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Einstein And Eddington [DVD] [2008]

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Director: Philip Martin
Actors: David Tennant, Richard McCabe, Patrick Kennedy, Ben Uttley, Gyuri Sarossy
Studio: 2 Entertain Video
Category: DVD

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

14 reviews
Sales Rank: 5854

Format: PAL
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region: 2
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 89 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

EAN: 5051561028533
ASIN: B001E0C4CC

Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: December 1, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

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Showing reviews 1-5 of 14

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I have just seen the BAFTA preview screening and... October 29, 2008
Suzi 2 (London)
25 out of 25 found this review helpful

I loved this film. It is beautiful and visually striking, from the opening scence set atop an African mountain, to the contrasting scenes set in Zurich, Berlin and Cambridge. Set admist the turmoil of the great war, a story is told, not just of the greatest scientific discovery of our time, but also of human loss, love, humanity and courage. I admire the writer and director for their ability to put so much into a fairly short film, and especially for setting Einstein's work into the appalling political context of this time so clearly. The film is pacey and engaging throughout. The acting from the whole cast is great. Andy Serkis is very believable as the rebellious, wild and unpredictable Einstein. Tennant demonstrates his versitility with the quietly heroic, if repressed, Eddington. His performance is highly engaging, and he fully portrays the scientist's love for his work. This film should please anyone who enjoys historical drama, is interested in science, or who just likes a good story well told.

5 out of 5 stars

The romance of science was never more movingly dramatised November 22, 2008
Basiledes (North Wales)
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

The academic and situational historical relationship between the inspired genius and the conscientious 'best measurer in England' was just waiting to be given this sort of treatment. Every sort of ingredient a writer of fiction could ask for was there to be taken and used. br /Eddington has always been described as the first man in England to understand Einstein and this film shows his struggle to get his ideas taken seriously at a time when, during the First World War, German science was a dirty word. As a Quaker and a pacifist Eddington is shown as an objective and progressive scientist who serves only the truth and the advancement of science. This brings him up against the resistance of the Cambridge scientific community who are supporters of the war, and hostile to Einstein who was regarded as a German, since he was working at the University of Berlin (though he had renounced citizenship and regarded himself as belonging to no nation). In Berlin, heavily committed to the German war effort, they are developing poison gas which is soon used at Ypres with devastating effect. br /Einstein for his part is being put under pressure to support the war and put his signature to a list of German scientists, but wants none of it and so his funding is cut off and he is banned from the University. In the film he gets the full romantic genius treatment and comes across as the Einstein legend would have us expect. Don't worry it's very convincing and the idiosyncrasies and anecdotes are based on facts. The arts too are not left out, as much is made of his love of music (Mozart and Schubert, not Beethoven or Wagner unfortunately). Serkis as ever is excellent. br /But the most moving thing about this story is the way it shows how Eddington's interest in Einstein's work led him to carry out, against all the opposition, the experimental field work in astronomy that led to the verification of General Relativity. What will come as a surprise to most people is just how much the genius needed the professional and this film should go a long way to give Eddington the popular recognition he deserves. As Eddington, Tennant gives the best performance I have ever seen from him. br /The re-creation of time and place as we go back and forth between Berlin and Cambridge is very well done. br /Moving and important. Highly recommended. br /If you're interested it deals sympathetically with Eddington's religious views and the place of, shall we say, metaphysics in science, but not so that you can't set it aside if you want to.

5 out of 5 stars

Enough science but not so much that children will get lost. October 30, 2008
A. Blackwell (NC USA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I though this film was excellent. I was concerned before the screening about the quantity and quality of the science but they did a good job. There are numerous wonderful scenes of Einstein explaining bits of his work to his sons so children watching will also understand. They gave Eddington one of Einstein's famous demonstrations to use in explaining it to his sister and his friend. br / br /You see how the work of both men was influenced by their families and their beliefs. Both stood up for what they thought was right when their countries were at war. The film showed the difficulties presented to each by the internal emotional conflict due to the war and the deaths it caused. Also both faced conflict with colleagues because of their pacifist views and these points were well illustrated in the film. I think the scenes with Eddington and a German family are particularly good both in acting and the film presentation.

5 out of 5 stars

Something Special November 23, 2008
M. Dowden (London, UK)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Every now and then something comes along that makes you sit up and take note, and this drama is definitely that. It seems difficult nowadays to imagine a world that didn't know Einstein's theories, and to be honest to most people it doesn't make that much of a difference, after all we had electricity, telephones and other things before this came along. br / br /Until Einstein came along Newton was taken as to have been the epitome of certain branches of science and there was only observation and measurements left to be taken. For Einstein to say that there is something more was quite a brave action to take, and not until the First World War broke out was he taken to be serious. Tricked back to Germany in a propaganda coup the Germans thought they could use him, but they soon found their mistake. br / br /In Cambridge, England Arthur Eddington was told to look at Einstein's work to prove that it was wrong, after all British science had to be better than German science, we had Newton. What Eddington saw was a possibly new theory of gravity. So whilst war ravages throughout Europe Eddington writes to Einstein, can he answer why Newton has always been slightly wrong about the orbit of Mercury? Einstein employs the help of Max Planck to do the maths, but Planck isn't pleased when the answer is being sent to England. br / br /What Eddington and Einstein did could be very dangerous, after all it's tantamount to consorting with the enemy. But both men want an answer, Einstein to work out his theory properly, and Eddington to see if it is correct. With turmoil in both their lives and a war going on what these two did was something of a higher and nobler order, working at an academic level to prove or not whether Newton's law of gravity is completely correct. br / br /Einstein gave his computations to the British Eddington who then managed by subterfuge to obtain funding to see whether the theory was correct. Not until 1919 and an eclipse in Africa were conditions right to prove or disprove Einstein. Eddington ddecided that the results should be shown publicly so that all were free to know. What he conclusively proved was that Einstein was correct, much to the chagrin of some. Einstein literally became famous over night and has righly remained so ever since. br / br /Brilliantly acted by David Tennant as Eddington, and Andy Serkis as Einstein, this drama is excellently brought to life. All the acting is good with a solid supporting cast, and a superb script by Peter Moffat. This drama really brings to life the fact that science is a universal effort, and wars shouldn't get in the way of trying to discover the truth. Although Eddington is almost forgotten today this drama shows what a great man he really was. He was prepared to accept and prove that what was the general belief was wrong, and also to question his own faith, as a Quaker. People like Eddington should never be forgotten. Einstein gave us his General Theory of Relativity, but it was Eddington who undisputably proved it, and paved the way for further research. br / br /Don't be put off by he subject, the proposal for gravity positted by Einstein is shown quite clearly and simply, so that a child will find it easy. As I said before, something special comes along only once in a while, and believe me this drama is very special.

5 out of 5 stars

A superb television film November 25, 2008
J. L. Moore (West Midlands, UK)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

By far the best thing I have watched on television for a long time. I knew very little about Arthur Eddington and not much about Einstein beyond what every knows. I have read since watching that there were some historical inaccuracies and dramatic licence taken but hopefully that should not detract from anyone's enjoyment of a beautifully shot film, enriched by a thought provoking script and brilliant performances. David Tennant and Andy Serkis are perfect as two extremely different but principled and courageous men of science, and in Eddington's case, of faith. It was a surprisingly moving and meditative experience. I would recommend it whole-heartedly.

Showing reviews 1-5 of 14

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