John Scalzi - Are Mad Scientists Unfairly Maligned?
I have something a little different for you today, folks. With Halloween coming up, a lot of horror-oriented science fiction films will be screened so that we can be spooked and scared on that creepiest of nights. But what if those films contained prejudices? Stereotypes? Unfair representations? Would it change the way you look at these films?
It just might. And with me today is someone who wants to fight against those stereotypes. Sir, please tell the folks at home who you are.
A: I am Dr. Hermann von Gliebstein, public relations director for the International Society of Mad Scientists. I'm also occasionally the despot of Gjirokastër, which incorrect maps will tell you is an Albanian province.
Q: Just occasionally?
A: It depends on whether my terrifying army of laser-wielding robot giraffes is functional or not. They're notoriously finicky.
Q: I see. Why giraffes?
A: Quite obviously because robot monkeys were already taken. But this is not about me. It's about mad scientists in general.
Q: Quite right. Now, tell us what your problem is with movies that have mad scientists in them.
A: I think it's simple, don't you? Have you ever seen a positive portrayal of a mad scientist in a movie? You have not. Because they don't exist. It's always mad scientist creates horrible monster, mad scientist raises the undead, mad scientist unleashes plague upon mankind, everyone dies, blah blah blah. It's awful.
Q: Give an example.
A: Well, here's an easy one: Re-Animator. Here's the story of a brilliant young medical researcher, Herbert West, who does what? Learns to thwart death. With science. And isn't that the goal of all medical science? Sure, he's fervent about his work, and arrogant, but if you learned how to reanimate dead tissue, wouldn't you be a little arrogant? But instead of portraying West as the Nobel Prize-winning character he will certainly be, he's this creepy little bug-eyed dude skulking around in a basement. And that's just wrong.
Q: To be fair, the things he brings back to life turn out to be evil flesh-rending zombies.
A: I'm not saying the science was perfect. But that's no reason to paint him as mad right from the start. That's Hollywood for you. And even if the scientist is not mad from the start, they often become mad during the course of the film.
Q: Like?
A: Like in The Fly. Seth Brundle starts off smart and eccentric, but by the end he's crashing through walls, kidnapping people and vomiting acid. That's just not fair.
Q: Well, he was turning into a fly at the time he did all that.
A: Don't try to excuse the filmmakers, man. Have you ever turned into a fly? I have. I hardly vomited acid on anyone. So I know that film has got it completely wrong. Hollow Man is another example: Scientist starts off as nothing more than arrogant, and eventually turns into a murdering psychotic molester. Just because he becomes invisible? As if.
Q: Perhaps they were trying to make a larger statement. You know, like invisibility is a metaphor for lack of responsibility, and that lack corrupts judgment.
A: Oh, please. Have you seen Hollow Man? Suggesting it has metaphor is a little much, don't you think? And again, it just doesn't track with reality. I know scientists who have worked with invisibility. They haven't gone nuts.
Q: So you know real invisible men?
A: Of course. There's one in this room right now.
Q: That explains all that mysterious poking.
A: Dieter! Stop that!
(Disembodied Voice): Sorry.
A: My apologies.
Q: It's all right. What about when mad scientists are played for laughs? Isn't that a positive portrayal of a sort?
A: I don't know what you mean.
Q: Well, like in Young Frankenstein. Gene Wilder's Dr. Frederick Frankenstein is a hoot.
A: He most certainly is not. That role an affront to scientists, evil or otherwise. It's the Jar Jar Binks of mad scientist roles. There's so much wrong with it it's hard to talk about it without getting worked up.
Q: I apologize.
A: It's all right. I'll just take it out on the Gjirokastër villagers later. After I fix the giraffes.
Q: Well, but, see. Isn't that just the problem? I know you mad scientists are upset that you're portrayed in movies as erratic, evil characters using unethical tactics to achieve your goals, but, in fact isn't that what you are?
A: I'm not following you.
Q: Take you, sir. Using your laser-wielding robot giraffe army to subjugate a province of Albania. Doesn't that seem, well, a little extreme? And what separates you morally from, say, the character of Syndrome in The Incredibles, who uses science to get back at, and even kill, the people he felt snubbed him as a boy? Isn't the portrayal of mad scientists in movies, in fact, totally accurate?
A: You wouldn't be saying that if I had a laser-wielding robot giraffe here now.
