The movie Pi
Published on May 30, 2008 at 4:23 pm.
1 Comment.
Filed under science fiction.
I am an avid scifi fan. But, I think of science fiction as more than just aliens and spacecraft. In fact, I sometimes rather just like fiction that incorporates science. Of course, by that reasoning, TV shows such as CSI would count as science fiction, since they are heavy in the trappings of science, but they are most assuredly fiction. You can’t really do all of the things that are shown in those programs. But, it is still cool to think of using science to do things!
Yesterday, I watched a DVD of a movie that is similarly in my definition of science fiction. It was simply titled Pi. The title refers to the mathematical concept of pi, the ratio between the circumference and the diameter of a circle. But, pi is only peripheral to the plot. Rather, the plot centers around the work of a paranoid schizophrenic mathematician, Max Cohen, who is working on findings patterns in the stock market. His home built computer, though, discovers a special number that crashes the computer. Cohen’s mentor, though, apparently worked on the number pi many years earlier and came up with the same number, leading him to a stroke. That is how the title comes into the movie. But, of course, there are other people involved eager to know this magic number, too. One group seeks unlimited wealth through financial manipulations using the magic number. Another group of religious zealots believes that the magic number is a path to God. Both groups eagerly support Cohen’s work to find the number, and both want exclusive use of it afterwards. Meanwhile, Cohen, who is mentally unstable to start with, begins a slide into insanity.
It is sort of a dark movie. It has been described as a psychothriller rather than science fiction. And, to make the movie was filmed in black and white, adding an interesting effect to it. It was really well done. I liked it. It may not be everyone’s bag, of course.
-Astroprof
jhm on May 30, 2008 at 5:47 pm: 1
Yes “Pi” rocks! Next you should check out “Primier,” if haven’t already.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390384/