The genesis of the recent film “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” occurred when actor Ben Stein collaborated with writer Kevin Miller to create a screenplay that would expose a conspiracy against the Intelligent Design movement by arguing that “Big Science” is stifling academic freedom by keeping any discussion of God out of the classroom.
But the authors faced an almost insurmountable problem: How to get members of the scientific community to cooperate and participate in an ambitious documentary that would essentially demonize all proponents of the theory of evolution as being the most plausible explanation for the origin of life on our planet earth.
Consequently, they concocted a nefarious and diabolical game plan of obfuscation.
They would tell the scientists that the forthcoming objective documentary would be entitled “Crossroads: The Intersection of Science and Religion.”
Scientists who had been duped into being interviewed and sharing their views were quick to accuse the filmmakers of gross deception.
P. Z. Myers, a biologist at the University of Minnesota, Morris, protested vehemently. “They played it up as a serious discussion with different points of view,” he said, “like a slightly boring documentary on ‘Nova.’ Instead, we get a propaganda film portraying scientists as Nazis.”
What Controversy?
Dr. Myers underscored the irony of his expulsion from a test screening at the Mall of America in Minneapolis when one of the film’s producers recognized him and pulled him out of the line.
In answer to the general outcries from “Big Science,” Walt Ruloff, the movie’s executive producer, insists that only Darwinists and atheists are manufacturing any controversy.
With regard to the vociferous complaints from the scientists directly involved who felt completely betrayed by the subterfuge used by the filmmakers, he pontificated: “They’re trying to come up with a way to discredit us. The best they can come up with is that we changed the title?
“Gosh, let’s get real and talk about the issues.”
Premise Media released the film in 1,000 theaters across the country lasy April 18, the widest documentary release ever.
They hoped to exploit the same faith-based crowd that turned Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” into such a mega hit in 2004.
Premise enlisted the promotional savvy of Motive Entertainment, the faith-based specialist that also helped market “The Passion,” in a grass-roots effort that drew as much fire as the film itself.
As “The Passion” proved beyond all doubt, the faith market can be a surprisingly potent force when mobilized.
Since most respected critics panned the release, the movie ads resorted to using a quote from that most right-wing of commentators, Rush Limbaugh, who gushed:
“It is powerful. It is fabulous.”
Apparently, Rush had gone off his meds and also gone off the deep end to recommend a flick about which the L. A Times critic wrote, “As a work of nonfiction filmmaking, it is a sham. And as agitprop, it is too flimsy to strike any serious blows.”
Check out the website expelledthemovie.com to learn more than you might ever want to know about this cinematic travesty.
Mr. Akerley is a Culver City resident.
