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I am your father.
2
00:00:04,664 --> 00:00:08,134
I've always loved
science fiction in every form...
3
00:00:08,166 --> 00:00:09,668
out of the shadow
4
00:00:09,701 --> 00:00:10,970
like a gray snake.
And now it's another one,
5
00:00:11,003 --> 00:00:12,472
and there's another one
and another one.
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00:00:12,505 --> 00:00:14,407
For the power
of its ideas...
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It works!
8
00:00:15,774 --> 00:00:18,811
And for the big
questions it asks.
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"What's out there
in the universe?
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How will the world end?
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Will our technology
destroy us?"
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Dead or alive,
you are coming with me.
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And above all...
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It's alive!
15
00:00:30,723 --> 00:00:34,159
"What can we learn
from these fantastic stories?"
16
00:00:34,192 --> 00:00:36,095
So, who wants to say,
"Action," you or me?
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00:00:36,128 --> 00:00:38,564
You, go on.
Okay. Action!
18
00:00:38,597 --> 00:00:40,033
I think I always have been
a sci-fi fan.
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What's possible?
What's gonna happen?
20
00:00:42,868 --> 00:00:45,838
That's kind of like
seeing in the future.
21
00:00:45,871 --> 00:00:47,974
It's just boom!
Right at you. Wshoom.
22
00:00:48,006 --> 00:00:51,076
Science fiction shows you
all the possibilities.
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00:00:51,110 --> 00:00:53,412
At that point,
it's beyond science fiction.
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It's a statement about humanity.
25
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We'll do things that we cannot
even imagine today.
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But it's
great entertainment.
27
00:00:59,218 --> 00:01:00,787
Exactly!
28
00:01:00,819 --> 00:01:03,021
This is a whole genre
that's just exploding
29
00:01:03,054 --> 00:01:06,726
because it's so much more fun
than a lot of the other genres.
30
00:01:06,759 --> 00:01:09,595
So badass and cool
and empowering.
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00:01:09,628 --> 00:01:11,463
You're constantly saying,
"What if?"
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And if you're not saying,
"What if?" you're a fool.
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Anything is possible.
34
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Ray Bradbury
and Arthur Clarke
35
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and Robert Heinlein.
36
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That was it.
I was hooked.
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The concept of the universe
is so mind-boggling.
38
00:01:24,242 --> 00:01:27,479
And then there's also that line
of science fiction fantasy.
39
00:01:27,513 --> 00:01:30,116
I think monsters tell us
everything about ourselves.
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Science fiction is just
that special to me.
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00:01:33,885 --> 00:01:35,521
And we love it, and
we can't get enough of it.
42
00:01:35,554 --> 00:01:37,522
And so we can't stop.
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Advertise your product or brand here
contact www.OpenSubtitles.org today
44
00:02:12,091 --> 00:02:14,193
You've done, I think,
over your entire oeuvre,
45
00:02:14,226 --> 00:02:15,828
between
directing and producing,
46
00:02:15,860 --> 00:02:17,996
you've done many films
about first contact
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or invasion.
48
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Was that what was inflaming
your... your young imagination?
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My father was the one
that introduced me
50
00:02:26,871 --> 00:02:28,640
to the cosmos.
Right.
51
00:02:28,674 --> 00:02:32,879
He's the one that built,
from a big cardboard roll,
52
00:02:32,912 --> 00:02:34,546
that you roll rugs on...
53
00:02:34,580 --> 00:02:36,549
he built a two-inch
reflecting telescope.
54
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Cool.
55
00:02:37,849 --> 00:02:39,284
And then I saw
the moons of Jupiter.
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It was the first thing
that he pointed out to me.
57
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And I saw the rings of Saturn...
Around Saturn.
58
00:02:43,254 --> 00:02:46,959
And I'm six, seven years old
when this all happened.
59
00:02:46,991 --> 00:02:48,693
And so, for me,
the cosmos...
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00:02:48,727 --> 00:02:50,263
You... You spent a lot of time
staring at the sky.
61
00:02:50,295 --> 00:02:51,763
A lot of time
looking at the sky.
62
00:02:51,796 --> 00:02:53,098
Woke me up
in the middle of the night.
63
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It's scary when your dad
walks into your bedroom,
64
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and it's still dark,
and he says, "Come with me."
65
00:02:57,002 --> 00:02:59,872
Your dad took you out
to watch a meteor shower?
66
00:02:59,905 --> 00:03:01,973
It was the Leonid shower.
Yeah, right, right.
67
00:03:02,007 --> 00:03:04,977
And he took me to a knoll
somewhere in New Jersey,
68
00:03:05,009 --> 00:03:06,745
and there were hundreds of
people lying on picnic benches.
69
00:03:06,778 --> 00:03:08,213
Yeah, well, that scene is right
in "Close Encounters."
70
00:03:08,246 --> 00:03:09,948
Absolutely.
It's the same scene.
71
00:03:09,982 --> 00:03:11,717
I put the scene in "Close Encounters."
Yeah.
72
00:03:11,750 --> 00:03:14,287
And I got out there and
we laid down on a knapsack...
73
00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:15,687
His Army knapsack.
74
00:03:15,721 --> 00:03:16,923
And we looked up
at the sky...
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How awesome.
76
00:03:18,056 --> 00:03:19,292
And every
30 seconds or so,
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there was a brilliant
flash of light
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that streaked across the sky.
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And I just remember, you know,
looking at the sky,
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because of the influence
of my father, and saying,
81
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"If I ever get a chance
to make a science fiction movie,
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I want those guys
to come in peace."
83
00:03:44,182 --> 00:03:49,354
I got a call from my agent,
saying, "There's a job.
84
00:03:49,388 --> 00:03:51,123
Steven Spielberg
is directing a movie.
85
00:03:51,156 --> 00:03:52,625
It's called 'Close Encounters
of the Third Kind.'"
86
00:03:52,657 --> 00:03:55,293
I said, "Excuse me?"
87
00:03:55,326 --> 00:03:56,728
So, I have this
audition coming up,
88
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so I practice
a little bit
89
00:03:58,097 --> 00:04:00,266
of what I think will
help me get the job.
90
00:04:00,299 --> 00:04:02,935
And Steven says, "Well,
we'd love you to do this movie.
91
00:04:02,967 --> 00:04:06,705
You'd be Fran�ois Truffaut's
interpreter.
92
00:04:06,739 --> 00:04:08,074
The only thing is,
93
00:04:08,107 --> 00:04:10,142
we just need to hear
what your French is like.
94
00:04:10,174 --> 00:04:11,710
Is your French good"?
95
00:04:11,744 --> 00:04:14,080
I said...
96
00:04:18,249 --> 00:04:19,918
None of them spoke French
and they said,
97
00:04:19,952 --> 00:04:22,054
"Great, you've got the job.
Your French is terrific."
98
00:04:24,890 --> 00:04:26,792
Have you recently had
a close encounter?
99
00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:30,996
Close encounter with
something very unusual?
100
00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,001
Who are you people?
101
00:04:36,034 --> 00:04:38,070
"Close Encounters
of the Third Kind"
102
00:04:38,102 --> 00:04:41,373
had an original title
called "Watch the Skies."
103
00:04:41,407 --> 00:04:43,643
And if you're a real
science fiction buff,
104
00:04:43,676 --> 00:04:45,211
you know where
that comes from.
105
00:04:45,244 --> 00:04:48,847
Every one of you listening
to my voice, tell the world.
106
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Tell this to everybody,
wherever they are.
107
00:04:51,849 --> 00:04:53,219
"Watch the skies."
108
00:04:53,251 --> 00:04:55,121
So, "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind,"
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its original title
built a bridge back
110
00:04:57,823 --> 00:05:00,825
to that 1950s classic
science fiction film,
111
00:05:00,859 --> 00:05:02,895
"The Thing from
Another World."
112
00:05:02,928 --> 00:05:04,263
Happy B-b-b-birthday,
113
00:05:04,296 --> 00:05:06,699
you, thing
from another world, you.
114
00:05:06,732 --> 00:05:08,167
Thank you!
115
00:05:11,970 --> 00:05:13,338
The character of Richard
Dreyfuss in "Close Encounters"
116
00:05:13,371 --> 00:05:16,408
is really interesting
because he is not a hero.
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He's not a good dad.
He's not a good husband.
118
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He gives up everything
to seek out this idea
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that there is life
on other planets.
120
00:05:25,883 --> 00:05:27,852
He's just an absolute,
everyday guy
121
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working for the power company.
122
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And he has an
inexplicable experience
123
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that he cannot deal with.
124
00:05:32,791 --> 00:05:34,126
And when that thing
flies over his truck,
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his life is changed.
126
00:05:37,429 --> 00:05:40,265
Characters are kind
of ripped apart.
127
00:05:40,299 --> 00:05:43,469
It's definitely suggested
that his obsession with aliens
128
00:05:43,501 --> 00:05:46,871
is really harming
his kid and his wife.
129
00:05:46,905 --> 00:05:49,441
Well, I guess
you've noticed
130
00:05:49,474 --> 00:05:53,212
that something is
a little strange with Dad.
131
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I can't describe it.
132
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This means something.
133
00:05:57,515 --> 00:05:58,917
But it raises the question
134
00:05:58,950 --> 00:06:00,919
of how far would we
be willing to go
135
00:06:00,953 --> 00:06:02,787
to communicate with aliens.
136
00:06:02,820 --> 00:06:06,258
I understand why
we're always criticized for it,
137
00:06:06,291 --> 00:06:08,861
but I'm also greatly relieved
138
00:06:08,893 --> 00:06:10,729
that there are people
in this world
139
00:06:10,763 --> 00:06:13,332
that will listen to that voice
inside them and pursue it.
140
00:06:13,364 --> 00:06:16,201
You felt compelled
to be here?
141
00:06:16,234 --> 00:06:18,104
Yeah,
you might say that.
