羅蘭·艾默里奇和他的災難電影
羅蘭·艾默里奇(Roland Emmerich)1955年生于德國斯圖加特市,從慕尼黑影視學院畢業后,先后在德國和美國從事導演、編劇和制片工作。他最熱衷于拍攝災難電影,并在好萊塢實現了自己的理想和愿望。1996年導演的《獨立日》、2004年導演的《后天》以及2009年導演的《2012》在當年都引起了轟動并在票房上獲得成功。在接受《A日美國》(USA Today)采訪時,艾默里奇說,這是他最后一部災難電影,也是所有災難電影的終結者:
“ 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,尤其是影片中關于中國拯救世界的因素著實使國人興奮不已。有些觀眾認為這反映了中國的崛起和西方的日漸沒落。也有批評者認為影片是用中國元素作噱頭來賺錢。還有人譴責影片中展現的中國和中國人面孔模糊,缺乏深度。作為一部融合了各種元素的災難電影,《2012》在許多方面折射著西方的思維和意識形態,需要我們更深入地解讀。
《2012》的故事情節
劇情上,本片基本上分兩條線索:一條是地質學家阿德里安·赫爾姆斯利博士(Dr,Adrian Helmsley)(通過一名印度科學家的觀測)率先發現了太陽導致地球內核變熱的現象,并向美國政府報告。美國政府一方面對公眾隱瞞這一地球將遭毀滅的消息,一方面與G8峰會的其他大國分享秘密,并聯手在中國青藏高原地區秘密修建“諾亞方舟”,一個國家一艘。這些國家的政府還聯手封鎖消息,凡是知曉秘密的人都受到嚴密監控,凡是意圖向大眾透露秘密的人都會被暗殺。為了籌措建造方舟所需的巨額資金,大國領袖們還決定向有錢人出售登舟門票——每張高達l億歐元。這樣,除了各國政要、繁衍物種所需的優選人類和動植物,容量所限的40萬人逃生名單中也不乏這樣的億萬富翁。
另一條線索是科幻作家杰克遜·柯蒂斯(Jackson Curtis)帶著孩子去黃石國家公園度假,卻發現曾有美好回憶的湖泊已經干涸了,而這個地區也成為了禁區。充滿疑惑的他在黃石公園附近的營地偶然認識了通過自己的私人電臺向美國人布道并宣稱世界末日來臨的狂人查理(Charlie Frost)。查理告訴他由于自然環境和資源長期被人類掠奪性破壞,地球自身的平衡系統已經瀕于崩潰,人類即將面臨空前的自然災害。查理說有些國家已經在聯合秘密研制并建造可以躲避這場災難的方舟,只是這些國家的領導人將眾人蒙在鼓里。杰克遜以為他是個瘋子就一笑了之地離開了。
沒想到,第二天災難果然發生了。強烈的地震伴隨著火山噴發,讓眼前熟悉的家園變成了_人間地獄。在地球的其他地方,各種各樣的自然災害也前所未有地大規模爆發。杰克遜一家和眾多家庭一樣踏上了求生之路。面對全球性的自然災害,不知何去何從的他突然想起查理提到過的方舟和地圖,于是決定前往方舟基地尋找生存的機會。
杰克遜一家在經歷生死考驗之后終于到達了方舟基地——青藏高原。然而已經制造完成的方舟數量遠遠不能滿足從世界各地聞訊涌來的受災人群。
誰去誰留已然成為挑戰整個人類的道德抉擇。面對災難,來自不同國家的人作出了最重要的抉擇:“所有人都是平等的,都有平等的生存機會!”最后人類終于在方舟中躲過了這一全球性的災害,獲得了繼續繁衍和發展的希望。
影片折射出的西方意識形態
1 原罪與世界末日(originaI Sin and Doomsday)
雖然電影名稱來源于瑪雅人的日歷神話,2012年的末世論實際上是一種西方思想,并非瑪雅人所創。電影只是借用瑪雅人日歷的傳說。瑪雅日歷每隔5125年就進行一次新的循環,而舊歷結束的日子是2012年12月21日,這一天會出現翻天覆地的事件。實際上,世紀末與末日審判的概念來源于基督教。在《圣經》的記載中,上帝創造了世界和世間一切生物,人類始祖亞當與夏娃因偷吃蘋果被生氣的上帝逐出了伊甸園。后來人類的胡作非為觸怒了_上帝。他以橫掃一切的洪水給人類以滅頂之災的懲罰。只有好人諾亞聽從上帝事先的指示建造了方舟才使其一家和動植物延續下來。關于這段情節,《圣經,創世記》(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 (發誓) to never again send a flood to destroythe Earth.
