Inspired by the discussion “Weird Science…” taking place over at The Screenwriting Life, I have compiled a list of…

10 MOTION PICTURES FEATURING SCIENTIST PROTAGONISTS

(I’ve also indicated whether main character is practicing pure science or applied science)

1.) Altered States (1980) (pure science)
2.) A Beautiful Mind (2001) (pure science)
3.) Contact (1997) (pure science)
4.) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913, et al.) (applied science)
5.) Frankenstein (1931, et al.) / Bride of Frankenstein (1935) (applied science)
6.) Jurassic Park (1993) (pure science, main character; applied science, supporting character)
7.) Madame Curie (1943) (pure science)
8.) The Nutty Professor (1963, et al.) (applied science)
9.) The Race For The Double Helix (aka Life Story) (1987) (pure science)
10.) The Story Of Louis Pasteur (1935) (applied science)

I wondered whether or not to put “A Beautiful Mind” (2001) on the list, since the character is a mathematician and not specifically a scientist, but I did some research and was reassured that mathematics is, in fact, one of the purest forms of PURE science (correcting the original post where I had mistakenly written “applied science”). If I had kept “A Beautiful Mind” out of it, you would have probably gotten in its stead “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” (1989).

As a side note, some of the user comments for “Madame Curie” at the Internet Movie Database are quite good and would be helpful for those trying to find out exactly what makes a scientist movie entertaining.

Those with a science background will certainly have better informed opinions than most and I welcome these. I still am not entirely clear on the difference between pure and applied science (though, as I understand it, scientists prefer to practice pure science, while corporations and government prefer scientists to practice applied science). For example, saying that Ellie in “Contact” (1997) is practicing pure science in her searching the skies for intelligent life doesn’t feel quite right to me…Does anybody out there have a take on that?…Or am I all alone in the universe?…