Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By (History Channel)
List Price:
Our Price: $4.99
You Save: $19.96 (80%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.88 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Leonardo Da VinciBrand: A and E Home Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 91 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-01-31
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: A&E Home Video
Product features:
- Renowned as the "Mind of the Renaissance," the genius of Leonardo da Vinci reaches beyond the centuries. Painter, sculptor, engineer and scientist, in each field da Vinci was both master and pioneer. Creator of some of the world's great artistic masterpieces, he was also a visionary whose fantastic inventions would become reality only hundreds of years after his death.Against a backdrop of 15t
Movie Reviews of Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By (History Channel)
Movie Review: Painfully De-Gayed, but Generally Good
Summary: 4 Stars
The title of this work clearly references Dan Brown's hyper-successful novel. However, the work never mentions Mr. Brown and people need to learn that Da Vinci was an amazing man in his own right. Rotten Library Page starts off saying, "He didn't have a [expletive] code!"
I usually hate, hate, hate cheesy historical reenactments. This work is made entirely of reenactments, but they are not bothersome. There are more actors than usual. They were ornate clothing. When giving their lines, they speak Italian (though a boy Leonardo says "Mother" when I am so sure that's not how "mother" is said in Italian). It was more gory than what is usually portrayed in this cable channel's productions. Truthfully, it would have been boring just to see Renaissance paintings and the narrator mentions that no one knows for sure what Da Vinci looked like.
Too many people assume that artists are separate from the world and don't care about the power struggles taking place outside their windows. I applaud this work for contextualizing the times in which Da Vinci lived. History buffs may appreciate this work just as much as art or invention fans.
This work is de-gayed in a cowardly manner. The narrator says, "Da Vinci was accused of sodomy, but acquitted." Homophobic viewers could misconstrue this to mean that Da Vinci didn't love other males. The work never points out that Da Vinci never had girlfriends, wives, or children. Later, the narrator calls Salai and Melzi "assistants," rather than "lovers" or at least eremenos. Notable Names Database and Wikipedia clearly indicate that these males were Da Vinci's lovers. Perhaps the documentary makers were also squeamish about the cross-generational dynamic of these couplings, given present and necessary concerns about child abuse. It also stands out that one modern interviewee is a man with an earring in his right ear, but he never speaks about himself.
In all fairness, the work covers a lot within a limited time. They mention Da Vinci's anatomical studies, that he might have had ADD, and that he may be the subject of the Mona Lisa painting. In general, I loved learning more about this important genius and gay historical figure.
Summary of Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By (History Channel)
DA VINCI AND THE CODE HE LIVED BY - DVD MovieSimilar DVD Movies
The Great ArtistsRelease date: 2002-11-01; DVD
Best price: $16.70
Price in other shops:
Nova: Building the Great CathedralsPBS; Release date: 2010-11-02; DVD
Best price: $12.19
Price in other shops:
Beyond the Da Vinci Code (History Channel)A and E Home Video; Release date: 2005-06-28; DVD
Best price: $0.09
Price in other shops:
The French Revolution (History Channel)A and E Home Video; Release date: 2005-03-29; DVD
Best price: $12.48
Price in other shops:
The History Channel Presents The Crusades - Crescent & The CrossA and E Home Video; Release date: 2005-12-26; DVD
Best price: $8.01
Price in other shops:
Decoding the Past: The Templar Code (History Channel)A and E Home Video; Release date: 2009-04-28; DVD
Best price: $3.32
Price in other shops:
The Dark Ages (The History Channel)A and E Home Video; Release date: 2007-05-29; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Empires - The Medici: Godfathers of the RenaissanceParamount; Release date: 2005-04-05; DVD
Best price: $10.05
Price in other shops:
Biography - Michelangelo: Artist and Man (A&E DVD Archives)Release date: 2004-08-10; DVD
Best price: $12.47
Price in other shops:
Leonardo Da Vinci - Da Vinci & Mysteries of the RenaissanceQUESTAR INC; Release date: 2005-05-10; DVD
Best price: $29.96
Price in other shops: