TEXT20ApocalypseNow?1现代启示录?(陈继龙编译)May4th2006|LOSANGELESFromTheEconomistprinteditionNLIKEmanyrecentpoliticaldocumentaries,“AnInconvenientTruth”doesnota_________①itsfiercestfireatGeorgeBush.(1)Surprisingthis,especiallyasthefilmstarsAlGore,themanwhomPresidentBush★narrowly[1]beattotheWhiteHousein2000.Instead,DavisGuggenheim,thefilm'sdirector,triestoriseaboveAmericanpolitics,addressinghisfilm,whichistobeshownattheCannesfilmfestival2laterthismonth,tothewholeofthehumanrace.U《难以忽视的真相》并不像许多政治题材的纪录片那样,将最猛烈的炮火对准乔治·布什。尤为令人感到意外的是,这部电影的领衔主演竟然是曾在2000年惜败于布什总统的阿尔·戈尔。导演戴维斯·古根汉姆力图超越美国政治,将这部即将于本月下旬在戛纳电影节上映的影片视角定位到整个人类。(2)MrGuggenheim'sfilmisafascinatingandalarming★polemic[2]thatdoes,indeed,setouttospeaktoeveryone.Itwasinspiredbythelecturesandslide-showonglobalwarmingthatMrGorehasd__________②morethan1,000timessincehefailedtobecomepresident.Theformervice-presidentisshowntalkingaboutwhathecalls“ourplanetaryemergency”togroupsofconcernedAmericans,displayingtherelaxedcharmandsenseofhumourthathenotablylackedasapoliticalcampaigner.古根汉姆的影片就像一场精彩、惊人的辩论,而且其开场白的确也是说给每个人听的。戈尔竞选总统失败后,不止1000次发表过关于全球气候变暖的演说,该片正是从中受到启发。片中,这位前任美国副总统对许许多多忧虑的美国人谈到了他所谓的“我们星球的突发事件”,展现出过去身为一名参加竞选的政治家所不具有的得体仪态和幽默感。Thepowersofcinemaareusedtoextendhisteachingtechniques:★before-and-after[3]photographyfromaroundtheworld,footageofice-shelvescollapsing,animatedmapsandgraphs,evenan★interlude[4]starring“TheSimpsons”3.Thesepartsofthefilm,whichr_________③theentertainingsciencedocumentariesthatFrankCapra4madeinthe1950s,(3)probablycommunicateasmuchinformationasanaudienceinacinemacanbeexpectedtodigestinonesitting.应用电影制作为戈尔的说教赋予了更加多彩的形式,比如前后对照鲜明的世界各地摄影、冰架坍塌的组拍镜头、动画地图和图表,甚至还插入了《辛普森一家》的一个片段。影片这些组成部分所传递的讯息量也许快赶上一名观众在电影院看一次电影所能理解接受的讯息量了,(译者按:译文的确很蹩脚,但句子的结构应该是清楚的,主语是thesepartsofthefilm,谓语是communicate(传达,传递),宾语是information,asmuchas后接的是一个比较状语从句,从句主语是anaudience,谓语是情态助动词can加被动语态beexpected,todigest则是expect的间接宾语,inacinema和inonesitting都是状语)这不禁让人想起了20世纪50年代弗兰克·卡普拉的娱乐性科学纪录片。Inaddition,thefilmtellsahumanstory:howMrGorebecameanenvironmentalist,andthemotivesthathaveimpelledhimtodevotethepastfiveyearstoplayingthepartofPaulRevere5,bearinghiswarningofapproachingdangeracrosstheland.(4)Oratorshavealwaysunderstoodthattheirlistenersmustbelieveinthegoodcharacterofthepersonaddressingthemifheistohaveanychanceofwinningthemtohiscause.Tothatend,MrGuggenheimworksawaytohumaniseMrGore,whotalks(ashehasonotheroccasions)ofalmostlosinghissix-year-oldsoninatrafficaccidentandseeinghissisterdieoflungcancer—apersonalc_________④thatspurredhisfamilytogetoutofthetobaccobusiness.此外,该片还讲述了一个人的故事:戈尔如何成为一位环境保护主义者?过去五年来,戈尔一心一意向保罗·里维尔学习,在全国各地警告人们危险即将来临,其动机何在?演说者从来都明白,要想听众支持自己的论点,就一定要让他们相信自己是个好人。为此,古根汉姆想方设法让戈尔更具有人情味...