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Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams

73.33% | Jun 03, 2013 | Documentary

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.

Featured Crew

Nic Stacey
Director
Paul Sen
Executive Producer

Cast

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

Images