World War III

Devlin has sci-fi in his blood; his mother, Pilar Seurat, acted in an episode of Star Trek. (She played the medium in "Wolf in the Fold," the Jack the Ripper episode.) "It was literally from that moment on, when she came home and brought me a phaser, that I became a serious Trekkie. I went to the conventions. I was one of those guys who dressed up."

Devlin says he likes science fiction because it can address familiar issues in a new context. What's the issue in Independence Day? "There's this fantasy that's been especially strong since World War II, which is, if there were an outside aggressor, wouldn't the whole world put aside their petty differences and realize that there is only one race, and that race is human? Hopefully, we don't have to wait for aliens to invade to figure that one out."

Bill Pullman signed on to play the president, despite his antipathy toward disaster movies. "That was what I was afraid this movie would be, a cheesy thing with sloppy sentiment. All these disaster movies that are coming out now, you realize what the old disease is. Isn't it cool to have some phenomenon that's larger than life, build a collection of characters where some are neat and some are so creepy or jerky that when the phenomenon swallows them, we all cheer. That insults my intelligence and humanity. This movie doesn't do that. The one jerky character [James Rebhorn's defense secretary] is redeemed. Nobody is dispensable.

"I like those World War II movies, where the direness of the circumstances and the sense of extending yourself for something other than your own self-preservation were really clear. An act of nobility or honor or hard-earned wisdom was a moment of clarity in those movies. This movie reminded me of those."

The film is already notorious for its most inflammatory image, a flying saucer blowing up the White House. Explains Emmerich, "The alien scenario makes it possible. I would never, ever do a movie where terrorists blow up the White House. I'm very sensitive to these things. But it's a spaceship. Besides, we're not the first to blow up Washington. Other '50s movies did that."

Devlin chimes in, "The idea simply is that the Empire State Building and the White House are symbols of continuity in our lives, symbols of the Free World, and the idea that those things could be destroyed means all bets are off."

So why do viewers applaud the destruction? Says Jeff Goldblum, who plays scientist David Levinson, "The special effects, like they've hoped when they see the trailers, really deliver something so `pow!' To see New York destroyed like we've feared from nuclear attack or natural disaster, destroyed so realistically, it's so shocking and powerful that the only thing you can do is . . . [he applauds in awe]. It's just awful and finally very emotional to see."

The trailers appeared in January, at the time of the government shutdown, notes Margaret Colin, who plays the White House press secretary and Levinson's ex-wife. "The least people in government can do is keep it open. My brother works for the State Department. He's got three kids. Hello, where's his paycheck? I don't hold any political party responsible for that, but that's just stupid. That's what the cheering was all about."

Devlin adds, "Someone asked me, `Does this reflect people's dissatisfaction with Clinton?' You think we could have shown the White House blowing up any time in the last 20 years and not gotten cheers?"

Viewers even clap for the title cards that divide the movie's three acts, as if it were a play. As Pullman points out, "It feels like we're so involved in this whole thing, and now we're reminded that we're in a movie, and thank you for taking us there. Same thing after the destruction. People are so supportive. The movie is kinetically designed for chant and response."

Does Emmerich believe in aliens now?

"I'm really scared they'll come now. Imagine what big trouble I'll be in."

-- GS