Favourite representation of science/scientists on feature film?
Scott Keir
Sunday, 16 March 2008 22:55 UTC
Inspired tangentially by Jennifer Rohn’s post – what’s your favourite representation of science/scientists in the movies, the feature film?
Jennifer’s blog reminded me of Sally Potter’s Yes, which features as its lead, a successful female molecular biologist. She’s smart, interesting, there’s even a bit where they touch on her ethical stance. And, to add Nature Network London topicality to it, they filmed some of it at the Advanced Biotechnology Centre, Imperial College, London – well, they’re thanked in the credits, so…
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I have a terrible memory for films, unless I have seen them several times (sadly there aren’t any scientists in Casablanca)... I vaguely seem to remember that Contact had some half decent scientist moments before getting tangled with the usual hokum.
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I have poor memory too, and I know I’ve answered this one somewhere recently….wasn’t it Scientific American or similar title, which ran a feature on the editors’ favourite scientists in the movies? They tried to keep sci-fi out of it but weren’t entirely successful I recall.
Anyway, my favourite is probably Jodie Foster in Contact—because she’s a competent woman and because she’s within the bounds of being a normal person—which is so unusual for a portrayal of a scientist in a movie.
However, I do have to admit a fondness for Doc in Back to the Future—that constant enthusiasm in the face of dismal repeated failure! But, he was definitely in the “mad scientist” cliche, as well.
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That’s funny, just this weekend I watched Dr. Ehrlich’s Magic Bullet. Excellent acting by Edward G. Robinson, and a fairly accurate depiction of an important part of the history of microbiology and immunology. The movie gets extra points for talking about syphilis in 1940 and for taking place in my hometown Berlin (Germany).
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Pi is really good, in a sort-of, not terribly complementary but quite “accurate” of sorts way. The next screening I know of is in Edinburgh at the end of this month.
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If you’re talking science, then, being a Kubrick nut, I’d venture 2001: A Space Odyssey. Don’t know if that qualifies as a ‘representation’, but it is a great work of art, period.
As for scientists, that’s difficult, as they are often cardboard caricatures. However, I remember (although I haven’t seen it in years, so might revise my opinion if I saw it now) a film called Brainstorm (1983), which was, sadly, the last we saw of the radiant Natalie Wood. But, aside from her and the always excellent Christopher Walken, I remember being impressed by the dishevelled, chain-smoking, unhealthy scientist portrayed by Louise Fletcher (best known for her cruel Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest). Not what you’d expect, which perhaps makes it more interesting. Oh, and Brainstorm was directed by Douglas Trumbull, who worked with Kubrick on 2001.
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I vote for Dr. Strangelove!
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Definitely Dr. Strangelove.
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I too love Strangelove but I think Doc gives him a run for his money. Not as bleakly, but faster-paced.
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Oh, and fewer “essential bodily fluids” ;-)
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And talking of Pi, is this a sad story or what—my (non-scientist) sister gave my (very much a) scientist husband a DVD of Pi for Christmas. Of course, said scientist is always far too busy working, modelling, writing papers, etc, to actually watch it.
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