NOVA: Newton's Dark Secrets
by Chris Oxley
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Scott HandyDirector: Chris Oxley
Brand: Wgbh Wholesale
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Running Time: 56 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-02-28
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: PBS
Movie Reviews of NOVA: Newton's Dark Secrets
Movie Review: An utterly fascinating look at the life of Sir Isaac Newton
Summary: 5 Stars
Apart from its somewhat disingenuous and sensationalistic title and description, this NOVA presentation offers a fascinating and immensely interesting look at the life and influence of Sir Isaac Newton. Let's go ahead and deal with the obvious question: exactly what are these "dark secrets" of Newton? 1) he secretly and earnestly practiced the banned art of alchemy for many years and 2) he believed, contrary to the myth of Newton as the great rationalist, in an all-powerful God but secretly held anti-Trinitarian thoughts that would have been considered deeply heretical (and unlawful) in the England of his time. In fact, Newton wrote more about religion and alchemy than he did math and physics. Truth be told, though, a great deal is made of these "dark secrets" primarily because they have only come to light in recent years.
It was John Maynard Keynes, who purchased a significant collection of Newton's private papers 1936, who dubbed Newton "the last of the magicians" (in his "Newton, the Man" essay). Despite the Keynes-inspired subtitle, though, this documentary never mentions the word "magician." In fact, it does a great job of putting Newton's alchemical and theological work in the context of his search for the ultimate truths of the universe. Newton didn't spend untold years trying to turn iron into gold. In a sense, alchemy is all about the study of matter, and one of the scientists interviewed here shows that Newton's alchemical studies had a degree of scientific merit. I would argue that Newton's theological work is much more important in terms of redefining our image of this most preeminent of all scientists, though. For centuries, Newton was presented as a champion of rationalism and reason, a man who believed nothing that could not be proven scientifically. Now we know that Newton believed that the universe, with all of its beautiful intricacies, could only have been created by a Supreme Being, and it is fascinating to learn that Newton was pursuing Bible codes centuries ago - and that he even used all of the knowledge he gained to predict the year in which the world would end.
Taken as a whole, though, the documentary covers Newton's entire life and delivers a formidable portrait of this reclusive genius. He was a most singular man, an introvert who pursued his studies (on a vast array of topics) eighteen hours a day, every day. His most famous accomplishments are enumerated, of course: his laws of motion, his invention of calculus (which he kept to himself for two decades), his groundbreaking work in optics, etc., and several are explained in ways that most laymen can comprehend. To its credit, the story never resorts to unfounded speculation about Newton's personal life, but it does mention his inability to accept criticism in anything but a highly charged, negative fashion. Oddly enough, though, the documentary only explores Newton's intense spats with Robert Hooke - no mention is made of Gottfried Leibniz or the controversy over the invention of calculus.
Physicists tend to be a lively and entertaining bunch these days, and those who are interviewed over the course of this documentary certainly fit the bill in this regard. My favorite quote comes out of a discussion over the historical validity of a falling apple inspiring Newton's conceptualization of gravity: "I'm extremely skeptical of the role of fruit in Newton's life." To me, that's funny, but of course I'm a nerd. You don't have to be a nerd to appreciate this documentary, however. After Jesus Christ, Newton may well have been the most influential person to ever live, and his "dark secrets" only serve to make this preeminent man of science all the more fascinating. You can't help but marvel at the genius of this extraordinary man after watching this documentary.
Summary of NOVA: Newton's Dark Secrets
He was a 17th century Einstein, who reduced nature?s chaos to a single set of laws and revolutionized the thinking and outlook of his age. But in the midst of his astonishing breakthroughs in physics, optics, and calculus, Isaac Newton was also searching out hidden meanings in the Bible and pursuing the covert art of alchemy, or the changing of base metals into gold.With vivid docudrama scenes starring Scott Handy (Henry VIII) as Newton, NOVA recreates the unique climate of late 17th-century England, where a newfound fascination with science and mathematics coexisted with extreme views on religious doctrine. Unknown to most, Newton shared both obsessions.
Besides revealing his secretive and vindictive personality, this NOVA special shows how he made the bold intellectual leaps that transformed science, such as the universal law of gravitation. Newton?s Dark Secrets also recreates one of Newton?s little-known alchemical experiments using his secret recipes, which have only recently been deciphered. With these lively glimpses of a brilliant and obsessive mind, NOVA explores how Newton became the giant on whose shoulders all later scientists would find a place to stand.
Special DVD features include: materials and activities for educators; a link to the NOVA Web site; scene selections; closed captions; and described video for the visually impaired.
On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: Letterboxed.
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