tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1647542790969230221.post2994924881937816197..comments2023-10-02T03:29:53.174-07:00Comments on The Rough Guide to Evolution: First thoughts on "Creation"Mark Pallenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911675151032525386noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1647542790969230221.post-11875269668771461362009-09-29T15:34:57.621-07:002009-09-29T15:34:57.621-07:00Well, of course the movie would include the whole ...Well, of course the movie would include the whole "Annie myth" -- the script even credits the book "Annie's Box" as the source material. Given that you've written criticisms of that book already, I wouldn't have expected you to like that part.<br /><br />(I haven't seen the movie yet myself, but probably will, given the chance, even though I largely agree with you over the lack of evidence that Annie's death had anything to do with Darwin's work)Jonathan Badgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04921990886076027719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1647542790969230221.post-43990295342006539282009-09-28T03:57:40.549-07:002009-09-28T03:57:40.549-07:00As requested, here is what I wrote in Facebook:
&...As requested, here is what I wrote in Facebook:<br /><br />"I would have loved to watch it with you, as I was facing some comparable issues. I had to remind myself, over and over, "This is not a documentary." <br />Of course, having seen the manuscripts, I smiled at the overly clear handwriting and at the certainty with which the text was put to paper. I was also bothered by Emma's position and thought that it would have been really sad for such a man to be married to such a woman (fortunately, this is just part of the treatment of a character in the script).<br />Unlike you, I enjoyed the structure of the film and was surprised to see how beautifully it fit together from that perspective. Very few films have a truly consistent structure and this one is the exception to that rule."<br /><br />I have been thinking about whether the film was too sentimental or not (mostly because someone else suggested it was). I am sure that most commonly, the death of a young child would have a deep sentimental impact (to achieve a different effect, would be very difficult). Because the film does not try to be a historic representation, but rather a retelling of history, it is important to understand the way in which the story links ideas together. In the film, Darwin concludes that Annie's death is related to his marriage to Emma (so the pigeon breeder explains how weakness creeps in when closely related animals are bred) and so, it becomes imperative for the character to exorcise those demons. <br /><br />Perhaps, it is sentimental, but the script requires causes for actions (or lack of action). The link between Darwin's writing of the Origin and Annie's death might not be historically accurate, but the script requires it.Bordalejohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07438675922175910670noreply@blogger.com