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Halloween VIV: The Inconvenient Truth

Posted by David Roberts at 11:10 AM on 10 Apr 2006

Read more about: An Inconvenient Truth | movies

I finally got around to watching the trailer for the new Al Gore/global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Oy.

DA-DUMMMMM!

CRASH!

BOOM!

"It will shake you to your core."

CRASH!

"If you love your planet ...

If you love your children ...

You have to see this movie."

KABOOOOM!

"By far, the most terrifying film you will ever see."

And so on. The whole thing is quite literally indistinguishable from a horror-movie trailer.

From my understanding of the film (Grist coverage here), it's urgent but fairly low-key, and makes great use of Gore's newfound wit and charm. You'd never know any of that from the scaremongering trailer.

Is this really what will get people out to see the movie? Maybe professional Hollywood marketers know better than me, but I gotta say it makes me want to see it less than I did before.

What do y'all think?

Two thumbs up

"The whole thing is quite literally indistinguishable from a horror-movie trailer."

Dave, I have to disagree. Not once did I think "horror-movie" when watching the trailer.

While we like to think that people are finally acknowledging that climate change is real and that humans are somewhat to blame, I'm not sure people realize what is at stake. I feel that this trailer helps answers this question: "our ability to live is what is at stake."

And, hey, they do manage to squeeze in the "I used to be the next President of the United States" bit.

Inconvienent truth - live

Al Gore came to University of Michigan last year and we got to see the "inconvienent truth" live. It was a great presentation. He was articulate, funny, engaging and warm, all while blowing the socks off the audience with data and images - not sure where this guy was during the last presidential campaign. We were spared the soundtrack, but we were all pretty much feeling it. At the time I thought he was so loose and warm because he was in front of a liberal academic audience where he knew he was safe throwing down tons of graphs and charts. However, the clips in the preview show him dazzling audiences across the world with the same data dump. I am really curious how this movie plays across the land. Anyone have ideas about how widely it's going to be released?

Sensationalism is what sells

I'm new here and come from one of the Al Gore sites that's out there (waiting for him to throw his hat in the ring for '08).  In response to the comments about the trailer for "An Inconvenient Truth," I just want to say that I agree that it's full of the usual Hollywood hype, and that may be unfortunate.  But sensationalism is what sells, and I guess I'm in favor of anything that gets people out there to see this movie.  It's too important to allow it to go unseen.

BTW, someone asked when the movie was coming out.  I believe it's May 26th.

Hope to see you all in the threaters!

YOU "FINALLY GOT AROUND TO IT"

You "finally got around" to watching the trailer for AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, a film about a subject in which you are clearly interested.  So I would venture a guess that the trailer takes a deliberately dramatic approach in order to encourage those that AREN'T interested to go see it and maybe learn a little something and get inspired.  Frankly, the subject matter IS far more frightening than a horror film and this film is IMPORTANT.  I liked the trailer because it FELT important and pressing, like you'd better see this... OR ELSE.  And with the state of our planet's enviornment, it looks like OR ELSE is quickly approaching.  I'll be first in line on May 26th.  Can't wait to see this.

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