Q: Possibly not. But I'm saying that now.
(Disembodied Voice): Actually, I brought a laser-wielding robot giraffe with me. It's in the room. Just, you know, invisible.
A: Excellent! Fire, Dieter! Fire!
(Disembodied Voice): All right.
A: Aaaaaaaiiiiieeeeeee!
Q: Wow. Of all the people I expected your invisble laser-wielding robot giraffe to vaporize, Dr. Hermann von Gliebstein was not one of them.
(Disembodied Voice): Well, see. My parents live in Gjirokastër.
Q: Thank you for saving my life.
(Disembodied Voice): You're welcome.
Q: Now please stop poking me.
(Disembodied Voice): Sorry.
Winner of the Hugo Award and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, John Scalzi is the author of The Rough Guide to Sci-Fi Movies and the novels Old Man's War and Zoe's Tale. He's also the editor of METAtropolis, an audiobook anthology that debuts this week on Audible.com. His column appears every Thursday.
The mad scientist in the 1980 Flash Gordon wasn't evil (and hey, it was Topol...I kept waiting for him to start dancing and singing about being a Russian Jewish Peasant).
The mad scientist in the 1980 Flash Gordon wasn't evil (and hey, it was Topol...I kept waiting for him to start dancing and singing about being a Russian Jewish Peasant).
Your mention of Re-animator reminds me of a minor plot arc of the web comic Something Positive. One of the characters considered producing a stage musical version of Re-Animator. The poster is here:
http://www.somethingpositive.net/images/west-800x600.jpg
Good thing that Dieter saved your life, John.
One of my favorite lines from a Kids in the Hall sketch:
"Mad? Mad? I am*not* mad!... but I am *going* mad, so there is a discount."
Since somebody else brought up webcomics, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention some of the best dealing with mad science from within, as it were:
Shaenon K. Garrity has completed Narbonic (http://www.narbonic.com/) and is currently writing Skin Horse (http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php) along with Jeffrey Wells. Excellent strips. Obligatory attempt to keep things on-topic: I'd like to think that if Ms. Garrity ever decided to write a screenplay, it would be populated with ur-gerbils, lovelorn mad scientists, and cynical henchmen... er, hench-persons. 'Cause just like any small business, you know, the modern mad scientist has to keep up with OSHA regulations.
Phil and Kaja Foglio, of course, have Girl Genius (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php). As with anything Team Foglio puts together, it's very well done.
The original Faans story arc (http://www.faans.com/) by T. Campbell included quite a bit of mad science, and references several other mad science webcomics.
Now, keeping *really* on target: what about the whole team of students in "Real Genius" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089886/)? Chris Knight certainly wasn't a traditional "mad scientist", but while he was certainly a scientist (OK... scientist in training), he was definitely a bit off the beaten tracks as far as "normal" goes. Isn't that the portrayal, in general, of the "good" mad scientist in the movies? The eccentric (Chris Knight, Doc Brown from "Back to the Future", Q from the Bond movies, etc.) who isn't really *mad*, per se, but who is so wrapped up in their work that they can't really be a part of mainstream society. They can be tolerated, even encouraged, but they also need to be watched closely... just in case they develop unhealthy interests in, say, cyborg giraffes.
"Mad Scientists; some are angry, some are insane, many are both."
You guys need to take a look at an episode of The Tick cartoon called The Tick Vs. Science where The Tick and Arthur attend the Mad Science Fair.
"WANNABES! All of you, spit-polishing your prosthetic limbs, und whitewashing your liverspots for this wretched back-patting, smarty-party! The true mad scientist does not make public appearances! He does not wear the ‘hello my name is” badge. He strikes from below like a viper! Or on high like a penny, dropped from the tallest building aroundt! He has only ze one purpose: do bad things, to good people, MIT SCIENCE!!!! ... Look at you with your moccasins and potpourri, you're not scientists you're HIPPIES!"
Spookily enough, I just heard some actual scientists complaining about this just last night. I went to a screening of some science-themed short films and during the Q+A afterward, someone asked the filmmakers to comment on the portrayal of scientists in mainstream movies. I was expecting them to talk about how they’re not all hopeless nerds or that it takes longer than a commercial break to get sophisticated test results, but no. They were all up in arms about the mad scientist stereotype.
