M&M: Instinct

Dear reader,

the movie “Instinct” was released in 1998 and is based on the idea of the novel “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn. They truly don't have much in common than the idea really. Those who know the book, will certainly be disappointed about how much of it can be found in that movie, which is precious little. I still think it's good to know both - the book and the movie. Here's the story of the movie:

Dr. Ethan Powell is a famous anthropologist. Before he got missing in the African jungle for several years, he was studying gorillas. When they find him, he hurts some and also kills one of the men. He's send in jail in Rwanda. He doesn't speak a word to anybody. They get him back to America, where the young, engaged psychiatrist Dr. Theo Caulder feels he'd get more popular if he can get Powell speak again.

But when Powell starts talking to Caulder, something strange happens: everybody thought that Powell was the patient and Caulder the doctor, but when Powell begins to talk, he becomes a teacher, a guide to Caulder, who now is a kind of student. Powell doesn't only guide to the last two years in the jungle, but also gives him a different way of seeing the world and shows him that what we think is the truth, may not be quite right. In the end Caulder didn't only lost a couple of things, but - and even more important - found interesting ones also.

Director was John Turteltaub, maybe best known for his movie "While you were sleeping". Dr. Ethan Powell is played by Sir Anthony Hopkins, who's most famous role was as Dr. Hannibal Lecter. He got his first Oscar for his Dr. Hannibal Lecter in "The silence of the lambs". Dr. Theo Caulder was played by Cuba Gooding, jr, who also got an Oscar (supporting act), for his play in "Jerry Maguire". Composer of the score was Danny Elfman, who also did the film score for movies like "Spider man" or "Men In Black".

On his homepage Daniel Quinn answers questions from interested people and fans. Here is his answer regarding his reaction to “Instinct”:

http://www.ishmael.org/Interaction/QandA/Detail.CFM?Record=420

Here you can read his thoughts on common elements between “Instinct“ and “Ishmael“:

http://www.ishmael.org/Interaction/QandA/Detail.CFM?Record=433

Until next blog,
sarah

  

Memes

Dear reader,

in his book “The Egoistic Gene“ evolution biologist Richard Dawkins describes that genes aren't the only particles, which a person can pass on to another person. Genes are only particles on a biological level of a human. Culture can be passed on as well. Songs, stories, dances, traditions, ideas and much more is passed on in one culture. Unlike genes, culture particles can not only be passed on from older people to youngsters and don't necessarily stay in just one family. A song for example can also be passed on from a student to a teacher and a boy can tell his girlfriend a joke. Of course parents also pass on loads of things to their kids as well. With books and especially the internet ideas and thoughts can go anywhere. But not every song, joke, story, traditions or ideas are a culture particle as such. Two things are important:

1. A person has to remember something.
2. What is remembered by that person must be passed on to another person.

Only then this culture particle is interesting for scientists. Only then this particle that was remembered and passed on is truly a culture particle. Dawkins thought about how he could name this culture particle, in order to not call it for example culture particle all the time. He wanted a shot word, much like “gene” effectively is a short word for a biology particle.To remember something is the key: memory. Culture is something active, to mime something. So that's how Dawkins came up with “meme” for the culture particles. Somewhat resembling the spelling of “genes”.

The author Daniel Quinn follows that idea of memes and writes in his book “Beyond Civilization” that memes aren't all positive. There are deadly memes, too. Much like some combination of genes can lead to a shorter life of a creature. As an example he mentions the “Heaven's Gate” cult, which was based on the idea that suicide would get its members into heaven. Sad for the people killing themselves, but this deadly idea is only limited to the members of the cult. According to Daniel Quinn civilisation is based on two main ideas:

1. that the way of living of its members is the only one right way for all humans of the whole world to live
2. that food has to be under lock and key and only be given to those who work.

This way of life is unknown in the animal world and also unknown in any other society among humans, other than those calling themselves civilised. We can see the result of these two ideas combined on a daily basis. More on Daniel Quinn's ideas in following blog entries.