142
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But what did you
expect to find?
143
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An answer!
144
00:06:24,308 --> 00:06:26,412
That's not crazy, is it?
145
00:06:26,445 --> 00:06:28,247
"Close Encounters
of the Third Kind"
146
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did something
different with aliens.
147
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Instead of having aliens
just as mostly fearsome monsters
148
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who only wanted to drink
our blood or rule us,
149
00:06:36,989 --> 00:06:40,525
it said there's a lot of amazing
stuff out there in the universe,
150
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and you're gonna
walk away awestruck.
151
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And Steven knew
just how to create
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a reaction of wonderment,
happiness, and awe
153
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at the same time.
154
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There is a scene
in "Close Encounters"
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when something has landed.
156
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Cary has to open this door
157
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and look and see
these amazing things.
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Steven had a number of people
from the movie
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dress up in giant costumes...
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A rabbit costume,
a mouse costume.
161
00:07:02,847 --> 00:07:05,150
And he said, "Okay, Cary,
now open the door."
162
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And Cary opened the door.
163
00:07:06,518 --> 00:07:09,554
And you could see
the wonder in his eyes...
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The excitement, the happiness.
165
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Toys!
166
00:07:13,592 --> 00:07:16,027
Toys!
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00:07:16,061 --> 00:07:18,097
I think
science fiction as a genre
168
00:07:18,130 --> 00:07:21,867
has definitely always had
a kind of social,
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00:07:21,900 --> 00:07:25,537
political, cultural message
170
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that's generally contained
in the stories that are written.
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You know?
It's not the normal world,
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but it's dealing with the things
that we deal with in our world.
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And that's the playground
that science fiction plays in.
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I have seen it twice.
Have you?
175
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And cried both times.
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I think it's a very
emotional experience,
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a very beautiful one.
178
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I think it's probably
the most important film
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of the last 20 years.
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00:07:50,294 --> 00:07:54,400
It is a movie written
by a director and writer
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who is searching
for meaning in his life.
182
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He's a very
introspective person.
183
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And I think he needed
to make a movie
184
00:08:02,107 --> 00:08:04,176
that provided
some kind of answer
185
00:08:04,208 --> 00:08:06,544
to, "What's
the meaning of life?"
186
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In a way,
this isn't a movie
187
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so much about
the aliens themselves.
188
00:08:10,181 --> 00:08:12,318
What it's really about is us.
189
00:08:12,350 --> 00:08:14,152
You know, how are we
going to feel
190
00:08:14,186 --> 00:08:17,089
when we become aware
of a life bigger than ours?
191
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What would we do?
192
00:08:18,556 --> 00:08:21,893
Are we willing to do
what Richard Dreyfuss did?
193
00:08:24,429 --> 00:08:26,565
Are we better people
than Roy?
194
00:08:26,598 --> 00:08:29,568
Or maybe Roy is
a better version of us.
195
00:08:35,941 --> 00:08:38,009
You really created
a kind of almost
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alternate spirituality
or alternate religion.
197
00:08:41,113 --> 00:08:43,349
Yes, and an infinite
superior civilization
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is going to find
the best of you
199
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and is going to pull the best
of you out of yourself.
200
00:08:47,119 --> 00:08:48,888
Right.
201
00:08:48,921 --> 00:08:50,589
And you will present the best
part... parts of yourself.
202
00:08:50,622 --> 00:08:52,591
As Lincoln said, "the better
angels of your nature."
203
00:08:52,623 --> 00:08:54,058
Yeah, exactly.
204
00:08:54,091 --> 00:08:56,227
And that's
what goodness does.
205
00:08:56,261 --> 00:08:58,230
You know, good
doesn't inspire evil.
206
00:08:58,263 --> 00:09:01,333
Good, you know,
propagates a greater good.
207
00:09:01,365 --> 00:09:02,534
Right.
And that's what I thought
208
00:09:02,567 --> 00:09:04,636
that the best
science fiction does.
209
00:09:04,670 --> 00:09:06,639
I think one of the most important
things as a filmmaker...
210
00:09:06,671 --> 00:09:09,675
At least of the kind of
awe-and-wonder-type stories
211
00:09:09,708 --> 00:09:12,478
that we're both attracted to...
Is to stay that kid.
212
00:09:12,511 --> 00:09:17,449
Part of that means fighting
off the natural urge of cynicism
213
00:09:17,481 --> 00:09:19,484
as we take everything in.
It's a battle.
214
00:09:19,518 --> 00:09:21,152
Yeah.
It's a battle for me.
215
00:09:21,186 --> 00:09:23,354
It continues to be a struggle for me...
Yeah.
216
00:09:23,388 --> 00:09:26,559
To want to look
on the... the bright side.
217
00:09:29,318 --> 00:09:31,554
More than
any other genre,
218
00:09:31,587 --> 00:09:34,352
science fiction
is the great "What if?"
219
00:09:35,790 --> 00:09:38,093
What would happen
if we woke up tomorrow
220
00:09:38,126 --> 00:09:40,063
and there were spaceships
larger than cities
221
00:09:40,096 --> 00:09:42,532
hovering above us?
222
00:09:42,564 --> 00:09:44,733
Evil alien disasters
are exciting
223
00:09:44,766 --> 00:09:47,469
because we get to
vicariously live
224
00:09:47,502 --> 00:09:50,439
through our fears
of annihilation
225
00:09:50,472 --> 00:09:52,708
while comfortably
sort of eating popcorn.
226
00:09:56,746 --> 00:10:01,784
The alien-invasion movie
is absolutely a metaphor
227
00:10:01,817 --> 00:10:05,355
for the human's darkest side.
228
00:10:05,387 --> 00:10:08,290
The invasion of aliens
destroying our planet
229
00:10:08,323 --> 00:10:12,862
is us destroying our planet.
230
00:10:12,895 --> 00:10:15,430
One of my favorite
alien-invasion narratives
231
00:10:15,463 --> 00:10:18,266
is actually a classic episode
of "The Twilight Zone"
232
00:10:18,299 --> 00:10:19,568
called "To Serve Man."
233
00:10:19,602 --> 00:10:21,504
Aliens arrive,
and humans are, like,
234
00:10:21,536 --> 00:10:22,871
"What are you here for?"
235
00:10:22,905 --> 00:10:24,841
And they're like,
"We want to serve you."
236
00:10:24,873 --> 00:10:26,475
We are here
to help you.
237
00:10:26,509 --> 00:10:29,445
Later, humans sneak
onboard the aliens ship
238
00:10:29,477 --> 00:10:30,679
and find a book there.
239
00:10:30,713 --> 00:10:34,183
"To Serve Man."
I hope so.
240
00:10:34,216 --> 00:10:35,351
And eventually,
they translate it
241
00:10:35,384 --> 00:10:36,586
and find out it's a cookbook.
242
00:10:36,618 --> 00:10:38,353
It's a cookbook!
243
00:10:38,386 --> 00:10:43,492
I think we use aliens
to portray our dreams,
244
00:10:43,525 --> 00:10:47,863
our wishes, our desires,
what we wish we could be.
245
00:10:47,896 --> 00:10:50,165
Most often, I think
we use aliens
246
00:10:50,198 --> 00:10:51,900
to portray
our fear of the unknown.
247
00:10:51,934 --> 00:10:55,237
And in doing that, we see
all these aliens invade.
248
00:10:57,740 --> 00:11:00,643
"Independence Day"
really captured
249
00:11:00,675 --> 00:11:03,812
all of the things
I had dreamed as a child.
250
00:11:03,846 --> 00:11:05,847
And part of what I wanted to do
251
00:11:05,881 --> 00:11:10,586
was bring regular guy
to science fiction
252
00:11:10,618 --> 00:11:14,689
that's really not happy about
his planet being invaded.
253
00:11:15,857 --> 00:11:18,160
Welcome to Earth.
254
00:11:18,193 --> 00:11:19,694
The movie
needed a moment
255
00:11:19,727 --> 00:11:21,164
where we thought that we were
dealing with an enemy
256
00:11:21,197 --> 00:11:22,765
beyond our capabilities.
257
00:11:22,798 --> 00:11:24,267
At the time, the idea
of the White House
258
00:11:24,299 --> 00:11:26,334
was an image
of strength, of power.
259
00:11:26,367 --> 00:11:28,737
Today, we are doing the
explosion of the White House.
260
00:11:28,770 --> 00:11:30,372
Roll camera.
261
00:11:30,405 --> 00:11:33,943
The White House explosion
was always in question.
262
00:11:33,976 --> 00:11:35,745
We had it in the script,
263
00:11:35,777 --> 00:11:38,346
and it was a very important
visual for us in the movie.
264
00:11:38,380 --> 00:11:40,817
But the studio was
very skittish about it.
265
00:11:40,849 --> 00:11:43,285
They said to me, "Roland,
you're German.
266
00:11:43,318 --> 00:11:44,487
You don't understand.
267
00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,322
You cannot blow up
the White House."
268
00:11:46,354 --> 00:11:47,889
And I remember Roland saying,
"So, you mean,
269
00:11:47,923 --> 00:11:49,725
it would be very controversial
and everybody would
270
00:11:49,757 --> 00:11:51,660
talk about our movie.
And that's bad, why?"
271
00:11:54,597 --> 00:11:56,531
So, yeah,
it stayed in the picture.
272
00:11:56,564 --> 00:11:57,732
And action!
273
00:12:00,535 --> 00:12:03,405
We were trying to give
a feeling of helplessness.
274
00:12:03,439 --> 00:12:04,906
No one ever thought,
in those days,
275
00:12:04,939 --> 00:12:06,909
that giant landmarks would
blow up the way they did.
276
00:12:06,942 --> 00:12:09,544
This was pre-9/11.
277
00:12:09,578 --> 00:12:12,814
The image of
the White House blowing up
278
00:12:12,847 --> 00:12:16,318
was the tipping point
for "Independence Day."
