Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives

Back in '92 I read a review for a CD called A Man Called E by, well, E. I remember I didn't hear whatever the review heard, but I really liked it--still one of my 'go to' albums for pensive moments. But I lost track of E right away, and once I started using teh InterWeb thingy, never thought of trying to find him that way.

'Til the Shrek soundtrack came along, and I just knew I knew the voice on the track by The Eels, it was like bumping into someone I went to school with at the grocery store. Since then, I've picked up some of their music--mostly by accident on soundtracks. Quirky, witty, and sad. Best quick way I can think of to describe them.

That's more than I meant to say as introduction, sorry.

Anyway, quite by accident (again) I stumbled across this NOVA special last week--Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives--which focuses on E (aka Mark Oliver Everett) digging into his father's life, particularly his career as a quantum theorist. In 1957, Hugh Everett III published a work where he laid out the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. To say that his father was distant seems to be quite the understatement, so E learned a great deal about his father during filming--particularly personal details. At several times during the documentary I felt like I was intruding.

As far as the science stuff goes--like E, most of it was over my head (tho' some of it was incredibly simplistic--'course kletois probably thinks all of it was pretty simplistic), and I think the whole parallel world thing is good Science Fiction, lousy reality. But it was interesting, and gave a good narrative frame for the human stories: Hugh Everett's career, search for acceptance, excessive drinking, etc.; E's feeling of distance from his father, not understanding him, other family tragedy; and E's growing understanding of his father.

Obviously, the human stories were the crux of the film--and I think, given a little more time, could've been developed better by the filmmakers--a lot of the documentary felt rushed. All in all, a very interesting look at theoretical physics and the people behind it (if nothing else, a great soundtrack), try to catch it on a rerun.