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Reviews
Science of Stupid (2014)
Getting smarter by watching people who are not so smart?
Science of Stupid presents an interesting way in which viewers, especially young adults and teenagers can learn some science while marvelling at videos showing the lack of foresight of some people, who put themselves in dangerous situations. It is obviously a great manner to both educate viewers in science and entertain them at the same time. However, it may not be your kind of show if you cannot find it humorous when people sustain injuries, even if due to their own actions.
The show is well produced and features thorough research. Richard Hammond is indeed a great host for a show that attempts to combine science and entertainment in an accessible, modern fashion. However, it may be possible that making light of such accidents may lead to a commoditization of pain, a desensitization of individuals in the face of other people's physical suffering. This is not to say that the show is bad, on the contrary. The animation and graphics featured are fun and engaging, the explanations are clear and concise, the puns and references are oftentimes hilarious and one can honestly learn more about physics from one episode than in one year of high school. The concept is interesting and new, most shows which feature accident videos having the tendency of taking it to the extreme of overdramatizing for the sakes of shock value and employing slow motion and the repetition of certain snippets of video just to make you cringe. This is not the case here, where there is no gratuitous focus on shocking moments, and all videos are accompanied by educational comments. However, if you're not a fan of seeing people agonizing in pain after falling, crashing into things, getting hit in their private parts or doing reckless things in general, you may be better off getting your science from somewhere else.
While I wouldn't say that Science of Stupid is my kind of show, I wouldn't condemn it either. It is great for educating people that enjoy accident videos and hopefully it makes those that are prone to engaging in risqué behavior think twice before doing something dangerous both for themselves and others. On the other hand, I worry about it potentially having a negative impact at a social level. Nevertheless, if you want to learn why jumping off the roof of your house directly into your pool is a bad idea, Science of Stupid is your show.
When Albums Ruled the World (2013)
A musical journey through the past necessary for the understanding of the present
When Albums Ruled the World provides a pure, succinct view into a period that seems almost imaginary to those who have not experienced it, when the musical industry and recording were still in their infancy. Throughout the 90 minutes of this documentary, the viewer is taken on a wonderful trip to the past, where she bears witness to the tandem between the advancements of music and recording technology, at the core of which was the LP.
It is fascinating to see how music and the music industry have been revolutionized by the LP in the short period of time between the mid 1960s and the late 1970s. The viewer is shown how the LP is tied to the exchange of feelings and musical expression between African-American, American and British musicians, which in turn lead to the birth of diverse genres, such as Fusion and Progressive Rock. The record has allowed musicians to move away from the Single format towards wider plains of artistic expression, which marked a shift from a culture of fast and easy consumption of songs to the creation of long conceptual albums. Furthermore, it goes beyond the music to look at the way in which identity was expressed through the album artwork. The advancements in musical expression allowed by the record called upon a new artistic conceptualization which unified music and visual arts through the record sleeve. However, the documentary does not leave out the business side of the music industry, clearly tracing the three-way symbiosis between records, business and radio.
At an emotional level, it evokes a wonderful nostalgia through both the archive footage and music chosen. The snippets of interviews featuring musicians, producers and engineers who have been both influenced and influencing the music world during that era are perfectly selected and provide wonderful insight into the ideals that have kept the LP revolution in motion.
I will conclude by saying that When Albums Ruled the World provides knowledge that is essential in understanding the dynamics of the music industry today while reviving the longing for a more personal, physical, material engagement with music which the LP provided.