279
00:12:16,352 --> 00:12:19,288
I remember, I was sitting
in the theater.
280
00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,357
I was a couple rows
behind a guy.
281
00:12:22,391 --> 00:12:24,660
And the White House blew up.
282
00:12:24,693 --> 00:12:29,232
And the dude said, "Man!
That's bad. That's bad.
283
00:12:29,265 --> 00:12:30,600
That's... Man, that's bad."
284
00:12:30,632 --> 00:12:32,734
He said, "Girl, that's bad,
that's bad."
285
00:12:35,471 --> 00:12:37,405
"Independence Day"
actually tries to allude
286
00:12:37,439 --> 00:12:39,442
to a lot of classic
science fiction,
287
00:12:39,474 --> 00:12:41,543
both as a way
to appeal to the fans
288
00:12:41,577 --> 00:12:44,413
but also as a way
to give audiences anchor points
289
00:12:44,445 --> 00:12:45,714
for interpretation.
290
00:12:45,747 --> 00:12:47,617
From HAL, the computer...
291
00:12:47,650 --> 00:12:48,784
Good morning, Dave.
292
00:12:48,817 --> 00:12:50,620
To the bubbling clouds
293
00:12:50,652 --> 00:12:52,487
with the spaceship hidden inside
of it from "Close Encounters,"
294
00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:53,923
we added a line
for Jeff Goldblum
295
00:12:53,956 --> 00:12:55,424
as he's escaping the spaceship.
296
00:12:55,457 --> 00:12:57,360
Must go faster,
must go faster.
297
00:12:57,392 --> 00:12:59,661
That's directly
from "Jurassic Park."
298
00:12:59,694 --> 00:13:01,763
Must go faster.
299
00:13:01,796 --> 00:13:03,965
The computer virus is a nod
to "War of the Worlds,"
300
00:13:03,998 --> 00:13:06,968
where the actual virus
kills the aliens.
301
00:13:07,001 --> 00:13:09,972
You can't make a movie
about an alien invasion
302
00:13:10,005 --> 00:13:12,808
without tipping your hat
to "War of the Worlds."
303
00:13:12,841 --> 00:13:15,778
It is the godfather
of all alien-invasion movies.
304
00:13:15,810 --> 00:13:18,847
"But in the early years
of the 20th century,
305
00:13:18,881 --> 00:13:22,418
this world
was being watched closely
306
00:13:22,450 --> 00:13:27,355
by intelligences
greater than man's
307
00:13:27,389 --> 00:13:32,595
and surely drew their plans
against us."
308
00:13:32,627 --> 00:13:35,864
Hello, I'm Orson Welles.
309
00:13:35,897 --> 00:13:38,333
And I've been quoting
from another Wells...
310
00:13:38,367 --> 00:13:40,703
No relation... H.G. Wells,
311
00:13:40,736 --> 00:13:43,673
the distinguished
novelist, historian, prophet,
312
00:13:43,706 --> 00:13:47,910
who was also the great master
of science fiction.
313
00:13:47,943 --> 00:13:50,045
H.G. Wells
was a British writer
314
00:13:50,078 --> 00:13:51,746
at the beginning
of the 20th century
315
00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:54,750
who was one of
the most significant
316
00:13:54,783 --> 00:13:56,385
early science fiction writers.
317
00:13:56,418 --> 00:13:59,355
He was also a very
accomplished science writer
318
00:13:59,387 --> 00:14:01,556
and used science fiction
to explore
319
00:14:01,589 --> 00:14:03,325
what he considered
to be important ideas.
320
00:14:03,358 --> 00:14:06,328
Mr. Wells,
have you any solution
321
00:14:06,362 --> 00:14:08,764
for the very unhappy
state of affairs
322
00:14:08,796 --> 00:14:11,367
that is facing
the world today?
323
00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,004
It seems to me that many things
besides the pound
324
00:14:15,036 --> 00:14:17,372
are threatened with collapse.
325
00:14:17,405 --> 00:14:19,708
"War of the Worlds"
is a story, I think,
326
00:14:19,742 --> 00:14:24,512
which Wells intended to be
a confrontation with ourselves.
327
00:14:24,545 --> 00:14:27,449
What would happen if a society
or a civilization
328
00:14:27,482 --> 00:14:30,352
with superior technology
and superior weapons
329
00:14:30,386 --> 00:14:33,121
decides it wants to
take over a civilization
330
00:14:33,155 --> 00:14:35,091
with less advanced technology?
331
00:14:35,123 --> 00:14:37,093
He was writing in the 1890s,
332
00:14:37,126 --> 00:14:39,595
when Britain had been
doing this in India,
333
00:14:39,627 --> 00:14:41,564
it had been doing it
all over the world.
334
00:14:41,597 --> 00:14:45,534
He's saying, "How does it feel
when it happens to you?"
335
00:14:45,567 --> 00:14:48,104
"War of the Worlds"
is such a perfectly pure
336
00:14:48,136 --> 00:14:49,871
alien-invasion story.
337
00:14:49,905 --> 00:14:52,408
You can just kind of
pour out the old fears
338
00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,410
that somebody else
was using it to talk about
339
00:14:54,443 --> 00:14:57,813
and then pour in the new fears
that you're experiencing now.
340
00:14:57,846 --> 00:15:00,683
By 1938,
Orson Welles is applying it
341
00:15:00,716 --> 00:15:04,553
to this threat of Nazism
and the impending war.
342
00:15:04,586 --> 00:15:05,955
Might be a face.
343
00:15:05,987 --> 00:15:07,422
Good heavens,
something wriggling
344
00:15:07,456 --> 00:15:08,824
out of the shadow
like a gray snake.
345
00:15:08,857 --> 00:15:10,793
Now it's another one and
another one and another one.
346
00:15:10,825 --> 00:15:12,160
They look like tentacles
to me.
347
00:15:12,193 --> 00:15:15,064
By the 1950s,
we've got the atomic threat.
348
00:15:15,097 --> 00:15:16,999
The aliens now represent
what will happen
349
00:15:17,031 --> 00:15:18,867
with nuclear destruction.
350
00:15:18,900 --> 00:15:21,569
This type of defense is useless
against that kind of power!
351
00:15:21,602 --> 00:15:22,938
And then you fast-forward
352
00:15:22,971 --> 00:15:24,774
to Steven Spielberg's
"War of the Worlds"
353
00:15:24,807 --> 00:15:29,545
in which there's more of a sense
of post-9/11 catastrophe.
354
00:15:29,578 --> 00:15:31,179
Get down! Get down!
Get down!
355
00:15:31,213 --> 00:15:33,716
Is that the terrorist?!
356
00:15:33,748 --> 00:15:35,550
I wouldn't have done
"War of the Worlds"
357
00:15:35,583 --> 00:15:37,520
had it not been for 9/11,
358
00:15:37,553 --> 00:15:40,890
because "War of the Worlds"
is analogous to 9/11,
359
00:15:40,923 --> 00:15:44,927
an event in our American culture
and in the global,
360
00:15:44,959 --> 00:15:48,997
you know, history of... of...
Of you know, terrorism.
361
00:15:49,030 --> 00:15:50,766
Absolutely.
And... And... And...
362
00:15:50,799 --> 00:15:52,601
And America is not a country
that's used to being attacked.
363
00:15:52,634 --> 00:15:54,103
The last time we were attacked
like that was Pearl Harbor.
364
00:15:54,136 --> 00:15:55,603
Pearl Harbor, yeah.
And you...
365
00:15:55,636 --> 00:15:57,172
You managed to turn it
into a family drama
366
00:15:57,206 --> 00:15:58,874
that pulled everybody
together.
367
00:15:58,906 --> 00:16:01,109
Yeah, it was one that said,
"We have to make this
368
00:16:01,142 --> 00:16:03,011
a story about a single dad
who doesn't really even
369
00:16:03,044 --> 00:16:04,579
care about his kids.
Right.
370
00:16:04,612 --> 00:16:06,614
And somehow this event
has to make him care
371
00:16:06,647 --> 00:16:08,117
about his kids more than
he ever cared about himself.
372
00:16:08,150 --> 00:16:10,519
Right.
And so that became the nucleus.
373
00:16:10,551 --> 00:16:13,855
This idea of
the perils of encounter
374
00:16:13,889 --> 00:16:16,559
that H.G. Wells started
in his "War of the Worlds" novel
375
00:16:16,592 --> 00:16:19,495
is an idea that has really
fascinated us ever since...
376
00:16:19,527 --> 00:16:23,131
The idea that
everything we know
377
00:16:23,165 --> 00:16:24,867
could be destroyed
in an instant.
378
00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:27,535
And then, all of a sudden,
Hollywood played into that
379
00:16:27,568 --> 00:16:29,637
through the sci-fi genre
with a lot of movies
380
00:16:29,670 --> 00:16:33,675
in which these aliens
are coming to destroy us
381
00:16:33,708 --> 00:16:36,679
in very sort of overt,
bombastic ways.
382
00:16:36,712 --> 00:16:38,747
And like "Invasion
of the Body Snatchers,"
383
00:16:38,780 --> 00:16:41,851
in a much more subtle,
subversive type of way.
384
00:16:41,884 --> 00:16:45,955
They're here already!
You're next!
385
00:16:45,987 --> 00:16:47,155
"Invasion of
the Body Snatchers"
386
00:16:47,189 --> 00:16:49,158
is a lot scarier,
in some ways,
387
00:16:49,190 --> 00:16:51,793
than your aliens
swooping in from the sky,
388
00:16:51,827 --> 00:16:53,796
"War of the Worlds"-type
of battle,
389
00:16:53,828 --> 00:16:57,233
because you don't really know
who's an alien, who's not.
390
00:16:57,266 --> 00:16:58,667
Is that me?
