VS,East--Unchanged Pattern)
和他的上一部災(zāi)難片《后天》一樣,導(dǎo)演艾默里奇在這部集大成的災(zāi)難電影中加進(jìn)了一些世界元素,例如中國(guó)青藏高原的地理優(yōu)勢(shì)、集中力量辦大事的制造能力,以及經(jīng)歷了地殼變動(dòng),非洲之角崛起,成為了地球上僅存的陸地拯救了人類(lèi)等等。這一方面間接反映了中國(guó)的崛起不容忽視,另一方面也是好萊塢撈取世界票房的一種手段。從影片的故事及人物來(lái)看,中國(guó)的作用仍然是次要的,人物也是簡(jiǎn)單膚淺的。西方的領(lǐng)袖仍然是美國(guó)。西方之所以選擇在中國(guó)制造現(xiàn)代化的“諾亞方舟”是因?yàn)橹袊?guó)的青藏高原是世界海拔最高的地區(qū),而且中國(guó)是在為西方作代工(設(shè)計(jì)和資金大都來(lái)自西方大國(guó))。這也是現(xiàn)實(shí)在影片中的真實(shí)反映。
5 人性:人類(lèi)的普世價(jià)值(Humanity-Universal Values)
盡管《2012》充斥著西方(尤其是美國(guó))的意識(shí)形態(tài),人物關(guān)系(包括沖突)也不乏人性的光芒。盡管文化各異、制度不同,由人類(lèi)組成的不同社會(huì)畢竟有許多相同之處,例如愛(ài)恨情仇,英雄主義、民族自豪感等。這也是這部影片能夠打動(dòng)觀眾的原因之一——人類(lèi)和人性的普世價(jià)值。
The President's Sacrifice for His Daughter
Laura Wilson: [Onphone] Dad, where are you?
President Thomas Wilson: You wouldn't have gotten on that plane if I told you.
Laura Wilson: Daddy, what's happening? I thought you were coming on the plane.
President Thomas Wilson: Do you know what strength it gives me to know that my daughter is going to survive?
Bookworm Boy and the President's Daughter
Adrian Helmsley: You know, when I was a kid, my dad was on the road a lot. He would give me a box full of books, call meevery night and quiz (測(cè)驗(yàn),) me. I'd get an ice cream cone (單通冰激凌) for every book I read, so I was a fat kid.
Laura Wilson: I find that very hard to believe.
Adrian Helmsley: No, it's true. My high school career was 2,000 books and zero girlfriends.
Laura Wilson: I didn't even kiss a boy till I was in college. They were all too scared of my dad.
Defining Humanity
Adrian Helmsley: The moment we stop fighting for each other, that's the moment we lose our humanity.
One World, One Dream
President Thomas Wilson: Today, none of us are strangers. Today, we are one family, stepping into the darkness together. Weare a nation of many religions, but I believe these words reflect the spirit of all our faiths...
《2012》作為好萊塢災(zāi)難電影的集大成者從側(cè)面反映了西方,尤其是美國(guó)人的意識(shí)形態(tài)與思維方式。認(rèn)真分析和解讀這些西方文化因素有助于我們提高對(duì)西方電影的鑒賞水平,更好地與西方打交道,做好東西方文化交流工作。