Monday, March 16, 2009

More brainiac scientists needed to fight the monsters


You gotta love a movie review that starts out, "The world needs more giant mutant lizards, and more brainiac scientists who rise up to fight the monsters."

A new documentary, "Monsters from the Id," premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas this past Friday. The premise is that "films that tell simplistic, good-versus-evil stories and frame scientists as superheroes" serve as motivational messages and those of the 1950s served to propel the U.S. space program.

For me, Forbidden Planet, with its monsters of the id, is still one of my all time favorite movies. How much did it and the zillion other sci-fi flicks I saw as a kid help draw me into science? I just know that there never was any other career that was even conceivable to me. I stand ready to fight the next invasion of giant mutant lizards.

1 comment:

  1. Magnificient! If I remember correctly, most of the monsters 'occured' as a result of the brainiac scientists doing their thing. Giant ants and spiders and godzilla wreaking havoc were saturday morning staples in my childhood, and certainly seeded my fascination with science. Bring on the giant nuclear alligators with 6 legs and 3 heads--I'll be there:)
    Jim

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