391
00:16:58,699 --> 00:17:00,001
"Invasion
of the Body Snatchers"
392
00:17:00,035 --> 00:17:02,103
is about a conspiracy
393
00:17:02,137 --> 00:17:04,273
in which people
are being replaced
394
00:17:04,305 --> 00:17:06,174
by aliens from outer space
395
00:17:06,208 --> 00:17:08,276
and generating new
versions of themselves
396
00:17:08,310 --> 00:17:10,513
in pods that take them over.
397
00:17:10,545 --> 00:17:12,081
But
something is missing.
398
00:17:12,113 --> 00:17:13,882
They don't have
your individuality
399
00:17:13,916 --> 00:17:16,552
or maybe some other
kind of human spark
400
00:17:16,584 --> 00:17:21,256
that make us most spectacularly,
magically human.
401
00:17:21,289 --> 00:17:23,224
It's 1956,
402
00:17:23,257 --> 00:17:26,694
and certainly the film
has been talked about
403
00:17:26,727 --> 00:17:30,599
and considered in relation
to the threat of communism,
404
00:17:30,631 --> 00:17:33,102
the lockstep kind of ideology
405
00:17:33,134 --> 00:17:35,537
where everybody
had to be the same.
406
00:17:35,571 --> 00:17:38,674
The term at the time
was "creeping conformity."
407
00:17:38,707 --> 00:17:40,242
Who hasn't felt that,
408
00:17:40,275 --> 00:17:41,944
where you're just
talking to somebody,
409
00:17:41,977 --> 00:17:44,612
and they're not them?
410
00:17:44,646 --> 00:17:47,817
And you know, you're looking
at them saying,
411
00:17:47,850 --> 00:17:49,852
"You're not the person I know.
412
00:17:49,884 --> 00:17:51,286
You've been taken over."
413
00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,923
Is that him?
Yeah.
414
00:17:53,956 --> 00:17:55,690
Really it's sort of
like a metaphor.
415
00:17:55,724 --> 00:17:58,627
Do you really want to feel
or do you not want to feel?
416
00:17:58,660 --> 00:18:01,095
Would you rather
just go through life
417
00:18:01,129 --> 00:18:03,198
living in that gray area,
418
00:18:03,231 --> 00:18:06,267
with no real expression
for himself?
419
00:18:08,769 --> 00:18:11,272
Jack! Jack!
420
00:18:11,305 --> 00:18:12,708
Jack!
421
00:18:12,740 --> 00:18:13,942
Science fiction
enables us
422
00:18:13,976 --> 00:18:15,710
to deal with that fear
and that terror,
423
00:18:15,744 --> 00:18:17,679
and that is
subconscious motivations,
424
00:18:17,712 --> 00:18:20,748
without getting
too close to home.
425
00:18:20,782 --> 00:18:23,953
It's a powerful metaphor,
and it's an awful warning.
426
00:18:23,986 --> 00:18:25,588
They're coming!
Listen to me!
427
00:18:25,621 --> 00:18:27,022
You're next!
We're in danger!
428
00:18:27,054 --> 00:18:28,990
Please, listen to me!
Something terrible!
429
00:18:29,024 --> 00:18:30,825
They're already here!
430
00:18:30,859 --> 00:18:31,894
You're next!
431
00:18:34,977 --> 00:18:37,580
Do you take it as read
that aliens exist?
432
00:18:37,613 --> 00:18:40,850
Or... Or is it a wait-and-see
kind of thing?
433
00:18:40,883 --> 00:18:44,821
I think, for me, I think
any statistical analysis...
434
00:18:44,854 --> 00:18:46,489
If you're going to go
by statistics
435
00:18:46,521 --> 00:18:48,657
and you look at Carl Sagan
looking at the idea
436
00:18:48,691 --> 00:18:50,358
of what are
the mathematics behind
437
00:18:50,392 --> 00:18:51,794
"Is there life
on other planets?"...
438
00:18:51,826 --> 00:18:53,528
Those same statistics
are going to tell you
439
00:18:53,561 --> 00:18:55,964
that, yes, there have been
civilizations that possi...
440
00:18:55,998 --> 00:18:58,534
If there have been... if there
is intelligent life out there.
441
00:18:58,567 --> 00:19:00,336
But I also think
442
00:19:00,368 --> 00:19:02,871
that one of the hardest things
to wrap your head around,
443
00:19:02,904 --> 00:19:04,874
in terms of our place
in the universe,
444
00:19:04,906 --> 00:19:08,577
is if we are intended to connect
with other planets
445
00:19:08,611 --> 00:19:11,380
or other civilizations,
they're so far away.
446
00:19:11,413 --> 00:19:13,782
There is some chance
that in the next few decades,
447
00:19:13,816 --> 00:19:18,653
we will get the signal
from some spectacularly distant,
448
00:19:18,686 --> 00:19:21,523
spectacularly
exotic civilization.
449
00:19:21,557 --> 00:19:24,660
And everything on Earth will,
as a consequence, change.
450
00:19:26,895 --> 00:19:28,463
Holy...
451
00:19:28,497 --> 00:19:30,800
Carl Sagan was
so consumed with the idea
452
00:19:30,833 --> 00:19:33,636
that there was life elsewhere,
it drove him to write
453
00:19:33,669 --> 00:19:36,239
a fabulous story about it
in "Contact."
454
00:19:36,271 --> 00:19:37,906
What Carl really was about
was communicating.
455
00:19:37,940 --> 00:19:42,745
He thrived on how people
and how species and how tribes
456
00:19:42,778 --> 00:19:45,314
and how cultures communicate.
457
00:19:45,346 --> 00:19:46,781
That was his thing.
458
00:19:46,815 --> 00:19:48,817
'Cause was going to communicate
with the stars.
459
00:19:48,851 --> 00:19:51,420
Communication becomes one of
the most important themes
460
00:19:51,452 --> 00:19:53,655
in science fiction.
At the same time,
461
00:19:53,689 --> 00:19:55,591
it becomes one of
the most important puzzles
462
00:19:55,624 --> 00:19:56,858
in science fiction.
463
00:19:56,892 --> 00:19:59,028
In "Stanislaw Lem Solaris,"
464
00:19:59,060 --> 00:20:01,429
we're faced with
a sentient ocean.
465
00:20:01,462 --> 00:20:03,566
What does Solaris want
from us?
466
00:20:03,598 --> 00:20:05,835
Why do you think it has
to want something?
467
00:20:05,867 --> 00:20:08,904
In "Star Trek,"
an amorphous cloud.
468
00:20:08,938 --> 00:20:12,575
I do not understand.
469
00:20:12,607 --> 00:20:14,644
And in Arthur C. Clarke's
"Childhood's End,"
470
00:20:14,676 --> 00:20:19,948
communication can be tough,
and the aliens look like this.
471
00:20:19,981 --> 00:20:22,884
There is no need
to be afraid.
472
00:20:22,917 --> 00:20:24,920
One of the best stories
about alien communication
473
00:20:24,953 --> 00:20:26,621
in modern science fiction
is Ted Chiang's
474
00:20:26,654 --> 00:20:28,324
"Story Of Your Life,"
475
00:20:28,356 --> 00:20:29,892
which became one of the best
science-fiction films
476
00:20:29,924 --> 00:20:31,927
of the last few years,
"Arrival."
477
00:20:42,805 --> 00:20:45,041
Now, that's
a proper introduction.
478
00:20:45,074 --> 00:20:47,310
I really loved "Arrival,"
479
00:20:47,343 --> 00:20:49,345
because it was
all about communication
480
00:20:49,377 --> 00:20:53,381
and how many times communication
was just thrown out
481
00:20:53,414 --> 00:20:54,916
before you see it work.
482
00:20:54,950 --> 00:20:56,586
It's
so impressionistic, right?
483
00:20:56,618 --> 00:20:59,588
I mean, it's hard work
to bring to the screen.
484
00:20:59,622 --> 00:21:01,524
I thought that brought
its unique challenges.
485
00:21:01,557 --> 00:21:05,760
And I thought they succeeded
in a really cool way.
486
00:21:05,794 --> 00:21:07,430
Ted Chiang's
original story,
487
00:21:07,462 --> 00:21:08,897
"Story Of Your Life,"
488
00:21:08,931 --> 00:21:14,537
is that we are contacted
by an alien race, the heptapods.
489
00:21:14,569 --> 00:21:18,607
And they seem to want to
exchange information with us.
490
00:21:18,641 --> 00:21:20,776
One of the things
I wanted to do with my story,
491
00:21:20,808 --> 00:21:23,980
that I hadn't seen in a lot
of other science fiction
492
00:21:24,012 --> 00:21:27,782
was to actually
depict the process
493
00:21:27,816 --> 00:21:29,518
of learning an alien language,
494
00:21:29,550 --> 00:21:32,454
when you actually have
to painstakingly
495
00:21:32,488 --> 00:21:35,624
work out vocabulary
and grammar.
496
00:21:35,657 --> 00:21:37,792
Okay, this is where
you want to get to, right?
497
00:21:37,826 --> 00:21:39,694
That is the question.
Okay.
498
00:21:39,728 --> 00:21:41,663
"What is
your purpose on Earth?"
499
00:21:41,696 --> 00:21:43,932
This is the question
we're all trying to get to,
500
00:21:43,965 --> 00:21:47,035
and crossing
that language barrier
501
00:21:47,068 --> 00:21:51,039
may mean the difference
between the end of the Earth
502
00:21:51,073 --> 00:21:53,709
and the dawning of a new idea.
503
00:21:57,613 --> 00:22:00,916
What does it say?
504
00:22:00,949 --> 00:22:02,718
"Offer weapon."
505
00:22:02,750 --> 00:22:06,622
The distinction
between tool and weapon
506
00:22:06,654 --> 00:22:08,958
becomes crucial.
