‘Two leaders, one destiny’: Trump courts Kim with fake movie trailer
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“Two men. Two leaders. One destiny.”
U.S. President Donald Trump brought some early ‘90s-era Hollywood pizzazz to his meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, by showing him a four-minute trailer video laying out the stakes of their historic summit.
READ MORE: Trump, Kim commit to ‘complete denuclearization’ of Korean peninsula after historic summit
Trump screened the video for Kim on an iPad at their meeting in Singapore, before sharing an English version with the gathered press a short time later.
“There comes a time when only a few are called upon to make a difference,” the deep-voiced narrator of the video says in English.
“A new world can begin today, one of friendship, respect and goodwill.”
The video juxtaposes images of famous world landmarks, prosperous cities and happy people with austere, black-and-white shots of North Koreans at war. Dramatic music plays throughout.
It also features a bizarre shot of a basketball player performing a dunk, in a nod to Kim’s love for the sport.
WATCH BELOW: Breaking down the Trump-Kim summit
The narrator touts the summit as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Kim, urging him to “shake the hand of peace” or face the alternative.
The video doesn’t explicitly state what that alternative will be, but it does show a sequence of war and flames, reminiscent of the “fire and fury” Trump once promised to rain down upon Kim.
“There can only be two results: one of moving back, or one of moving forward,” the narrator says.
Kim and Trump are presented as the central figures in the trailer, with the chance to remake the world and change history.
READ MORE: Asian leaders show cautious optimism after Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un meeting
“Their story is well-known,” the narrator says while images of Trump and Kim appear on screen. “But what… will be their sequel?”
Trump said the video was meant to illustrate the bright future that might be ahead, if Kim agrees to denuclearize.
“I think he loved it,” Trump said during his post-meeting news conference. He added that Kim and his delegation seemed “fascinated” by the video.
“I showed it because I really want him to do something,” Trump said.
Kim Jong Un is known to use propaganda films to influence his subjects. His father, Kim Jong Il, also loved movies.
It’s not the first time a video has been used to woo Kim.
READ MORE: From ‘dotard’ and ‘rocket man’ to a summit: A timeline of Kim and Trump’s rocky relationship
South Korean President Moon Jae-In also unveiled a video produced for the North Korean leader during their meeting at the Demilitarized Zone in April.
Trump’s trailer was produced by Destiny Pictures, a production company run by former casino croupier Mark Castaldo.
Castaldo spent a decade working in the casino business in Atlantic City and Las Vegas before he became a producer, according to his website.
He is listed on IMDB as a producer or co-producer on nine films or short videos produced from 2000-2013.
Trump-Kim summit: Trump confident summit a success, but ‘can’t ensure anything’
— With files from the Associated Press
© 2018 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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