January 25, 2008
Samantha Hunt describes the turning point in Tesla’s life when he began acting like a mad scientist, almost taking a page from the movies. And biologist Vincent Pieribone thinks that Hollywood’s most dangerous fantasy about “mad scientists” is that scientists have any power at all.
My favorite movie scientist has to be Jor El played by Brando in the first Superman movie. One brillant man that predicts the planet will be destroyed. Compare this to all of the layman global warming Chicken Littles on Earth. As if they could compare to Superman's father! ;)
I don't see how anyone can say that scientist don't have any power. They have the knowledge and, forgive me here, "but knowledge is power" The president arms himself with scientific "facts" Its just a matter of which facts he decides to acknowledge. Which is the problem. As for scientists in movies...Sean Conner in Medicine Man. I think the nature of the character directs the seriousness of the movie. A movie about aliens attacking Earth isn't meant to be taken too seriously. A movie about the destruction of our natural resources and how we doom ourselves....you see where I am going here. Movies are mosly meant to be just a source of entertainment. The greatest ones make a point as well, but each should be judged accordingly.
Please keep your comments relevant to this entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. All comments on Studio 360 are moderated. Studio 360 reserves the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the studio360.org Comment Guidelines before posting.
<< Back to Episode
Studio 360 is a co-production of
Public
Radio International and
WNYC New York Public Radio, and is funded in part by
Ken and Lucy Lehman, the
National Endowment for the Arts, and the Lily Auchincloss Foundation. Studio 360's American Icons series is supported in part by the
National Endowment for the Humanities. Our series on creativity and science is supported in part by the
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Our series on Underground Heroes is supported in part by the New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. 
