Product Description

An unforgettable and shocking wake-up call, A CRUDE AWAKENING offers the rock-solid argument that the era of cheap oil is in the past. Relentless and clear-eyed, this intensively-researched film drills deep into the uncomfortable realities of a world that is both addicted to fossil fuels and blissfully unaware of the looming "peak oil" crisis. Drawing on an international cast of maverick energy experts and thinkers, directors Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack debunk the conventional wisdom that oil production will continue to climb, and instead stare bleakly at a planet facing economic meltdown and conflict over its most valuable resource. Featuring a haunting score by Phillip Glass and a fascinating array of rare archival footage, the film explores oil's rocky relationship with human progress in locales ranging from ancient Baku, Azerbaijan to dusty oilpatch town McCamey, Texas.  Amidst a dark and disturbing vision of our future, A CRUDE AWAKENING hints at a humbler way of life built around sustainability and alternative energy, providing a visually stunning, boldly prophetic testament which provokes not just thought but action.

Q&A with Basil Gelpke

1. What inspired you to make this film?

I thought it was the most underreported burning issue at the time when we embarked on the project back in 2005.

2. What kind of response have you encountered from audiences who’ve seen it?

We’ve got a lot of feedback: Either people would deny our conclusion or they would see the film as an eye-opener.

3. What, if anything, do you think has changed since you made the film about the oil situation?

The current financial crisis has lowered the overall consumption but it’s interesting to see that not very much as oil consumption is so vital to our societies. While demand goes down in the US it’s still increasing in places like China.

4. Do you feel that the high price of gas last year and the current economic crisis has changed our oil addiction?

Yes, and I think there’s a growing consensus that we have to change our dependence on imported energy and now there’s a remarkable push to look for alternative sources of energy.

5. How much do you think things have changed now that there is a new administration in the White House?

The Obama administration is definitely very aware of the issue and they have taken lots of promising steps to change our addiction to oil and fossil fuels in general. Whether they’ll be successful remains to be seen but it’s certainly going into the right direction.

6. Can you discuss your decision to use animation and archival footage that sings the praises of oil?

It seemed a good way to show how perceptions change over time and how we’re all conditioned by history.

7. The score by Philip Glass is remarkable. What made you choose him for the film?

Yes, we love his work too!

8. Faced with the alarming future shown in the film, what, if any, is your hope for curing our addiction to oil?

There’s always hope. However, I strongly believe that when the financial crisis has subsided there will be a next crisis caused by nature: The dwindling resources of the planet simply can’t satisfy the ever increasing demand arising from a growing population. So over time we’ll have to rethink our way of life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9153 in DVD
• Brand: New Video
• Published on: 2007-07-01
• Released on: 2007-07-31
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 85 minutes

Features

• An unforgettable and shocking wake-up call, A Crude Awakening offers the rock-solid argument that the era of cheap oil is in the past. Relentless and clear-eyed, this intensively-researched film drills deep into the uncomfortable realities of a world that is both addicted to fossil fuels and blissfully unaware of the looming "peak oil" crisis. Drawing on an international cast of maveric