To those of you, who are interested in memes, you might want to check out “The Meme Machine” by Susan Blackmore. In this book she describes different aspects of memes, their relevance and how they are passed on.

Until next blog,
sarah

Only a Job

Dear reader,

I write the following as a film fan and yet in the belief that it is true. It's true that actors, as much as we like them or their role or the film: for them it's only a job. I have read from several actors that they have been approached by fans on the street saying keywords, which to fans are quite significant to a role they once played. At that moment it doesn't occur to us fans that the actors only learn their lines, film it and then walk on to the next role, the next lines. In fact there are a few actors who out of principle don't watch any films they're in. They haven't seen the film for the umpteenth time like we have. Someone once said that some fans know some of his lines better than the actor who said it did.

From several interviews with Benedict Cumberbatch I know that the role of Sherlock Holmes is a lot of fun to play for him. Especially learning the deductions and talking that fast when he speaks them. One wrong word or one wrong intonation and the whole deduction is messed up. And yet it's only a job. Benedict Cumberbatch is not Sherlock Holmes. Benedict Cumberbatch is Benedict Cumberbatch.

Some years back I read that Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, said in an interview words to the effect of: when the money is right, he'd play anything. The Hagrid actor would play anything for the right money?! And he's the one playing one of Harry Potter's best friends?! What a stupid actor for such a role! And yet it's only a job. Robbie Coltrane is not Hagrid. Robbie Coltrane is Robbie Coltrane.

In the film “State of Grace” Gary Oldman plays the younger brother of Ed Harris. Like probably many other Gary Oldman fans I rued the scene in which Ed Harris shot Gary Oldman to death in that film. Gary Oldman's character was somehow very likeable and didn't deserve dying that way. I needed a few weeks to calm down and not being angry with Ed Harris. Yes, I was angry with Ed Harris. I respect him as an actor and thought it stupid that he'd play such a role in which he'd kill another actor I like. But he only played a role and most of all only went with what the script said. I didn't think of being angry with the script writer. No. Instead I refused to watch any film with Ed Harris in it for weeks. And yet it's only a job. Ed Harris is not Frankie Flannery. Ed Harris is Ed Harris.

Matt Smith. The Eleventh Doctor. My Doctor. David Tennant was the one that got me started watching “Doctor Who” and later, even though it was totally out of order I also watched Christopher Eccleston and certainly some day I'll watch the earlier ones, too. But Matt Smith somehow is my Doctor anyway. He's only one year older than I am. The first actor I like, who's close to my age. From his point of view as an actor I absolutely understand that he wanted to leave. Especially “Doctor Who” is about change. Playing the Doctor requires much time for just this series and not much time for anything else. I'll have much fun watching him in new films. But last Christmas I couldn't help but repeatedly think that the Doctor will regenerate now. It helped me a bit that Matt Smith himself finished filming the last episode months ago already. For him it was over for some time already. Also the Doctor regenerates to a good actor who I like a lot! And yet: as much as I like Peter Capaldi, he's yet another actor, who is very much older than I am. He could be my father! He absolutely fits for the role. After Matt Smith, the youngest Doctor of all, it's the right decision to have a considerably older actor taking over. Especially since Peter Capaldi is a big fan himself. All of that is only fair comfort for the fact that my Doctor is gone now. And yet it's only a job. Matt Smith is not the Doctor. Matt Smith is Matt Smith.

Christopher Eccleston only had one season of playing the Doctor. He didn't want to be stereo-typed and only be seen as the Doctor with roles similar to that of the Doctor. I hardly know him and can't say how great that “danger” really was. I liked what I've seen from him as the Doctor and in other films, too. When David Tennant got offered the role of the Doctor, he thought a long time whether he should accept it or not. He was and still is a big “Doctor Who” fan, but what if fans didn't like him? Or what if he would only be seen as “the Doctor”? And yet it's only a job. Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant are not the Doctor. Christopher Eccleston is Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant is David Tennant.

Until next blog,

sarah