Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams

Name: Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams
Director: Nic Stacey
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2013-06-03
Duration: 60 min
Cast: Simon Schaffer, Ilan Goodman, Laura Heath, Jonathan Betts

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2013 · 60 min · Documentary · TMDB 7.3/10

Overview

Documentary presented by Professor Simon Schaffer which charts the amazing and untold story of automata - extraordinary clockwork machines designed hundreds of years ago to mimic and recreate life. The film brings the past to life in vivid detail as we see how and why these masterpieces were built. Travelling around Europe, Simon uncovers the history of these machines and shows us some of the most spectacular examples, from an entire working automaton city to a small boy who can be programmed to write and even a device that can play chess. All the machines Simon visits show a level of technical sophistication and ambition that still amazes today.

Directed by Nic Stacey

Cast

Simon Schaffer — Himself - Presenter
Ilan Goodman — Jacques De Vaucanson
Laura Heath — Flute Player
Jonathan Betts — Himself - Senior Curator of Horology, Royal Observatory Greenwich