Customer Reviews

Race for the Double Helix [VHS]

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

To respond to the unnamed reviewed from May of this year, the reason why Double Helix isn't availible on DVD or even VHS is because a few years after it's release, the company that produced the movie realized that it was being used in many biology classrooms as an educational video. Knowing that they could get a lot more money if they moved the movie from regular mass production into specialized educational sales, they pulled it off the shelves and did just that. The video is now availible in science educator's catalogues - at a price north of $150.

By P.J. Persad

Unlike most dreary, dull science films, Race for the Double Helix is a dramatic rendering of intellectual competition for the structure of DNA in the 1950s. Throughout the exploits of the [relatively young] American James Watson (Jeff Goldblum) and the Englishman Francis Crick (Tim Piggot Smith) of Cambridge University, science is shown to be more than just picture perfect labs and school textbooks. There are blunders once in while-Watson recalls the incorrect amount of water in each cell while they construct their first model, which makes them look like a pair of fools in front of Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin, and other fellow scientists-and stealth is at times desperately required as illustrated in the scenes where Watson nips a view of the remarkable x-ray diffraction photo of DNA taken by Franklin (this aided in the proposition of a double-helical form) and where Crick attempts to scribble down Chargaff's base pairing rules on his hand of A-T and G-C. A man has to do what a man has to do, I guess. A passion and thirst to make it to the finish line (and the desire for fame, glory, and money), along with the "fear" of a renowned scientist like Linus Pauling getting to it first, is also welcome. Social interaction must not be forgotten, but this seems be an exception for Watson. (Goldblum as Watson almost reminds me of James Stewart in his voice's tone of slight stammer/stutters.)

The second half of Race for the Double Helix seems to have more thrills to boot. Where should the sugar-phosphate chains go? On the inside or perhaps on the outside? There is also an emotional confrontation between Franklin and Watson on racing for the gold; she stresses that this is not a game and they are not on a playground. Notable discoveries are evident here in this part including the fact that the strands of DNA must be oriented in opposite directions. (One must also remember to thank Crick for thinking of hemoglobin during times of exasperation.) However, one of the most enthralling moments of the film has to be when Watson is positioned at a desk with cutouts of the bases adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. As he turns them around like puzzle pieces, it dawns on to him after a few tries that purines pair with pyrimidines and not like with like. Then more realization brightens his features as he widens his eyes. He reaches over, lifts up the guanine-cytosine pair, and places it over the adenine-thymine pair. Both pairs match each other perfectly! Here is where I wanted to emit an "aha!" exclamation. Goldblum plays this magical scene so realistically with great appreciation for DNA's structure.

This film has sparked my interest in the history of science and my curiosity in research. In fact it has totally enlightened me that I am persuaded to grab a copy of Watson's The Double Helix, along with Maddox's Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA, for further insight and revival of one of science's fascinating races to reveal the ultimate model of beauty and truth: DNA.

It is a great movie. This is a moot point, however, since it is currently unobtainable. Maybe I'll enroll in a high school biology class at age 32 so that I can watch this movie again.

Who wants to shell out $70 for a used VHS??? Or $150 for a new VHS? The movie's not THAT good.

I watched this movie when it was originally aired on television. Intriguing, exciting, and mind-stimulating. I highly recommend it whether you fancy science or not. Jeff Goldbloom's performance caused me to be a huge fan of the actor and love all his acting roles, such as Jurassic Park, Independence Day, etc. My only question is is Why? Why is this movie not available on DVD, or in any format for that matter??!

I show this video to introductory biology classes (mostly 9th and 10th graders) after we have discussed the basic structure of DNA and how it is related to protein production. Although the first half of the movie is a little slow, they love the second half. Even though they know how it will end, some yell at the screen when Watson and Crick aren't getting the structure correct. All cheered at the end. The general consensus was "two thumbs up". A very good movie because it shows that science is more than just bunsen burners and lab notebooks.

I have been searching high and low for a DVD version of this movie but now I know that the movie is only available in VHS. Who's watching VHS now? This is one great movie about the search of the DNA molecular structure and it should be updated to DVD.

I'll be the first one to buy a DVD version of the movie, if it ever converted into one!

This movie is beautifully done and as gripping as any race could be. I beg that it be released on dvd. If it is being sold as an educational dvd, think how many more buyers could be spending money for it if it was sold on Amazon. Selling many units at a lower price seems to make good business sense.
The acting is perfection and the casting includes many talented actors. I am not a science teacher or a student, but I love this film. I beg that it be released on dvd. I will be the second in line to order my copy.

This film is indeed excellent; I use it regularly in my history of science teaching. But I'm not writing to review the film, just to comment on the availability. I agree that it should be widely available, in commercial release. But, as one earlier reviewer pointed out, it is restricted to the educational market. The DVD, released in 2004, is called "Double Helix" and is sold by Films for the Humanities and Sciences for $150; FFH earlier released a VHS version, also at an educational institutional price. The original film, made by BBC Horizon in association with A&E in 1987, was called "Life Story" and is about 107 minutes long.

The version being sold here, released in 1994 by Edde Entertainment, is only about 89 minutes long, and therefore is missing about 20 minutes of the original. I have not seen this version and don't know what cuts were made, and certainly not why they were made. If the vendors are not selling the truncated version, they should make a new entry for it.

"The Race for the Double Helix" is also the title of a PBS NOVA program first broadcast in 1976, with host Isaac Asimov and interviews with James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Linus and Peter Pauling.

Look for the original version of "Life Story" or "Double Helix" of about 107 minutes in your public library or community college or university library until it is released commercially. You will have to try both titles, "Double Helix" and "Life Story" and make sure that one of the actors is Jeff Goldblum (brilliant casting!).

As a biology teacher, I bought a used copy of this marvelous film although I spent less than $50. However, the quality of the tape is so poor that students had a difficult time understanding the conversations. And, as a teacher, to spend a larger amount of my own money is out of the question. How unfortunate that the idea of use in the classroom made this unavailable for interested persons as well as teachers wishing to use it.

This movie was incredible. It really shows you what DNA is all about in this movie, while at the same time it is not just a boring science film. It keeps you on the edge of your seat up untill the end, which was excellent. I really loved this movie, and I recommend it to any and everybody. James Watson and Francis Crick really take this movie to the next level. Jeff Goldblum (Watson) comes alive in this film, and makes it a very enjoyable experience.