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Revision as of 23:19, 18 June 2006 by Atlant (talk | contribs) (Revert PoV insertion)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) 2006 film| An Inconvenient Truth | |
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| Directed by | Davis Guggenheim |
| Produced by | Laurie David, Lawrence Bender |
| Starring | Al Gore |
| Music by | Michael Brook |
| Distributed by | Paramount Classics |
| Release dates | May 24, 2006 |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Language | English |
An Inconvenient Truth is a documentary film about global warming (also known as climate change) by Davis Guggenheim, starring Al Gore. The documentary premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. It opened in New York and Los Angeles on May 24, 2006.
Synopsis
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, coming to grips with his life's direction after the events of the 2000 Presidential election, dedicates himself to combating global warming. Armed with a Keynote presentation, Gore explains the science and politics of global warming.
Film Festivals
At the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, the movie received a three-time standing ovation. It was also screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was the opening night film at the 27th Durban International Film Festival on June 14, 2006.
Origins of the film
Gore first became intrigued by the topic of global warming when he took a course at Harvard University with Professor Roger Revelle, who was the first scientist to measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Later, when Gore was in Congress, he initiated the first congressional hearing on the subject, brought in climate scientists and began talking to politicians about the issue. He thought that once legislators heard the compelling evidence, they would be driven to action; ultimately though, the process would be slow.
In 1992, his book Earth in the Balance reached the New York Times bestseller list.
As Vice President during the Clinton Administration, Gore pushed for the implementation of a carbon tax to modify incentives to reduce fossil fuel consumption and thereby decrease emission of greenhouse gases; it was partially implemented in 1993. He helped broker the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty that aims to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but it was not ratified due to opposition in the United States Senate. Gore also supported the funding of a satellite called Triana to create more awareness of environmental issues and to take the first direct measurements of how much sunlight is reflected from the Earth. During his 2000 Presidential Campaign, he ran in part on a pledge to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
After his defeat, Gore adapted an old slide show of his and began giving a global warming multimedia presentation across the country and the world. At the time of the film, he estimated he had shown the presentation more than a thousand times. Producers Laurie David and Lawrence Bender saw Gore's slide show in New York after the 2004 premiere of The Day After Tomorrow. Inspired, they met with director Davis Guggenheim about the possibility of making it into a movie. Guggenheim, who was skeptical at first, later saw the presentation for himself. Guggenheim was "blown away" and "left after an hour and a half thinking that global warming the most important issue." "I had no idea how you’d make a film out of it, but I wanted to try," he says.
Trivia
- Paramount Classics is committing 5% of their domestic theatrical gross for the film, with a minimum guarantee of $500,000, to be donated to a new bipartisan climate action group, Alliance for Climate Protection, dedicated to awareness and grassroots organizing.
- Before even being released the film was parodied in the South Park episode "Manbearpig". Gore laughed off their sensationalized depiction of him saying, "Their comic sensibility is aimed at a different demographic than the one I inhabit, but I still find a lot of what they do hilarious."
- President George W. Bush, when asked whether he would watch the film responded, "Doubt it." He later attested that "we need to set aside whether or not greenhouse gases have been caused by mankind or because of natural effects.” Gore responded by saying, "The entire global scientific community has a consensus on the question that human beings are responsible for global warming and has today again expressed personal doubt that that is true."
- An Inconvenient Truth is also appearing as a book by Al Gore of the same title (ISBN 1594865671).
- During the movie, Al Gore shows a clip from the animated TV series Futurama episode "Crimes of the Hot" about global warming.
Opening
The film opened in New York and Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 24th, 2006. On Memorial Day weekend, it grossed $91,447 per theater, the highest of any movie that weekend and a record for a documentary though it was only playing on four screens at the time.
Further release dates can be found on the release schedule at the official site.
Posters
Taglines
- A global warning.
- We're all on thin ice.
- By far the most terrifying film you will ever see.
External links
- Official Website
- Al Gore's book
- Participant Productions
- Participate.net
- An Inconvenient Truth Full Length Slide Show Presentation 230MB
- An Inconvenient Truth Trailer on Google Video
- An Inconvenient Truth 30 Seconds... on Google Video
- An Inconvenient Truth Commercial on Google Video
- An Inconvenient Truth Trailer
- Participant Productions - An Inconvenient Truth
- An Inconvenient Truth at IMDb
- An Inconvenient Truth at Rotten Tomatoes
- An Inconvenient Truth at Filmaffinity
- An Inconvenient Truth, Book Signing in Washington DC
Reviews
- Sun Times: Roger Ebert's Review "In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film."
- New Yorker: Ozone Man
- Washington Post: Al Gore, Sundance's Leading Man
- Globe and Mail: The truth about 'Ozone Al' - with extensive quotes from Gore
- Film Triggers Global Warming To Al Gore - The Register
- RealClimate.org: Al Gore's movie - scientific comment and fact-checking
Interviews
Notes
- Voynar, Kim. "Sundance: An Inconvenient Truth Q & A - Al Gore on fire! No, really." "Cinematical." January 26, 2006.
- Remnick, David. "The Talk of the Town." "New Yorker." April 14, 2006.
- Booth, William. "Al Gore, Sundance's Leading Man." "Washington Post." January 26, 2006.
- Steffen, Alex. "Interview: Davis Guggenheim and An Inconvenient Truth." "WorldChanging." May 4, 2006.