Stephen Hawking and the Theory of Everything – DVD Review

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stephenhawkingeverything

There are days when most ordinary humans cant figure out which remote turns on the TV. Half the time we leave the house with that feeling that we left something on top of the dresser. Yet theres Stephen Hawking doing his best to tackle the entire universe. He wants to figure out how this whole great big thing we call life not only got started, but where its going. However he doesnt merely want to explain it all to his egghead physicist buddies. Stephen Hawking And the Theory of Everything is his attempt to formulate it down for the curious that lack a PhD.

This two part TV series picks up where Hawking took us on A Brief History of Time. His desire is to unify Albert Einsteins theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. He wants to formulate the alpha and the omega and all points in between. He wants us to get a clue about his theories. What makes Hawking unique is that he can no longer move or talk because of ALS. He speaks through a voice program. Here is a man who tells us of the wide expanses of the universe while hes stuck inside a motorized wheel chair. This paradox of his isolation while he explore the wide expanses of space makes riveting viewing.

The creative forced behind the show use plenty of visual explanations to breakdown what could normally go over our heads. Hawking is described as formulating the big bang theory by connecting the remnants. They show a pottery explosion in reverse. The clues are around us. This isnt merely a professor standing in front of a blackboard. There is excitement in the presentation even if Hawking cant be a dynamic character on the screen. The show does touch on his mortality. Will he be able to complete his big theory before he passes away? He a fragile man in a universe that seems indestructible and endless.

Stephen Hawking and the Theory of Everything does that very difficult thing of educating an audience without alienating them. This is a good thing to have on DVD since youll want watch it a few times to completely soak up all the ideas presented. This isnt a one and done viewing. Maybe at the end of the two shows you wont be ready to enroll at M.I.T., but youll be able to kick ass on Jeopardy. Many of us are hoping Hawking will someday unify our home entertainment remotes than well be ready to tackle the universe.

The video is 1.78:1 anamorphic. The images look good. Everything is sharp without any defects on the frames. The audio is Dolby Digital stereo. The sound is crisp even when Hawkings computer voice dominates the mix. There are English subtitles in case you want to read while listening to the big ideas.

Stephen Hawking Bibliography is a text list of his various books that you can order.

Stephen Hawking and the Theory of Everything distills major theories into easily understandable concepts. This is a special that will cause you to think. Can one man who cant talk or move explain the universe as one big theory?

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Acorn Media presents Stephen Hawking And the Theory of Everything. Directed by: Gary Johnstone. Starring: Stephen Hawking, John Schwarz, Lisa Randall and Michio Kaku. Running time: 90 minutes. Released on DVD: March 24, 2009. Available at Amazon.com

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.