507
00:22:08,990 --> 00:22:11,894
It turns out, of course,
that what they intend
508
00:22:11,926 --> 00:22:14,963
is not at all a weapon
but a tool... in fact, a gift.
509
00:22:14,997 --> 00:22:16,766
And the gift is
their language.
510
00:22:16,798 --> 00:22:18,567
And so
it becomes a story
511
00:22:18,599 --> 00:22:20,468
not so much
about an alien invasion
512
00:22:20,501 --> 00:22:23,438
but about communication,
about two species
513
00:22:23,471 --> 00:22:26,709
trying to connect
with each other.
514
00:22:26,741 --> 00:22:30,078
The key part of it is
that this is nonlinear...
515
00:22:30,112 --> 00:22:31,447
There's no beginning and no end.
516
00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:32,748
All the elements are there,
517
00:22:32,780 --> 00:22:34,983
and you see it
immediately as a whole.
518
00:22:35,017 --> 00:22:38,554
In fact, you see your whole life
laid out in front of you.
519
00:22:38,586 --> 00:22:41,856
And the more she
understands their language,
520
00:22:41,890 --> 00:22:43,859
the more she understands
their consciousness.
521
00:22:43,892 --> 00:22:46,761
And because their consciousness
transcends time,
522
00:22:46,795 --> 00:22:48,898
she starts to remember
the future.
523
00:22:48,931 --> 00:22:52,867
The aliens in "Arrival,"
they are a way of talking
524
00:22:52,901 --> 00:22:56,471
about a radically different
mode of cognition,
525
00:22:56,505 --> 00:22:57,707
different ways of thinking,
526
00:22:57,740 --> 00:23:00,009
different ways of looking
at the universe.
527
00:23:00,041 --> 00:23:05,080
There's an age-old question of
how language relates to thought,
528
00:23:05,114 --> 00:23:07,549
and how language
might influence thought.
529
00:23:07,583 --> 00:23:10,886
You know, I was doing some
reading about this idea
530
00:23:10,919 --> 00:23:14,724
that if you immerse yourself
into a foreign language,
531
00:23:14,757 --> 00:23:17,560
that you can actually
rewire your brain.
532
00:23:17,593 --> 00:23:19,929
Yeah, the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis.
533
00:23:19,961 --> 00:23:22,064
The movie
explicitly references
534
00:23:22,096 --> 00:23:25,233
something called
the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
535
00:23:25,267 --> 00:23:28,903
What it says is, your language
creates habits of speech,
536
00:23:28,936 --> 00:23:31,173
and those habits of speech
537
00:23:31,205 --> 00:23:33,475
translate into
habits of thought.
538
00:23:33,509 --> 00:23:37,113
And so your language makes
you habitually think
539
00:23:37,145 --> 00:23:39,048
in certain ways,
540
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,884
which have a significant impact
on the way you see the world.
541
00:23:42,917 --> 00:23:44,119
The question is, how much?
542
00:23:44,153 --> 00:23:45,755
I believe that our language
543
00:23:45,788 --> 00:23:48,824
absolutely does inform
our reality and shape it.
544
00:23:48,856 --> 00:23:52,894
I would think that the way
that the heptapods' language
545
00:23:52,928 --> 00:23:57,600
really reshapes Louise's
experience of time
546
00:23:57,633 --> 00:23:59,602
is an extreme of that.
547
00:23:59,634 --> 00:24:01,871
But I do believe
that the language
548
00:24:01,903 --> 00:24:04,606
that we constantly recycle
in our own world
549
00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:09,645
absolutely shapes our reality
and can be our own prison.
550
00:24:09,678 --> 00:24:12,548
What I find beautiful
about the end of "Arrival"
551
00:24:12,580 --> 00:24:15,150
is that Louise knows
552
00:24:15,183 --> 00:24:18,653
that her future is going to
bring a lot of pain and joy
553
00:24:18,686 --> 00:24:21,022
if she falls in love,
if she has a baby,
554
00:24:21,056 --> 00:24:22,991
and when that baby dies.
555
00:24:23,025 --> 00:24:24,293
She knows she's going to
make mistakes
556
00:24:24,326 --> 00:24:25,995
that are going to
drive her husband away,
557
00:24:26,028 --> 00:24:28,831
and yet she chooses that pain.
558
00:24:28,864 --> 00:24:32,835
It's this idea of knowing
that what you're about to do
559
00:24:32,867 --> 00:24:33,969
is going to bring you pain,
560
00:24:34,001 --> 00:24:36,238
but knowing that
the happy moments
561
00:24:36,270 --> 00:24:37,940
are going to be worth it.
562
00:24:38,941 --> 00:24:41,191
And that's a really
beautiful thought.
563
00:24:43,426 --> 00:24:45,862
I talk to kids,
and they say, "Well,
564
00:24:45,896 --> 00:24:46,997
where'd you get the idea
for all those aliens?
565
00:24:47,030 --> 00:24:48,232
Where'd you think that up?"
566
00:24:48,264 --> 00:24:49,932
I said, "Well, go
to the aquarium.
567
00:24:49,965 --> 00:24:51,135
You're going to see them
all there."
568
00:24:51,167 --> 00:24:53,404
-That's what I did on "Avatar."
-Yeah.
569
00:24:53,436 --> 00:24:55,271
I took the ocean,
I took all my diving,
570
00:24:55,304 --> 00:24:57,006
and I just brought it
into...
571
00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:58,474
To me, that's one of the most
brilliant things in "Avatar."
572
00:24:58,508 --> 00:25:00,244
One of the biggest problems
you have in science fiction,
573
00:25:00,277 --> 00:25:02,312
with movies... they don't
have it in books or anything...
574
00:25:02,345 --> 00:25:05,049
But in movies, you have to
create a real world,
575
00:25:05,081 --> 00:25:07,083
and it's a real world
that doesn't exist.
576
00:25:07,117 --> 00:25:10,820
It's really, really hard,
and it takes a long, long time.
577
00:25:10,854 --> 00:25:12,189
Right.
Because you've got to create
578
00:25:12,222 --> 00:25:15,125
something that's
truly unusual and different,
579
00:25:15,157 --> 00:25:17,527
but familiar
so you believe it.
580
00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:18,995
Yeah.
581
00:25:19,029 --> 00:25:20,830
And so, after a while,
it can fry your brain.
582
00:25:20,864 --> 00:25:23,434
But now that we've got
digital technology,
583
00:25:23,466 --> 00:25:25,134
you can think of anything.
584
00:25:27,870 --> 00:25:29,473
I always find the morphology
585
00:25:29,505 --> 00:25:32,208
of the anatomy of aliens
interesting.
586
00:25:32,242 --> 00:25:34,243
You know,
science fiction writers,
587
00:25:34,277 --> 00:25:36,346
they're like these
imagination engines.
588
00:25:36,378 --> 00:25:37,814
That's what they are.
589
00:25:37,848 --> 00:25:40,550
Maybe they have
four limbs as we do.
590
00:25:40,583 --> 00:25:42,051
Maybe they look like a spider,
591
00:25:42,085 --> 00:25:44,121
which seems to be
a very popular choice.
592
00:25:44,154 --> 00:25:46,423
Maybe they look like
an octopus or a squid.
593
00:25:46,455 --> 00:25:48,324
I always like to look at nature,
594
00:25:48,358 --> 00:25:50,060
but when coming up
with any creature,
595
00:25:50,092 --> 00:25:51,461
it's always, you want
to create some kind of,
596
00:25:51,494 --> 00:25:52,995
like, aspect of reference.
597
00:25:53,029 --> 00:25:54,298
Where are you coming from?
598
00:25:54,330 --> 00:25:57,867
What is this creature
going to evoke?
599
00:25:57,900 --> 00:25:59,368
It's not just about biology,
600
00:25:59,402 --> 00:26:01,872
but it's about our own
psychology, as well.
601
00:26:01,905 --> 00:26:03,272
And that's our job, is to...
602
00:26:03,306 --> 00:26:06,443
Is to give tactility
to the creatures
603
00:26:06,475 --> 00:26:08,444
so that you evoke
the desired response,
604
00:26:08,477 --> 00:26:12,448
whether it's one of awe, joy,
or love or what it might be.
605
00:26:12,482 --> 00:26:14,417
Obviously, you can make them
very friendly
606
00:26:14,451 --> 00:26:17,121
by giving them big eyes
and big foreheads...
607
00:26:17,154 --> 00:26:19,556
The cute features that
we see in modern humans.
608
00:26:19,588 --> 00:26:23,359
But aliens that are scary
to human beings
609
00:26:23,393 --> 00:26:26,597
seem to always be
slimy and reptilian
610
00:26:26,629 --> 00:26:28,931
for that revulsion response.
611
00:26:28,964 --> 00:26:30,300
In literature,
612
00:26:30,332 --> 00:26:33,137
you can sort of describe
something in vague terms.
613
00:26:33,169 --> 00:26:35,906
You know, maybe
H.P. Lovecraft would say
614
00:26:35,938 --> 00:26:39,909
that, "I gazed upon its visage,
and it sickened my soul,"
615
00:26:39,943 --> 00:26:41,478
or whatever he would say,
616
00:26:41,511 --> 00:26:43,113
but that's not really
a real description.
617
00:26:43,146 --> 00:26:45,048
For an artist, you have to
bring that to life.
618
00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:46,949
And I think the single artist
619
00:26:46,983 --> 00:26:49,153
who has most successfully
defined
620
00:26:49,185 --> 00:26:52,289
this importance
of the look of a creature,
621
00:26:52,321 --> 00:26:54,524
in my opinion,
has got to be H.R. Giger,
622
00:26:54,558 --> 00:26:57,094
who designed
the original Xenomorph.
623
00:27:01,531 --> 00:27:03,433
I was
industrial designer.
624
00:27:03,465 --> 00:27:07,236
It helped me very much
to design a creature.
