Did Edgar Allan Poe dream up . . .

Rating: 10/10 (24 November 2014)

. . . Stephen Hawking? String theory and quantum physics suggest this is possible. A look at the evidence in the current film release--THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING-- indicates this is likely the case. Since my next door neighbor was diagnosed with and relatively quickly died from Lou Gehrig's disease, Hawking's survival for 51 years and counting never ceases to amaze me. (My neighbor, before passing, once said that Hawking is somewhat controversial in the ALS community; it sounded as if they suspect him of have Gehrig's disease "Lite," or something.) EVERYTHING is an amazing (if somewhat Soap Opera-Ish) movie in which actor Eddie Redmayne outdoes Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis' offering from MY LEFT FOOT. Is it just a coincidence that Poe wrote "Eureka" (1846) in an apparent attempt to explain everything? (Being one of the six living humans who has actually READ Eureka, I need to point out in Poe's defense that Hawking had the shoulders of more giants such as Einstein on which to stand than did the "Raven" author.) Furthermore, anyone who has read Poe's short story "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" (1845) will see an almost perfect parallel to Hawking's personal situation as they watch EVERYTHING. In addition to anticipating Hawking's life's work and unique personal circumstances, Poe's recurring fear in nearly half his tales was of a living death (or of being entombed alive--most famously in "The Fall of the House of Usher," 1839). Is it too much to say that Stephen Hawking is Poe's worst nightmare come true?