31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Authentic and Accessible, November 22, 2002
It's been about a year since Ron Howard released the film "A Beautiful Mind" based on Sylvia Nasar's biography of the same name.
Some viewers found the film superficial and not a faithful, complete representation of Nash's life. A few readers found the book a little inaccessible with its detail and its extensive footnoting and documentation.
"A Brilliant Madness" allows viewers to examine the life of John Nash with the accessibility of the movie and the credibility of the book.
"A Brilliant Madness" starts with the early boyhood of Nash and chronicles his life to the point where he receives the Nobel Prize. It includes footage narrated by Nash himself, his wife, his sister, fellow mathematicians, and biographer Nassar. It shows both his achievements and his illness. It includes large blocks of his life that the movie leaves out.
I can understand why a feature-type movie could not accurately and completely document a life as complex and multi-faceted as Nash's. It would have to develop too many characters, explain too many complex mathematical formulas, and go in too many directions. The movie does a good job of showing who he is through the art of the film.
The book, on the other hand, goes into much more detail and is very good for a reader who wants to commit some effort to understanding both Nash's accomplishments and his illness. It is very thorough and remarkably accessible for such a thorough treatment.
"A Brilliant Madness," however does a fine job of presenting a credible introduction to Nash's life and work in a relatively short time. Viewers whose interest is peaked can then seek out "A Beautiful Mind" if they so desire.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Remarkable Biographical Documentary Of Redemption!!, July 12, 2002
By A Customer
In this PBS Biographical Documentary,"A Brilliant Madness" tells the story of the Nobel Prize winning mathematical genius and Bluefield West Virginia native "John Forbes Nash" who was the inspiration for the award winning blockbuster movie"A Beautiful Mind" starring Russell Crowe as John Nash.Reknowned as" The most Remarkable Mathmetician Of The Second Half Of The 20th Century".John Nash reflects in this film on his life and tragic illness saying that"Madness" can be an escape,"In Madness,I thought that I was the most important person in the world!!"At age 30,Nash suffered a horrific nervous breakdown.He thought Aliens were sending him messages,became obsesses with secret numbers and saw conspiracies all around him.Diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia,Nash spent a decade in and out of mental hospitals,surviving with the support of his wife Alicia and former Colleagues.During that time,A mathematical proof and theory that he had written became the foundation of modern economics.Somehow he miraculously recovered and transformed himself in the 1980's.Then in 1994,Nash capped his remarkable return from madness by winning the Nobel Prize.This remarkable biographical documentary although somewhat diffferent from the movie"A Beautiful Mind"is a wonderful addition or by itself most informative and very well worth watching!!
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
See this one instead., April 2, 2004
This review is from: American Experience: A Brilliant Madness (DVD)
If the film A Beautiful Mind left you non-plussed, don't worry. Where Beautiful Mind was strewn with Hollywood concocted implausibilities and only hinted at the real, far more interesting story of John Nash, this *is* the real story and in this case, the real story is about 50 times more interesting than Hollywood's tricked up version. Where I didn't really care for Beautiful Mind, I found this documentary riveting. One of my favorite films, it is a fascinating study of a unique individual, his affliction, and his gift. And if you liked the Holywood version, you will still love having the holes in that story filled. Highest recommendation.
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