625
00:27:07,270 --> 00:27:10,607
The Xenomorphs have
a fantastic basic design
626
00:27:10,639 --> 00:27:13,609
that employ all sorts
of psychosexual imagery,
627
00:27:13,643 --> 00:27:15,279
as well as death imagery,
628
00:27:15,311 --> 00:27:18,314
and you know, the phallic head
and its life cycle
629
00:27:18,348 --> 00:27:21,284
that basically starts with rape.
630
00:27:24,988 --> 00:27:26,924
What the hell is that?
631
00:27:26,956 --> 00:27:28,157
When
I first met Ridley Scott,
632
00:27:28,191 --> 00:27:29,626
he pulled out
all these drawings.
633
00:27:29,658 --> 00:27:32,662
It was a very sinister world,
634
00:27:32,695 --> 00:27:35,665
and not a world
I'd ever seen in a film.
635
00:27:35,698 --> 00:27:38,000
In fact, I remember thinking,
636
00:27:38,033 --> 00:27:41,304
"I don't see how you can make
a film look like this."
637
00:27:41,338 --> 00:27:42,539
If you look
at Ridley's movie,
638
00:27:42,571 --> 00:27:44,140
you know, it hasn't dated.
639
00:27:44,174 --> 00:27:46,242
And I think that plays
to a lot of strengths
640
00:27:46,275 --> 00:27:49,111
of Giger's design for the alien.
641
00:27:49,145 --> 00:27:52,148
You know, it's really
a man's life's work
642
00:27:52,182 --> 00:27:55,485
that Ridley got to take
and put onscreen.
643
00:27:55,518 --> 00:27:57,588
I feel pretty strongly
that you created
644
00:27:57,620 --> 00:27:59,322
the best alien movie
in history.
645
00:27:59,356 --> 00:28:01,358
Most beasts are not very good.
Yeah.
646
00:28:01,390 --> 00:28:04,393
Or repetitions of other
creatures that we have seen.
647
00:28:04,426 --> 00:28:07,330
Films have been ruined
by showing the beast finally.
648
00:28:07,364 --> 00:28:12,069
As Steven did in "Jaws,"
the shock was exclusive
649
00:28:12,101 --> 00:28:14,204
to two or three frames,
like that.
650
00:28:14,236 --> 00:28:16,038
Yeah, yeah.
651
00:28:16,071 --> 00:28:18,007
"Our biggest problem will be
to make this work," I said,
652
00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:19,242
"because I haven't
got digital.
653
00:28:19,275 --> 00:28:20,509
It's all going to be
a guy in a suit."
654
00:28:20,542 --> 00:28:22,111
We didn't have any of
that stuff back then.
655
00:28:22,145 --> 00:28:23,747
No. But in this,
he's present.
656
00:28:23,780 --> 00:28:25,581
I can't cut around him.
Yeah.
657
00:28:25,615 --> 00:28:27,284
I have to see him.
But you did it.
658
00:28:27,317 --> 00:28:33,123
With your eye and your taste,
and you recognized the value
659
00:28:33,156 --> 00:28:38,194
of Hans Ruedi Giger's
psychosexual bio-mechanoid.
660
00:28:38,227 --> 00:28:42,498
Yes, the trick there is
one picture from necronomicon.
661
00:28:42,531 --> 00:28:44,568
From Giger's book.
It's the profile.
662
00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:48,104
This is the painting
of the alien
663
00:28:49,136 --> 00:28:52,242
that Ridley Scott wanted
to have for his film.
664
00:28:52,274 --> 00:28:53,509
It was like showing me
a dirty postcard.
665
00:28:53,542 --> 00:28:54,677
He said, "Look at that."
666
00:28:54,711 --> 00:28:57,047
I went, "Holy good God!"
Yeah.
667
00:28:57,079 --> 00:28:58,781
And from that,
the person that drew it
668
00:28:58,815 --> 00:29:00,350
said they were
uncomfortable by it.
669
00:29:00,383 --> 00:29:03,120
It was obscene.
I said, "Obscene's good."
670
00:29:03,153 --> 00:29:04,320
Yeah.
671
00:29:04,354 --> 00:29:06,056
Disturbing and obscene
is very good.
672
00:29:06,088 --> 00:29:09,326
Sexually disturbing
is very good.
673
00:29:09,358 --> 00:29:10,694
Yeah. Play the fear.
Play the fear.
674
00:29:10,726 --> 00:29:13,396
The film was all about
evolution of fear.
675
00:29:13,429 --> 00:29:16,332
Most of the Xenomorphs
combined both masculine
676
00:29:16,366 --> 00:29:18,602
and feminine
sexual characteristics,
677
00:29:18,635 --> 00:29:20,170
and that's terrifying to us
678
00:29:20,203 --> 00:29:22,204
because one of the ways
we make sense
679
00:29:22,238 --> 00:29:24,341
of the monstrous and of others
680
00:29:24,374 --> 00:29:26,610
is by trying
to map them in some way
681
00:29:26,643 --> 00:29:30,113
that matches our own
understanding of existence.
682
00:29:30,146 --> 00:29:32,581
And one of the key ways
that we think about humanity
683
00:29:32,615 --> 00:29:34,418
is in terms of gender.
684
00:29:34,451 --> 00:29:37,120
It's the first question we ask
when we hear a new baby is born.
685
00:29:37,153 --> 00:29:40,190
The problem with the aliens
is that they blend together,
686
00:29:40,223 --> 00:29:44,060
the two, and so are no longer
understandable and controllable.
687
00:29:44,094 --> 00:29:46,396
Now put your hands
on the dome
688
00:29:46,428 --> 00:29:47,630
like you're stroking it.
689
00:29:47,664 --> 00:29:49,665
Remember, like,
that Giger thing?
690
00:29:49,698 --> 00:29:53,202
Ridley met
Badejo Bolaji at a pub.
691
00:29:53,235 --> 00:29:57,640
He was an art student.
He was about 7'4".
692
00:29:57,674 --> 00:30:00,676
His limbs were so
beautiful and exotic
693
00:30:00,710 --> 00:30:03,680
that he already looked like
he was from another world.
694
00:30:03,713 --> 00:30:07,617
The days when Bolaji came in,
we didn't hang out with him.
695
00:30:07,649 --> 00:30:10,152
He is the unknown.
696
00:30:10,185 --> 00:30:15,291
And it's a really a combination
of strange beauty and elegance
697
00:30:15,325 --> 00:30:18,362
and sex and violence
698
00:30:18,395 --> 00:30:21,432
that I think make the
Xenomorph a great monster.
699
00:30:24,332 --> 00:30:27,102
For me, what was,
and still is,
700
00:30:27,134 --> 00:30:29,304
beautiful about science fiction
701
00:30:29,336 --> 00:30:35,576
is, could you have the big,
giant summer blockbuster package
702
00:30:35,610 --> 00:30:40,515
but be diving into serious
religious or political
703
00:30:40,547 --> 00:30:42,316
or social concepts
704
00:30:42,350 --> 00:30:46,353
that sparks people
to get together
705
00:30:46,387 --> 00:30:49,024
and to communicate and evolve?
706
00:30:49,056 --> 00:30:52,192
And anytime you can
actually do that,
707
00:30:52,226 --> 00:30:55,630
I think that, you know,
we've done our job.
708
00:30:55,662 --> 00:30:57,498
Aliens get to be
the carrier
709
00:30:57,532 --> 00:30:58,766
for some of our guilts and fears
710
00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:01,636
around the treatment
of other people.
711
00:31:01,669 --> 00:31:06,740
For some folks, it's easier
to identify with the aliens
712
00:31:06,774 --> 00:31:08,342
than with the main characters.
713
00:31:08,375 --> 00:31:09,710
Come on! Get out!
Get out!
714
00:31:09,744 --> 00:31:13,214
Come on! Get outside!
Move!
715
00:31:13,246 --> 00:31:16,051
In "District 9,"
you have aliens
716
00:31:16,083 --> 00:31:18,786
who are stranded on Earth
and become refugees.
717
00:31:18,820 --> 00:31:22,490
They become stranded above
the city of Johannesburg,
718
00:31:22,523 --> 00:31:24,726
which has this whole
history of apartheid.
719
00:31:24,758 --> 00:31:27,094
And it's done like
it's a documentary.
720
00:31:27,128 --> 00:31:29,230
I thought that was brilliant.
721
00:31:29,263 --> 00:31:31,632
They're spending so much money
to keep them here,
722
00:31:31,666 --> 00:31:33,467
when they could be
spending it on other things.
723
00:31:33,500 --> 00:31:36,704
But at least... at least
724
00:31:36,737 --> 00:31:38,372
they're keeping them
separate from us.
725
00:31:38,406 --> 00:31:40,408
And I think they must fix
that ship, and they must go.
726
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,509
Hello, hello.
Hello, hello.
727
00:31:42,543 --> 00:31:46,081
We follow a government
bureaucrat, Wikus.
728
00:31:46,113 --> 00:31:47,281
Okay.
729
00:31:47,314 --> 00:31:48,682
This is Wikus Van De Merwe
from MNU,
730
00:31:48,716 --> 00:31:51,252
and we are here to serve you
an eviction notice.
731
00:31:51,285 --> 00:31:54,756
He is forced
to become an alien
732
00:31:54,788 --> 00:31:58,559
and see what it's like to be
put into one of these camps
733
00:31:58,592 --> 00:32:00,794
and to be cast out
of human culture.
734
00:32:00,827 --> 00:32:02,463
He is oppressed.
735
00:32:02,496 --> 00:32:03,664
He is spit on.
736
00:32:03,698 --> 00:32:05,233
He's turned into
a government experiment.
737
00:32:06,500 --> 00:32:08,202
We shot
in Johannesburg,
738
00:32:08,236 --> 00:32:11,539
and the shacks that we shot in
were real people's homes.