人類的罪惡源于不聽上帝的話,違背道德而棄善從惡。上帝對人類的懲罰以自然災害的形式出現,例如洪水,地震,火山爆發,干旱以及雪災。《2012》正是基督教文化對人類違背自然規律、破壞自然環境和生態而遭到懲罰的潛意識解讀。聯系艾默里奇導演的另一部災難電影《后天》對全球變冷的詮釋,基督教的這一影響顯而易見。
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美印第安人的一個部落),the IChing(中國的《易經》),theBible....
2 科學與上帝斗法(Science vs,God)
在歐美歷史上,宗教在國家與個人生活中曾占最重要的地位,尤其是在中世紀(約公元500年~1500年)。這反映在歐洲諸國政教合一的政治制度以及人們禮拜上帝的習俗上。在任何一個村鎮或城市,最富麗堂皇的建筑就是教堂。然而,自文藝復興以來,宗教與上帝的地位受到科學的不斷挑戰,哥白尼、伽利略、布魯諾等都是站在科學一邊與羅馬教廷斗爭的。斗爭的結果世人皆知:科學占了上風,上帝退居次席。
地質學家阿德里安博士的報告基于對太陽輻射變化以及地球內核變化的長期科學監測與觀察,所以美國高官和總統對其深信不疑,立即開始研究對策。這反映了科學在西方國家政治經濟生活中的主導地位。
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.
當人們的生活越來越依賴于科學發明和技術進步時,其精神卻變得越來越空虛,失去了生存的意義和前進的方向。這時,上帝總是不失時機地殺科學一個回馬槍。人類的貪得無厭和索取無度遭到了自然環境惡化和全球變暖的懲罰。這一切就像是《圣經》所預言的。影片中地球天崩地陷的時刻,我們似乎看到了_上帝對科學輕蔑的微笑。
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,科學技術(手機,汽車、電視、互聯網等)在我們生活中起著越來越重要的作用,甚至可以說人們的生活已經須臾離不開它們。然而,對科技的迷信使我們在精神世界中越來越迷失,很少去思考個人與整個人類生存的意義。以往人們會說,“人類一思考,上帝就發笑”:現在恐怕得說,“人類不思考,上帝干著急。”看來,科學與上帝的斗法還遠沒有到畫上句號的時候。
3 個人與國家:陰謀理論(1ndividuals VS,the State-Conspiracy Theory)
西方現代國家的建立是基于近代資產階級的產生及其倡導的公民權與契約論等理論,其具體形式為代議制民主以及憲法對公民權(包括言論自由、私有財產權、政治投票權等)的保護。基于這種理論的政治體制強調公民對政府決策的知情權和監督權。作為其反面,反映在西方許多影片中的是,政府濫用權力為特權階層謀私利,或者為了所謂的國家利益而踐踏公民權,這就是所謂的“陰謀理論”。
Big Brother Is Watching You!(公民權遭到踐踏)
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). 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? (為有錢人服務的政府)
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 (基因學家) 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)
和他的上一部災難片《后天》一樣,導演艾默里奇在這部集大成的災難電影中加進了一些世界元素,例如中國青藏高原的地理優勢、集中力量辦大事的制造能力,以及經歷了地殼變動,非洲之角崛起,成為了地球上僅存的陸地拯救了人類等等。這一方面間接反映了中國的崛起不容忽視,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看,中國的作用仍然是次要的,人物也是簡單膚淺的。西方的領袖仍然是美國。西方之所以選擇在中國制造現代化的“諾亞方舟”是因為中國的青藏高原是世界海拔最高的地區,而且中國是在為西方作代工(設計和資金大都來自西方大國)。這也是現實在影片中的真實反映。
5 人性:人類的普世價值(Humanity-Universal Values)
盡管《2012》充斥著西方(尤其是美國)的意識形態,人物關系(包括沖突)也不乏人性的光芒。盡管文化各異、制度不同,由人類組成的不同社會畢竟有許多相同之處,例如愛恨情仇,英雄主義、民族自豪感等。這也是這部影片能夠打動觀眾的原因之一——人類和人性的普世價值。
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 (測驗,) 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》作為好萊塢災難電影的集大成者從側面反映了西方,尤其是美國人的意識形態與思維方式。認真分析和解讀這些西方文化因素有助于我們提高對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。