Books to Movies...bulls to bullion cubes

Rating: Null/10 (20 June 2004)

As with "The Postman," I read the book before I saw the movie...and wondered what happened to "the rest of it." Oh well, at least the movie makers captured some of the controversy and interactions in Carl Sagan's "Faith vs. Science Dialogues." Jodie Foster is perfect for the "Dr. Ellie Arroway" role, but you would know that only if you've read the book. Too bad one of the central themes in the book were swept away for Cinema: The sometimes interstellar distance between members of the same family. And a driving force for SETI contact, I might add, for the main character. (It doesn't make Movie sense, because Ellie's mother isn't alive and married to the cold genius that is her real father.) So, "Ellie" is unaccountably scared when the machine is started up? The last time one like it was powered up, it turned a launch gantry into tons of twisted scrap metal. Anyone would approach a similar vehicle with some trepidation, to put it mildly, especially as the countdown clicked down to zero. Too bad the Movie didn't even consider the "repeating pi sequence" of the Book that would pique an alien's attention. But then, I preferred "Gordon Krantz" to "The Stranger" and "Who will be responsible now, for these foolish children?" to the mano-a-mano battle with "The General." Better to have had "George Powhatan" show the example of Cincinnatus/George Washington. Still, it's a great achievement, a popular SF-like film that boosts SETI and dares ask, "What if the Aliens aren't the least bit interested in us unless we have something to show them?" ***/****