739
00:32:11,572 --> 00:32:15,275
All of these shacks around here, all of these
residents were moved somewhere else in JoBurg,
740
00:32:15,308 --> 00:32:17,678
which is exactly what happens to
the aliens in the film.
741
00:32:17,711 --> 00:32:19,313
Writing District 9
742
00:32:19,346 --> 00:32:22,416
set in South Africa
743
00:32:22,449 --> 00:32:24,651
it never could have been any
other way.
744
00:32:24,685 --> 00:32:27,822
It was terrible, terrible. Like I get
goosebumps even talking about that.
745
00:32:27,854 --> 00:32:31,159
Xenophobia was just
at its peak at that time...
746
00:32:31,191 --> 00:32:34,228
South Africans attacking
people from Zimbabwe
747
00:32:34,262 --> 00:32:35,797
that were fleeing their country
748
00:32:35,830 --> 00:32:37,564
and coming down
looking for work.
749
00:32:37,598 --> 00:32:39,267
They were putting tires
around their neck
750
00:32:39,300 --> 00:32:40,535
and lighting them on fire
751
00:32:40,567 --> 00:32:42,236
because they were
taking their jobs,
752
00:32:42,269 --> 00:32:44,405
and they were doing that
where we were going to shoot.
753
00:32:44,438 --> 00:32:47,708
That, to me, was
the most sobering moment,
754
00:32:47,742 --> 00:32:50,211
to know that this world
and this fantasy
755
00:32:50,244 --> 00:32:52,580
that you've been writing
actually is happening.
756
00:32:52,612 --> 00:32:53,881
Hang on.
757
00:32:53,915 --> 00:32:55,483
Stop it, stop it!
758
00:32:55,515 --> 00:32:57,619
For some viewers,
it's going to seep in
759
00:32:57,651 --> 00:32:58,886
that a lot of the things
760
00:32:58,919 --> 00:33:00,388
that are being done
to these aliens
761
00:33:00,420 --> 00:33:01,890
are exactly what humans
do to each other.
762
00:33:03,890 --> 00:33:06,361
Many of us come
from communities
763
00:33:06,393 --> 00:33:09,163
that have been marginalized
or already eliminated.
764
00:33:09,197 --> 00:33:11,399
So science fiction
becomes a powerful
765
00:33:11,431 --> 00:33:12,800
means of talking about that,
766
00:33:12,833 --> 00:33:14,736
particularly when it's
doing so deliberately.
767
00:33:14,768 --> 00:33:16,837
Somebody has been
pulled out of the vehicle.
768
00:33:16,871 --> 00:33:18,706
It looks like a human being.
769
00:33:18,738 --> 00:33:20,240
It is the story
770
00:33:20,274 --> 00:33:24,379
of an oppressor
becoming the oppressed.
771
00:33:24,411 --> 00:33:26,346
And ultimately, in my mind,
772
00:33:26,380 --> 00:33:29,417
it's a story of him
gaining his humanity
773
00:33:29,449 --> 00:33:33,487
only after he ceases
to be human.
774
00:33:33,521 --> 00:33:34,756
I think that's
775
00:33:34,788 --> 00:33:37,357
what science fiction
at its best does.
776
00:33:37,390 --> 00:33:39,393
It... It asks those questions.
777
00:33:39,427 --> 00:33:42,630
It asks, "What is it
to be human?"
778
00:33:42,662 --> 00:33:48,502
and, "Are what we call aliens
much more humane than we are?"
779
00:33:48,535 --> 00:33:50,804
Probably the best
example is, in "Avatar,"
780
00:33:50,838 --> 00:33:54,342
humans are clearly the invading,
colonizing, raping,
781
00:33:54,374 --> 00:33:56,243
pillaging,
destroying species.
782
00:33:56,276 --> 00:33:59,214
And it's framed that way
explicitly in the story.
783
00:33:59,246 --> 00:34:01,549
One of the ideas
that "Avatar" plays with
784
00:34:01,582 --> 00:34:06,221
is how the story of
an alien encounter would look
785
00:34:06,254 --> 00:34:08,389
if told from the point of view
of the aliens.
786
00:34:12,292 --> 00:34:14,461
I think that if I
would have approached Neytiri
787
00:34:14,495 --> 00:34:16,230
as an extraterrestrial,
788
00:34:16,263 --> 00:34:18,932
I don't think I would have
ever tapped into her heart.
789
00:34:20,634 --> 00:34:24,671
I needed to look at humans
as the foreign creatures,
790
00:34:24,705 --> 00:34:27,308
as... as... as
the tainted species
791
00:34:27,341 --> 00:34:29,243
that comes here to take.
792
00:34:29,277 --> 00:34:32,380
This story is so simple,
and it's been told before
793
00:34:32,413 --> 00:34:33,748
and we've seen it before.
794
00:34:33,781 --> 00:34:36,250
But I just needed to go
back to the past.
795
00:34:36,283 --> 00:34:39,953
And that was
the most humble journey
796
00:34:39,987 --> 00:34:42,757
I ever embarked on
as an artist,
797
00:34:42,790 --> 00:34:44,625
trying to build a character.
798
00:34:47,962 --> 00:34:50,965
As Grace, I got to play a human
799
00:34:50,998 --> 00:34:55,370
who also exults
in being in her avatar
800
00:34:55,402 --> 00:34:59,406
and in living on the planet
as a Na'vi would.
801
00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:04,812
Jim Cameron has created Pandora
with its indigenous people,
802
00:35:04,844 --> 00:35:06,613
the Na'vi,
803
00:35:06,647 --> 00:35:10,285
as well as this amazing
collection of other species.
804
00:35:10,317 --> 00:35:13,453
And they live in
a primeval world
805
00:35:13,487 --> 00:35:16,991
which is colonized
by a corporation,
806
00:35:17,024 --> 00:35:19,493
not even a country.
807
00:35:19,527 --> 00:35:23,031
It's so powerful because
it is a reflection
808
00:35:23,063 --> 00:35:26,533
of, in fact, the way humans
have conducted themselves,
809
00:35:26,567 --> 00:35:29,637
over the centuries,
all over the world.
810
00:35:31,806 --> 00:35:34,742
No!
811
00:35:34,774 --> 00:35:36,843
When
we're shooting that scene,
812
00:35:36,877 --> 00:35:38,413
Jim wanted us to dig deeper.
813
00:35:38,446 --> 00:35:41,848
We were just crying out
for a fallen tree,
814
00:35:41,882 --> 00:35:43,618
but it wasn't deep enough.
815
00:35:43,650 --> 00:35:45,953
It wasn't as if this tree
was your uncle,
816
00:35:45,987 --> 00:35:47,956
was your grandparent,
was your mother.
817
00:35:47,989 --> 00:35:49,724
It's an extension of your body,
818
00:35:49,757 --> 00:35:51,626
and he wanted to see
that anguish
819
00:35:51,658 --> 00:35:53,060
because at that point,
820
00:35:53,094 --> 00:35:55,797
what the humans are doing
on the planet is wrong.
821
00:35:55,830 --> 00:35:57,364
And they're not welcome.
822
00:35:57,397 --> 00:35:59,033
By that time
in the story,
823
00:35:59,065 --> 00:36:01,035
we're all part Na'vi.
824
00:36:01,067 --> 00:36:03,770
That scene is
really the moment, I think,
825
00:36:03,803 --> 00:36:07,975
that the audience is completely
disengaged from the humans.
826
00:36:08,009 --> 00:36:12,447
And we no longer feel like
we have any sympathy for them.
827
00:36:16,149 --> 00:36:21,121
I think authors try
science fiction specifically
828
00:36:21,154 --> 00:36:23,957
because there's something
that's making them angry
829
00:36:23,991 --> 00:36:26,694
in their current culture
or in their political climate,
830
00:36:26,727 --> 00:36:29,129
and this is a way
for them to shine a light
831
00:36:29,163 --> 00:36:31,099
on what it is
that has them so frustrated.
832
00:36:35,094 --> 00:36:37,931
"Close Encounters" led to...
Led to "E.T."
833
00:36:37,964 --> 00:36:39,266
Which I think of
834
00:36:39,299 --> 00:36:40,567
as kind of
"Close Encounters II,"
835
00:36:40,599 --> 00:36:42,335
the more personal...
But you...
836
00:36:42,368 --> 00:36:43,969
I think of it the same way.
837
00:36:44,003 --> 00:36:46,306
It seems like you took
many of those themes...
838
00:36:46,339 --> 00:36:47,674
Those first-contact themes...
839
00:36:47,706 --> 00:36:50,342
And just made it
very kind of family-centric.
840
00:36:50,375 --> 00:36:51,544
"E.T." was never meant to be
841
00:36:51,578 --> 00:36:52,978
a movie
about extraterrestrials.
842
00:36:53,011 --> 00:36:54,413
It was meant to be a story
843
00:36:54,447 --> 00:36:55,549
about my mom and dad
getting a divorce.
844
00:36:55,581 --> 00:36:56,518
Right.
845
00:36:56,565 --> 00:36:58,167
And so I started
writing a story.
846
00:36:58,201 --> 00:36:59,735
Not a script per se,
but I started writing a story
847
00:36:59,768 --> 00:37:01,337
about what it was like
848
00:37:01,371 --> 00:37:04,141
when your parents
divide the family up
849
00:37:04,174 --> 00:37:05,608
and they move
to different states.
850
00:37:05,641 --> 00:37:07,143
When I was shooting
"Close Encounters,"
851
00:37:07,177 --> 00:37:09,713
and when I did the scene
of the little alien
852
00:37:09,746 --> 00:37:11,214
coming out of the mothership
853
00:37:11,246 --> 00:37:13,349
and doing the Kodaly
hand-sign signals
854
00:37:13,382 --> 00:37:16,152
to Fran�ois Truffaut,
it all came together.
