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Mainstream - Creation
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Creation
Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Martha West
Directed by Jon Amiel
Based on the biographical novel by Randal Keynes
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 2010
Creation is a very good biopic DVD about Charles Darwin, his writing of On the Origin of Species, and the many pressures and doubts he experienced. This is a complex story and director Jon Amiel uses countless flashbacks and blends real and unreal to tell it. Generally it works but it does get a bit much sometimes as in the scene where Darwin begins writing his masterpiece. The cinematography is also excellent though it does draw attention to itself.
Creation opens with Darwin (Bettany) depressed and pretty much stoned on laudanum most of the time. He has been putting off writing his great work in part it seems because he is afraid Thomas Huxley's prediction "You have killed God" will come true. Also, he loves his very devout wife and this goes against what she believes. In addition he is greatly affected by the death of his daughter Annie who is still very much on his mind.
Creation demands your full attention to really understand what is going on. It is in some ways too clever for its own good. This said, it really is a beautiful and fascinating movie.
Special features on the Creation DVD are a better than usual director commentary track, shorts titled the Battle for Charles Darwin, a Making of, 3 featurettes for "Debating Darwin", and 7 featurettes for Digging Deeper Into Darwin".
Also of interest:
Into the Storm - HBO Excellent biopic about Churchill during WW II