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Favorite Film Scientists?

theodp asks: "From Rotwang in Fritz Lang's Metropolis to Wallace the Engineer in last year's Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Slate notes that scientists have long been a staple of the movies. So who are some of the more memorable scientist characters from your movie-going?"

15 of 546 comments (clear)

  1. Great Scott! by linvir · · Score: 3, Funny

    The guy from Back to the Future without a doubt. They can safely archive this discussion right now, I think.

  2. Scientologist by j235 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tom Cruise... oh wait... Scientist. Nevermind.

  3. Re:Easy by moonbender · · Score: 4, Funny

    Exactly what I was thinking.

    General "Buck" Turgidson: Doctor, you mentioned the ratio of ten women to each man. Now, wouldn't that necessitate the abandonment of the so-called monogamous sexual relationship, I mean, as far as men were concerned?
    Dr. Strangelove: Regrettably, yes. But it is, you know, a sacrifice required for the future of the human race. I hasten to add that since each man will be required to do prodigious... service along these lines, the women will have to be selected for their sexual characteristics which will have to be of a highly stimulating nature.
    Ambassador de Sadesky: I must confess, you have an astonishingly good idea there, Doctor. (via imdb, what else)

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  4. Beaker! by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dr Bunsen's assistant. They must have appeared in at least one of the muppet movies.

    --
    Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
  5. Kate Beckinsale by grudgelord · · Score: 3, Funny

    Definitely Kate Beckinsale as the brilliant nymphomaniac physicist who can't willingly keep her clothes on in... oh wait, that's my fantasy ... Probably make one hell of a movie though.

    Okay then, I guess it's gotta be Doctor Emmett Brown and his sidekick, Dr. Delorian.

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  6. Dr Egon Spengler (Ghostbusters) by mahlen · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why? For one of my favorite lines in all of film: "Sorry, Venkman, I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought."

    See, like a true scientist, even when a epic global disaster is about to take place in front of him and his death is imminent, he says something coherent and explanatory. He even apologizes!

    mahlen

  7. Re:Favorite Scientists by Gli7ch · · Score: 3, Funny

    +1

    Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?

  8. I will pick up that gauntlet by awtbfb · · Score: 5, Funny
    Let's hear another scientist top that quote.

    I humbly submit:
    New Jersey: Why is there a watermelon there?
    Reno: I'll tell you later.

    Hell, you could probably take half a dozen other quotes from The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.

    Of course, Real Genius had some great lines too.
  9. Re:Favorite Scientists by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Not Dr. Frank-n-furter? Or the rival scientist Dr. Scott?
    -os

  10. Re:Only one choice for me... by dgatwood · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, not quite a movie, but I don't think anyone can top the professor in Futurama. Who could forget classic lines like:

    • A-whaaaa?
    • Uh, I'm awake!
    • I'm sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all. [Fry: Oh. What's it called now?] Urectum.

    Movie scientists got nothin' on him.

    --

    Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  11. Obligatory quotes by DaveAtFraud · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hump? What hump?
    ...
    Wow! What knockers!
    ...
    So which brain did you get?
    Abby.
    Abby who?
    Abby normal.

    --
    They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty.
    Ben
  12. Re:Come on! by AoT · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't know, anyone who can use a mac to write a virus that will take down the energy shields of a previously unknown alien race counts as a damn fine computer scientist to me.

  13. Re:No contest by coaxial · · Score: 3, Funny

    Back off man. I'm a scientist.

    -- Dr. Peter Venkman
    "Ghostbusters"

  14. Re:Dark City's Dr. Daniel Scheber by killjoe · · Score: 3, Funny

    Bill Murray from ghostbusters. Favorite line.

    "Back off man, I'm a scientist"

    --
    evil is as evil does
  15. Ghostbusters NO contest! by Darkman,+Walkin+Dude · · Score: 3, Funny

    I mean practically the whole script is mad scientist-y, a few of the classics...

    Winston Zeddemore: Hey, wait a minute. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hold it. Now, are we actually gonna go before a federal judge, and tell him that some moldy Babylonian God is going to drop in on Central Park West, and start tearing up the city?
    Dr. Egon Spengler: Sumerian, not Babylonian.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Yeah. Big difference.
    Winston Zeddemore: No offense, guys, but I've gotta get my own lawyer.

    Dr Ray Stantz: You know, it just occurred to me that we really haven't had a successful test of this equipment.
    Dr. Egon Spengler: I blame myself.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: So do I.
    Dr Ray Stantz: Well, no sense in worrying about it now.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Why worry? Each one of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.

    Dana Barrett: You know, you don't act like a scientist.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: They're usually pretty stiff.
    Dana Barrett: You're more like a game show host.

    Dana Barrett: Are you the Keymaster?
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Not that I know of.
    [She slams the door in his face. Venkman knocks again]
    Dana Barrett: Are you the Keymaster?
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Yes. Actually I'm a friend of his, he asked me to meet him here.

    Dr. Peter Venkman: What do you think, Egon?
    Dr. Egon Spengler: I think this building should be condemned. There's serious metal fatigue in all the load-bearing members, the wiring is substandard, it's completely inadequate for our power needs, and the neighborhood is like a demilitarized zone.
    Dr Ray Stantz: Hey. Does this pole still work?
    [slides down a fireman's pole]
    Dr Ray Stantz: Wow. This place is great. When can we move in? You gotta try this pole. I'm gonna get my stuff. Hey. We should stay here. Tonight. Sleep here. You know, to try it out.
    [Venkman looks at Spengler. Spengler slowly shakes his head. Venkman turns to the real estate agent]
    Dr. Peter Venkman: I think we'll take it.

    Dr. Peter Venkman: Ray has gone bye-bye, Egon... what've you got left?
    Dr. Egon Spengler: Sorry, Venkman, I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.

    Dr. Egon Spengler: There's something very important I forgot to tell you.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: What?
    Dr. Egon Spengler: Don't cross the streams.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Why?
    Dr. Egon Spengler: It would be bad.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean, "bad?"
    Dr. Egon Spengler: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.
    Dr Ray Stantz: Total protonic reversal.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Right. That's bad. Okay. All right. Important safety tip. Thanks, Egon.

    Dr. Egon Spengler: Oh good, you're here!
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Yeah, what have you got?
    Dr. Egon Spengler: This is big, Peter, this is very big. There is definitely something here.
    Dr. Peter Venkman: Egon, this reminds me of the time you tried to drill a hole through your head. Remember that one?
    Dr. Egon Spengler: That would have worked if you hadn't stopped me.