Hollywood Science: Movies, Science, and the End of the World

摘要

Sidney Perkowitz, a physicist and film buff, is concerned about the way science, technology, and scientists are presented in Hollywood films, notably science-fiction flicks. He reviews over one hundred films and finds that Hollywood's version of science does not always match up with scientific knowledge and practice. He would like reasonably accurate science-fiction films but he realizes that even "bad" science has its place. It can advance a flagging plot, attract young people to scientific careers, or impress an audience with the wonders of the universe.rnPerkowitz divides his book into three main parts: "Dangers from Nature," "Dangers from Ourselves," and "The Good, the Bad, and the Real." The concluding chapters offer some final thoughts on the depiction of scientists in sci-fi films and on Hollywood science vs. real science. That said, it is time to look at the chapters on science as it appears in Hollywood films. These chapters are at the heart of the book.