You know, I've heard the same from groups of people with psychiatric disabilities. They are tired of everyone thinking they are frustrated nerds out for world domination through bizarre, stupid schemes.
(This is just a joke and not meant to disparage either scientists, nerds or people with psychiatric disabilities.)
Dr. Frank-n-Furter has to be my favorite "mad" scientist. And Dr. Horrible.
Gotta admit: the mad scientist is my favorite cliché...
From movies where they try to end the world as we know it to recent TV shows such as Fringe where they help the authorities put the world back together, they will always hold my attention much more easily than any non-human monster ever could (perhaps I see a bit of myself in them?).
Ok, so here I am in my office, alone, laughing like a loon. This could give a girl a bad rep, ya know?
I always thought Dr. Jekyll was a reasonable mad scientist. I'd be even crazier than I am if I had another whole personality inside my head.
Plus, I always err on the side of thinking he was just a normal, dual personality guy until the release of Mary Reilly starring Julia Roberts. That would drive anyone over the edge.
Doesn't Dr. Frankenstein count? He was mad and somewhat sympathetic (I'm thinking Kenneth Branagh here).
Some scholars have suggested that Zoroastrianism was where the first prophet of a monotheistic faith arose, claiming Zoroastrianism as being "the oldest of the revealed credal religions, which has probably had more influence on mankind directly or indirectly, more than any other faith".
The ninth Iranian month is called Azar, meaning 'Atash' or fire. The guardianship of the month has been designated to a goddess known as Azar. Zoroastrians celebrate the ninth day of Azar with a festival known as 'Azargan'.
Fire was so important to them that they created a goddess for it. Sanctity of fire has an ancient origin. All the tribes on the earth have praised the fire. Progress made by the human race is dependent on fire, which also produces steam and electricity.
Hello, my name is Solomon Azar - I have put together many signs and connections to form the big picture-- we have been seeded upon this planet by way of spirit into a life form of man and given one primary mission- to cultivate this planet to complete utopia- thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven-We have been given the gift of free will thru the image of god- our time here is completely of faith as a test of growth-i believe i have uncovered a symbolic discovery of unlimited clean energy of using water via nuclear fusion upon palm sunday 2007- I have been shown many signs after this date-in the beginning it was two sticks for fire- now- i propose two electrodes for unlimited clean energy- it is energy which fuels a world for comfort-life-stability-coupled with laws from the heavens we have lived our lives- we are all messengers of god if we listen-we are communicated with thru our dreams-coincidental moments-etc- you would be lucky to have one handful in which you swear to be divinely inspired in your entire life-our time is a test and we are by far left alone in order to see how we help one another- do not expect the heavens to fix mans problems- it is the heavens who watch us fix our own- we have everything upon this magical blue planet- it is our duty as man to live up to our potential- my first name means peace- my last name is the father of Abraham-father of arab and jews- it is also the name of fire in the first religion of zorasterian to this day-in the beginning is a story of brotherhood between cain and able- in this age of enlightenment we shall be called together under god and see what the brothers of Issac and Ishmael do in the middle east- it is in the interests of all human beings to support its unification-as it is the desire all nations shall be under one God- There is no question- I have been guided as a human being upon my time here- I am a messenger of GOD- -I lived my entire life with the Christ in my heart- Therefore a strong light always shined in my mind on all actions in life-that is part of the gift of free will- i lived a full life and taught to see it from a perspective of the heavens- I come in the name of peace-upon the days of my scientific vindication- one in which the energy crisis is gone- i will start formal proceedings as a messenger of GOD and initiate a formal peace treaty in the name of god upon all nations- if it is conceivable to have nation leaders strike alliances between one another for peace-it is Gods will to have one complete alliance of all nations under God- the days of war have come to an end-unlimited health care for everyone without questions-I do not come with the ability to walk on water-but to deliver it as unlimited energy- I am like you-I was taught to say we are all each one of us a miracle- we are made in the image of God- therefore -let us act accordingly- we are all the same-the holy spirit is in me completely-what is in you- we will together strike peace in the name of god-the christ-the light of peace for all mankind-utopia comes now-TIME WILL TELL
Some scholars have suggested that Zoroastrianism was where the first prophet of a monotheistic faith arose...
While other scholars are aware of Atenism.
Fire was so important to them that they created a goddess for it.
So much for monotheism.
Anyways, I thought this thread was about mad science not mad theology.