The Sagan biopic has an impressive team of producers behind it, starting with Valenti, who was involved with this summer’s endlessly kinetic Mad Max: Fury Road. Obst, meanwhile, helped lead Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar to galactic-sized numbers at the box office last year. Perhaps the most important element, however, is Druyan, whose involvement is bound to give the film the credibility it needs to stand up to the scrutiny of skeptical Sagan loyalists.
That said, one of the things I will be curious to see is whether this biopic will delve into Sagan's admitted use of marijuana and his views on it as a positive aspect of his scientific analysis capabilities. This kind of thing may be more well-accepted these days, when a legalization tide is sweeping the nation, but it was not accepted behavior while Sagan was alive. It will be interesting to see if the movie addresses it, and the take it will have on it.
A number of prominent scientists have pursued some level of what could be called political agendas. Just take a look at Einstein and his involvement in urging Roosevelt to develop a nuclear weapon before Nazi Germany could do so. Or Teller's conversion from H-bomb designer to anti-nuclear activist. Or even Michio Kaku's ill-advised activism against RTGs flying on any spacecraft. I think the general rule seems to be that people think a scientist's political views are only inappropriate when one disagrees with them.That said, one of the things I will be curious to see is whether this biopic will delve into Sagan's admitted use of marijuana and his views on it as a positive aspect of his scientific analysis capabilities. This kind of thing may be more well-accepted these days, when a legalization tide is sweeping the nation, but it was not accepted behavior while Sagan was alive. It will be interesting to see if the movie addresses it, and the take it will have on it.
Quote from: the_other_Doug on 08/19/2015 06:46 pmA number of prominent scientists have pursued some level of what could be called political agendas. Just take a look at Einstein and his involvement in urging Roosevelt to develop a nuclear weapon before Nazi Germany could do so. Or Teller's conversion from H-bomb designer to anti-nuclear activist. Or even Michio Kaku's ill-advised activism against RTGs flying on any spacecraft. I think the general rule seems to be that people think a scientist's political views are only inappropriate when one disagrees with them.That said, one of the things I will be curious to see is whether this biopic will delve into Sagan's admitted use of marijuana and his views on it as a positive aspect of his scientific analysis capabilities. This kind of thing may be more well-accepted these days, when a legalization tide is sweeping the nation, but it was not accepted behavior while Sagan was alive. It will be interesting to see if the movie addresses it, and the take it will have on it.Given the context of the "urging", Einstein would have urged whomever was president.Teller was ardent pro-nuclear until the end, are you sure you're not confusing the claimed switched stance with that of Oppenhiemer or Sakharov?
He was a great man, not a perfect one. There have been similar projects about less stellar subjects than Sagan. So indeed - why not Sagan?
Be interesting to see who they cast as him. I am actually finding no one springs straight to mind as the obvious candidate.
