Films about (fictional) physicists

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In summary, the movie Dark Matter is about physicists, and it's coming out in April. It might be a good movie to watch if you're interested in physics, but it's not a great movie in general.
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oedipa maas
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Can anybody recommend a movie about physicists or physics students? It seems that math people seem to have gotten most of the limelight in the last few years. However, there's a film coming out in April which I'm curious about:


"Dark Matter"

Dana Scully had a physics degree, but that barely ever came up on "The X-Files". In "Spiderman" Peter Parker was studying physics... But in these cases physics mostly serves as a cheap way to give a character credibility without actually being important to the character.

I'm particularly interested to hear about films where ideas from physics work as metaphors for some other aspect of the story. I can only think of a couple books which accomplish this in a very compelling way - "The Genius and the Goddess" (Aldous Huxley), "Music In A Foreign Language" (Andrew Crumey) and "The Crying of Lot 49" (Thomas Pynchon).
 
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  • #2
Real Genius.
 
  • #3
Excuse me? How can anyone forget Christopher Lloyd as http://www.imdb.com/media/rm912824576/ch0001831" [Broken]?
“There's that word again; ‘heavy’. Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?”
“Wait a minute, Doc. Ah... Are you telling me you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?”
“The way I see it, if you're going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?”

And if you're talking comic book heroes you've got yer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_Richards" [Broken] (awesome job Patrick Stewart!).

Going way back in the history of film, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaatu_%28The_Day_the_Earth_Stood_Still%29" [Broken] is also a physicist.

The character Sherlock Holmes is a scientist in general and spends lots of time monologuing about the scientific method. The scientist-hero http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Who" [Broken] seems like he'd be classified as a physicist if anything, though he basically appears to know everything.
 
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  • #4
And here's an http://www.imdb.com/Find?select=Plots&for=physicist" [Broken] for “physicist”.
 
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  • #5
Oh, how could I have forgotten "Back to the Future"? Thanks!

Thanks for the IMDB hint. Unfortunately there's no way to filter out the crappy films. ;-)

Here's my favourite entry so far:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467139/plotsummary

Two story lines in one bondage film: in the first tale, Natasha and Connie both have dreams of being tied and gagged in a strange white room. Too soon, the dreams turn to reality. In the second feature, a colleague breaks into a beautiful physicist's home, ties her up and searches her office for a secret research project while the lovely damsels struggles in her bonds.
 
  • #6
Whoa. Sounds like the créme de crap.
 
  • #7
I forgot to say, Dark Matter does look interesting. Though I'm not really in the mood for a movie about school shootings right now.
 

1. What are the most famous films about fictional physicists?

Some of the most famous films about fictional physicists include "Back to the Future," "Interstellar," "The Theory of Everything," "Contact," and "The Imitation Game."

2. Are these films scientifically accurate?

While these films may contain some scientific concepts and theories, they are ultimately fictional and may take creative liberties for the sake of storytelling. It is always important to fact-check and do further research for accurate scientific information.

3. Do these films accurately portray the life of a physicist?

These films often focus on the dramatic and exciting aspects of a physicist's life, rather than the day-to-day work and research. They are meant to entertain rather than provide a realistic portrayal of the profession.

4. Why do filmmakers often choose to portray physicists as heroes or villains?

Physicists often deal with complex and abstract concepts that can be difficult for the general public to understand. By portraying them as heroes or villains, filmmakers can make these concepts more relatable and engaging for the audience.

5. Are there any real-life physicists who have influenced these films?

While some films may be inspired by real-life physicists, they are ultimately fictional stories. However, there have been cases where real-life physicists have served as consultants on these films to ensure scientific accuracy.

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