Science films denied screenings

[Faithless]

Imax 'shuns films on evolution' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4365999.stm)

Last Updated: Sunday, 20 March, 2005, 14:42 GMT

Several Imax cinemas in the US have refused to show films referring to the theory of evolution for fear of a religious backlash, it is reported.

Viewers at a US test screening judged films which contradicted religious descriptions of man's origins as "blasphemous", the New York Times said.

As a result science films were denied screenings in approximately 12 large-screen Imax cinemas.

Spokesmen for Imax cinemas in the UK were unavailable for comment.

Knock-on effect

Religious controversy has reportedly affected the distribution of educational films such as Cosmic Voyage, Galapagos and Volcanoes of the Deep Sea to Imax cinemas, some based within science museums.

While relatively few cinemas were involved, it was feared it could have a profound knock-on effect across the world because of the high cost of producing Imax films.

Carol Murray, spokeswoman for Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, said the museum's Imax cinema decided not to screen the Volcanoes movie after showing it to a sample audience.

In their written comments the audience made statements such as "I really hate it when the theory of evolution is presented as fact", and "I don't agree with their presentation of human existence".

"If it's not going to draw a crowd and it is going to create controversy, from a marketing standpoint I cannot make a recommendation [to show it]," Ms Murray said.

'Carefully weighed up'

Similarly Lisa Buzzelli, director of the Charleston Imax Theatre in South Carolina, told the newspaper: "We have definitely a lot more 'creation' public than 'evolution' public."

She had not completely ruled out screening Volcanoes but added: "Being in the Bible Belt, the movie does have a lot to do with evolution and we weigh that carefully."

There are currently 240 Imax cinemas operating in 35 countries.

In addition to educational films, they screen blockbusters such as Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Spider-Man 2 and animated movie Robots.

[thaite]

oh, good grief.

[Shuriken]

Sign of the times.

People believe in creatonism not because it can be proven but because they want to believe it.

Many of the same people believe that George W. Bush is a great leader not because it can be proven but because they want to believe it.

We live in a country where dogma trumps fact.

[mr. x]

I done got your science right here, God created science, there

[Faithless]

Cosmic Voyage review.

This movie was done back in 1996. It's probably available on DVD by now. So, what, are the religious right going to picket video stores, too?

SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS IN IMAX FILM (http://terpsichore.stsci.edu/~summers/viz/cosmic_voyage/pressrel.html)

FOR RELEASE: 7:00 PM CST, January 16, 1996

Astronomers are previewing today the most extensive segment of scientific visualization ever to be included in an IMAX film. The sequence from the upcoming IMAX film Cosmic Voyage presents current ideas on the formation and interaction of galaxies through spectacular images on the giant IMAX screen. The film sequence and the science behind it are being presented by Dr. Frank Summers of Princeton University and Greg Bryan of the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign to the American Astronomical Society meeting in San Antonio, TX.

In an extra session held at the Rivercenter IMAX theater, these scientists from the Grand Challenge Cosmology Consortium (GC3) are presenting the leading edge science, the technical feats of supercomputing, and the novel visualization methods used to create images for the film. Considerable effort has been expended by both the producers of the film and the scientists involved to create a picture of structure formation in the universe that is both visually stunning and based on accurate science.

The film, Cosmic Voyage, leads the viewer on an exploration of the entire reach of the universe: from the smallest structure of the atom, out to the largest scales beyond superclusters of galaxies, and back in time to the early moments of the universe. Scientific approval for each sequence in the film is under the purview of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

For a sequence depicting the development of the early universe, the film is using research class computer simulations from GC3 scientists. ``These simulations will appear not only on the IMAX screen, but also in the pages of astronomy research journals'' says Dr. Summers, a post-doctoral researcher at Princeton University and scientific consultant on the film. ``Further,'' he continues, ``each shot of the sequence has been designed to convey distinct ideas of modern cosmogony in addition to being artistic and beautiful.'' To meet the requirements of the large format IMAX screen, the supercomputer simulations for the sequence's three parts each break new ground.

The first challenge was to visualize and animate the small fluctuations in the density field of the early universe, similar to the fluctuations observed by the COBE satellite. The images were produced by the computer graphic company Pixar based on equations and scientific software provided by Greg Bryan. The result is a perspective on the universe that differs strongly from the layman's or even the professional astronomer's usual viewpoint.

The second part depicts the collapse of large scale structure and galaxy formation. The simulation by Dr. Summers required an entire month on a dedicated eight processor Silicon Graphics Power Challenge supercomputer at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and produced 120 gigabytes of raw data. The richly detailed images create a continuous picture which spans from individual condensing galaxies up to a vast web-like structure of collapsing matter stretching for tens of millions of light years.

The collision of two spiral galaxies, simulated by Chris Mihos of Johns Hopkins University and Lars Hernquist of the University of California at Santa Cruz, comprises the third part. After 750 hours of computing on a Cray C90 at San Diego Supercomputing Center (SDSC), the 65 gigabytes of data were transferred over a high speed test-bed internet connection between SDSC and NCSA. The galaxy interaction induces violent bursts of star formation and exhibits the formation of long tidal streams of gas and stars.

Standard forms of scientific visualization are inadequate for the giant screen. Techniques akin to those used in science fiction movies were employed by a team at NCSA under the art direction of Donna Cox. Additionally, the camera positions and motions through the scientific data sets were choreographed in a three-dimensional, interactive, virtual environment using new software tools developed in conjunction with this project. Rendering of the ultra-high resolution images required from ten minutes to several hours on an NCSA supercomputer for each of the nearly 5000 frames.

Although just four minutes long, extensive effort in a nationwide collaboration has gone into creating this scientific visualization of structure formation in the universe. From careful consideration of the scientific content, to developing cutting edge computer simulations, to creating novel visualization techniques, this project has pushed the frontiers of scientific visualization. Cosmic Voyage will premiere later this year at the National Air and Space Museum, and then be released to over 125 IMAX theaters worldwide. Audiences will not only enjoy stunning images on the IMAX screen, but also will gain appreciation for the underlying science.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

Sign of the times.

People believe in creatonism not because it can be proven but because they want to believe it.

Many of the same people believe that George W. Bush is a great leader not because it can be proven but because they want to believe it.

We live in a country where dogma trumps fact.

Most of the things we believe in on a day to day basis are not 'proven'. The vast majority of our actions are based upon much less than what you would consider grounded facts. And how exactly do you 'prove' that someone is a great leader?

[Faithless]

Most of the things we believe in on a day to day basis are not 'proven'. The vast majority of our actions are based upon much less than what you would consider grounded facts. And how exactly do you 'prove' that someone is a great leader?
What's troubling though, and this goes to what shuriken says as well, is this banning of movies because of content.

I can understand if a community were really up-in-arms about some super-bloody, gory, disturbing violent film, and not wanting that shown in their community. But I don't know if they've even done that. But we're taking these dangerous steps toward messing with free speech, it seems.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think The Passion has been banned anywhere. And even if it was, that would be wrong too.

[Shuriken]

And how exactly do you 'prove' that someone is a great leader?

Well, not taking the U.S. into a needless morass of a war on false pretenses would be a good start in defining a "great leader."