The Theory of Everything (trailer)

[Kramodlog]

What did he do? Run his wheelchair into his wives's feet?

I'm guessing psychological, but hoping sexual.

 

[Kramodlog]

The idea that good things are unattainable is self-fulfilling prophecy - if you don't believe it can happen, you certainly won't try to make it happen.

Sure you can, people are full of contradictions.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

I'm guessing psychological, but hoping sexual.

I bet that's what he was hoping for. Now both of you can be disappointed together.

 

[Umbran]

Sure you can, people are full of contradictions.

To spring off the thread title, yes, in theory, you can. Technically, it is possible.

In actuality, as a practical matter? Not in general, no. Historical precedent is on my side, here - once people stop believing in a thing, they stop working for it.

 

[Mercurius]

Yeah, cause cynicism is a new thing kids are into these days. Back in the day it didn't exist. Damn beatniks!

Did I say that cynicism is new to the last few decades? No. I think it has just been more institutionalized. Part of it is intelligence - less naivete, perhaps. But a lot of it is hipster apathy and a kind of "dark is cool" chic.

Bolded the key word. That is the problem right there. People get tired of the same old crap. Love is superdoubleplusgood is overdone.

Shmaltzy love, sure. But love will never be overdone.

It is just that there is more diversity nowadays. The audience is fragmented, so the books out there will reflect that. It is not a dichotomy between two styles.

I agree that there is more diversity, which is a good thing. But I do think the kind of epic quest fantasy that I'm talking about is at a low point, at least since the boom of the 80s - and over-shadowed by the grim-n-gritty stuff. I think it will rise again, though.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Hmm. Seems it is goes into more of Hawkings like than Benedict Cumberbatch's "Hawking". (The latter only went into the first two years or so of his disease).

It seems to ignore that Hawking divorced however. (Hawking did only cover the first 2 or so years of his disease, so it did not come up in that show, though I think it was mentioned in the credits).

Though I do not think that makes him a horrible person or devalues what he achieved in his scientific career, or what he had to go through. But I think it devalues a movie a bit if it spins a fairy tale out of a real person's life. That has little to do (to me), with "hipster apathy" - I think it could actually make an interesting story to really learn how they fell into love, married, but then grew apart, him founding new love. But on the other hand - maybe it is not a story you can really tell with a man suffering from a rare disability that also happens to be a scientific genius. It could be a bit ... overloaded in terms of story.

If Hawking didn't exist and someone wrote a story about such a man, no one would believe it. It stretches the disbelief suspenders too much. "So, you tell me, this guy suffers from a disease that kills you after 2 years or so normally. But he lives to old age. And he speaks via a computer. And despite being paralysed, he has multiple children and wives. Oh, and he's a genius and a successful author. Too bad he doesn't fight crime, you could probably sell this to Marvel."

 

[WayneLigon]

Bolded the key word. That is the problem right there. People get tired of the same old crap. Love is superdoubleplusgood is overdone.

That people keep seeing movies about the power of love, and reading books about farmboys who become famous, would seem to indicate that they don't in fact get tired of the basic story framework - just when it's done poorly.

 

[Kramodlog]

That people keep seeing movies about the power of love, and reading books about farmboys who become famous, would seem to indicate that they don't in fact get tired of the basic story framework - just when it's done poorly.

People see it because they like it or because that is what is offered? Take TV and movies, producers are afraid to try new stuff, they prefere to make stuff that they know was popular.

 

[calronmoonflower]

Ah, forty two?

People see it because they like it or because that is what is offered?

Because they like it. Tropes are devices that writers can reasonably rely on to recognize and respond to.

Take TV and movies, producers are afraid to try new stuff, they prefere to make stuff that they know was popular.

Gosh, it is like they want to make money or something. As it is, if you break things down far enough, even widely different movies often follow very similar formulas and noting can really said to be 'new'. If you don't then new stuff it presented regularly along with rehashed stuff.

The Hero's Journey
Ten Movie Plots
The Seven Basic Plots

 

[Kramodlog]

Gosh, it is like they want to make money or something.

Something that can be done with by using something else than the ubiquitous "love is all", especially considering it is not true.