Forget about getting expelled from school, now you can get expelled at home too because Vivendi Entertainment is releasing EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed on DVD October 21st. You’ll be able to join television personality, actor and former White House presidential speechwriter Ben Stein on a journey to determine whether the human race was created with a purpose or merely by chance.
This documentary addresses a number of situations involving biologists, astronomers, chemists and philosophers who have had their reputations destroyed by an organization for challenging Charles Darwin’s theory of random mutation and natural selection. Stein explains, “scientists are supposed to be allowed to follow the evidence wherever it may lead, no matter what the implications are. Freedom of inquiry has been greatly compromised, and this is not only anti-science, it’s anti-American.”
Much controversy surrounded the film itself, not just the concepts it touches upon. Yoko Ono filed a lawsuit citing unfair copyright use and critique of the John Lennon song “Imagine.” Ono’s disapproval of the film surely didn’t resonate in the minds of others. The film earned a place in history as the Number 12 Top Grossing Documentary of all time.
Even though this movie had a rather successful run at the box office, I still have a hard time getting myself to appreciate the documentary genre in general. I go to the movie theater to get away from life’s problems; not to submerse myself in them. Much of my frustration stems from the lack of representation of both sides of an issue addressed in documentary films. Yes, co-producer Walt Ruloff says the film covers both sides of the issue and does not manipulate the material for entertainment purposes, but it’s still not for me. Rather than see the world being torn apart by those opposed to deviation from the norm, I’d rather see it freeze over in The Day After Tomorrow or nearly get blown to bits in Independence Day. But then again, this is merely my personal opinion and I most certainly am not out to get anyone who thinks otherwise.