855
00:37:16,186 --> 00:37:18,121
I thought, "Wait a second.
856
00:37:18,154 --> 00:37:20,623
What if that alien doesn't
go back up into the ship?
857
00:37:20,657 --> 00:37:24,361
What if he stayed behind, or
maybe what if he even got lost
858
00:37:24,393 --> 00:37:26,429
and he was marooned here?"
Yeah.
859
00:37:26,462 --> 00:37:28,798
"What would happen
if a child of a divorce
860
00:37:28,831 --> 00:37:31,100
or family of a divorce...
Right.
861
00:37:31,134 --> 00:37:33,536
With a huge hole to fill,
filled the hole
862
00:37:33,569 --> 00:37:35,504
with his new best
extraterrestrial friend?"
863
00:37:35,538 --> 00:37:37,641
Exactly.
864
00:37:37,674 --> 00:37:39,676
One of
my clearest memories,
865
00:37:39,708 --> 00:37:44,281
in terms of an early alien film,
is watching "E.T.," of course,
866
00:37:44,313 --> 00:37:47,183
which was written
by Melissa Mathison.
867
00:37:47,217 --> 00:37:49,786
She told me, actually,
that the original script
868
00:37:49,819 --> 00:37:52,656
did not have him dying,
869
00:37:52,688 --> 00:37:54,623
and that when my dad
passed away,
870
00:37:54,657 --> 00:37:56,693
she was so impacted by that,
871
00:37:56,726 --> 00:37:58,295
that she sort of felt
872
00:37:58,328 --> 00:38:01,163
that she should write that in
for me, in a way,
873
00:38:01,197 --> 00:38:04,434
or for kids who had
suffered loss,
874
00:38:04,467 --> 00:38:07,637
and make it more
than a light affair.
875
00:38:07,670 --> 00:38:09,339
Mom?
876
00:38:09,371 --> 00:38:11,407
Spielberg made a point
of designing E.T.
877
00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:13,509
to be as empathetic-looking
as possible,
878
00:38:13,543 --> 00:38:16,613
to the point that he had
his designer, Carlo Rambaldi,
879
00:38:16,645 --> 00:38:19,849
look at pictures of elderly
people from the Depression
880
00:38:19,882 --> 00:38:21,551
and try to figure out
what made these people
881
00:38:21,583 --> 00:38:24,186
look empathetic
and wise and sad.
882
00:38:24,219 --> 00:38:25,554
And then he said,
"Can you mix in
883
00:38:25,587 --> 00:38:27,256
a little bit
of Albert Einstein?"
884
00:38:27,290 --> 00:38:30,560
It was very important
that E.T. be a face
885
00:38:30,592 --> 00:38:33,397
that would earn your respect
and earn your fondness.
886
00:38:33,429 --> 00:38:34,598
Right.
887
00:38:34,630 --> 00:38:35,866
I didn't want a cute
little character
888
00:38:35,898 --> 00:38:37,500
that would come
out of the gate
889
00:38:37,534 --> 00:38:39,503
making the whole audience
in unison go,
890
00:38:41,371 --> 00:38:43,540
That's the last thing
I wanted.
891
00:38:43,572 --> 00:38:45,341
So that why
I think filmmakers
892
00:38:45,375 --> 00:38:47,511
sometimes have to play tricks
when they portray aliens,
893
00:38:47,543 --> 00:38:49,545
to give them humanlike features,
894
00:38:49,578 --> 00:38:52,648
in order to evoke that kind of
feeling of empathy from us.
895
00:38:52,681 --> 00:38:54,417
And the reason I was
hired for this job
896
00:38:54,451 --> 00:38:56,619
is because I have real long,
thin fingers,
897
00:38:56,652 --> 00:38:58,288
which is my father's fault.
898
00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:02,358
Initially, I was hired
just to do close-ups...
899
00:39:02,391 --> 00:39:05,795
Making the communicator,
turning pages in a book,
900
00:39:05,828 --> 00:39:07,263
touching the plant.
901
00:39:07,297 --> 00:39:08,697
Go down
to the dirt underneath
902
00:39:08,730 --> 00:39:10,199
and dig a little bit.
Let me see you dig a little bit.
903
00:39:10,232 --> 00:39:12,501
And then, the first night,
904
00:39:12,534 --> 00:39:15,404
he kind of fell in love
with my hands,
905
00:39:15,438 --> 00:39:16,740
I guess, is the only
way to put it.
906
00:39:16,773 --> 00:39:18,742
Caprice,
there's the scissors.
907
00:39:18,775 --> 00:39:20,610
Reaching the scissors.
908
00:39:20,643 --> 00:39:25,849
He felt that the combination
of the animatronic creature
909
00:39:25,882 --> 00:39:28,518
and live hands
was the perfect formula.
910
00:39:28,551 --> 00:39:30,186
The hand movement, you know,
911
00:39:30,219 --> 00:39:32,888
was something that created
a sense of engagement,
912
00:39:32,922 --> 00:39:34,491
gave you something to focus on
913
00:39:34,523 --> 00:39:36,460
when you're looking
at this strange body,
914
00:39:36,493 --> 00:39:37,927
and above all,
it gave you a sense
915
00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:41,363
of how human beings
could project onto the other
916
00:39:41,397 --> 00:39:43,500
without any negative
consequences.
917
00:39:43,532 --> 00:39:44,733
I want to see you
really hug.
918
00:39:44,766 --> 00:39:46,402
That's perfect, Henry.
I love that,
919
00:39:46,436 --> 00:39:48,572
with your chin resting on E. T.
Okay.
920
00:39:48,605 --> 00:39:51,641
The last hug in the movie
921
00:39:51,674 --> 00:39:53,777
is one that's
very special to me.
922
00:39:53,810 --> 00:39:55,744
Come.
923
00:39:55,777 --> 00:40:00,783
This was the opportunity that
I actually got to hug Henry.
924
00:40:00,817 --> 00:40:03,420
When Henry is saying
goodbye to E.T.,
925
00:40:03,453 --> 00:40:07,257
I am absolutely sobbing.
926
00:40:07,290 --> 00:40:08,692
Then he's crying,
and I'm crying.
927
00:40:08,724 --> 00:40:10,527
This is what broke
my sister up.
928
00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:14,531
I had not warned her that it
was gonna have a sad ending.
929
00:40:14,563 --> 00:40:15,998
She recalled the fact
930
00:40:16,032 --> 00:40:19,536
that when our mother
used to comfort us,
931
00:40:19,569 --> 00:40:21,003
it was done in the same way
932
00:40:21,036 --> 00:40:23,939
that E. T. Comforts Elliot
at the very end.
933
00:40:23,973 --> 00:40:25,675
So, it's not really a pat,
934
00:40:25,708 --> 00:40:28,612
but it's a kind of
a stroke-pat at the same time.
935
00:40:28,645 --> 00:40:30,313
She said she was hysterical.
936
00:40:30,346 --> 00:40:32,449
They almost had to take her
out of the movie theater,
937
00:40:32,482 --> 00:40:36,253
she was crying so loud.
938
00:40:36,286 --> 00:40:37,686
So, let me ask you
point-blank.
939
00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:40,790
Do you think now,
with your experience
940
00:40:40,822 --> 00:40:42,525
and your view of the world,
941
00:40:42,558 --> 00:40:44,293
that aliens exist?
942
00:40:44,326 --> 00:40:46,795
I... I wanted to believe.
943
00:40:46,828 --> 00:40:48,964
I felt I earned the right
to see a UFO.
944
00:40:48,998 --> 00:40:51,568
I made "E.T."
I made "Close Encounters."
945
00:40:51,601 --> 00:40:54,304
My goodness, I kept
waiting for a sighting.
946
00:40:54,337 --> 00:40:55,639
I have never had
a sighting.
947
00:40:55,672 --> 00:40:57,407
I've met hundreds
of people who have.
948
00:40:57,440 --> 00:40:58,842
You know they want to stay away
from you as far as they can...
949
00:40:58,875 --> 00:41:00,342
They stay away from me.
950
00:41:00,375 --> 00:41:02,611
Because they don't want
to empower this myth
951
00:41:02,645 --> 00:41:05,382
that you're actually a precursor
of an alien invasion.
952
00:41:05,415 --> 00:41:06,815
Well...
You know about this myth, right?
953
00:41:06,848 --> 00:41:08,651
I've heard about this myth.
That you've been...
954
00:41:08,685 --> 00:41:10,052
I know. It's insane.
That you've been intentionally
955
00:41:10,085 --> 00:41:12,922
softening us up
for decades now.
956
00:41:12,956 --> 00:41:14,591
Well, look, you know,
I stay away from sharks.
957
00:41:14,623 --> 00:41:16,659
But I don't want
to stay away from UFOs.
958
00:41:16,692 --> 00:41:19,028
And yet I've never,
ever had the experience.
959
00:41:19,061 --> 00:41:21,764
Well, as a science fiction
writer, that's easy to solve.
960
00:41:21,797 --> 00:41:24,400
This used to be, like,
a really hot tourist place...
961
00:41:24,433 --> 00:41:25,768
And then they left!
For the UFOs.
962
00:41:25,802 --> 00:41:27,304
And then they realized
963
00:41:27,337 --> 00:41:28,371
that they were getting
photographed too much,
964
00:41:28,404 --> 00:41:30,574
so they just
embargoed it, right?
965
00:41:30,607 --> 00:41:31,775
I can almost buy that.
966
00:41:31,808 --> 00:41:33,310
It would almost
help me believe
967
00:41:33,342 --> 00:41:34,911
that aliens did come
here at one time.
968
00:41:34,944 --> 00:41:38,348
That's a great place
to go out.
969
00:41:38,380 --> 00:41:40,416
Thank you, my friend.
Okay, thank you.
970
00:41:40,449 --> 00:41:41,685
Thank you, Jim.
971
00:41:42,305 --> 00:41:48,464
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