"The Elegant Universe" (2003) (mini)TV mini-series

Directors:

Julia Cort
Joseph McMaster

Writers:

Julia Cort (writer)
Brian Greene (book)

Release Date:

28 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Eleven dimensions, parallel universes, and a world made out of strings. It's not science fiction, it's string theory.

Plot:

A documentary examining string theory.

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Michael Duff	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Brian Greene	...	Host
Michael B. Green	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Walter Lewin	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Joseph Lykken	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Amanda Peet	...	Herself (theoretical physicist)
John Schwarz	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Maria Spiropulu	...	Herself (experimental physicist)
Leonard Susskind	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Cumrun Vafa	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Gabriele Veneziano	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Steven Weinberg	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)
Edward Witten	...	Himself (theoretical physicist)

Also Known As:

The Theory of Everything (UK)

Runtime:

UK:60 min | USA:180 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Nova

Good scientific hypothesis for the layman.

If you want to know the hard mechanics, the mathematical underpinnings and other details behind string theory, look elsewhere. If you want to know what physicists are up to these days, then you've found your documentary.

The film makes no attempt to explain the equations behind string theory, but instead gives a synopsis of science history and thinking, followed by the theories developed from that history, in a very plain and simple way most people (read that as people who are not into physics) can understand.

There're no incredibly long differentials strung out on a chalk board or butcher paper for the more educated viewer to scrutinize, copy, and hence play with. What this film is is a presentation of how the scientific community, and specifically high energy physics, is dealing with explaining the basic and fundamental mechanics of existence. If you thought otherwise, and are into physics, and were subsequently let down by the program, then maybe you're not as bright as you thought. That's just some food for thought. I think Einstein once remarked that he believed the universe, at its core, ought to be elegant, simple, and easy to understand. That's the whole point of this documentary: To explain to people how and why the world around us is the way it is.

My only criticism of the film is that author Brian Greene is a little unyielding or immaleable in his beliefs towards science and physics. But otherwise he does a fine job of taking a very complicated subject and boiling it down for average Joes to appreciate and understand.

Myself, a person who's trained in science and who's read some literature on the more theoretical fields of physics, I found this mini-series to be very entertaining, and hope I get to see another special about the next big breakthrough in physics. I learned about things that, quite frankly, I had no idea existed.

If you're just an amateur scientist, or just have a passing interest in scientific things, then this small series should entertain. Heck, even if you're an undergrad you might learn something. Enjoy :-)