The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci

Italian director Renato Castellani's acclaimed 1972 docudrama The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci (overdubbed in English, with extensive narration to bridge scenes) cost $25 million to make, and employed 100 actors and 500 extras. Painter of masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and a visionary who created detailed blueprints for flying machines and weapons of war, Da Vinci was a brilliant artist and inventor who embodied the ideals of the multifaceted Renaissance, breaking away from the conventions of his day to advance revolutionary ideas in the areas of art, physics, math, geology, and--among other subjects--human anatomy. In one of his many journals, Da Vinci describes a warm conversation with a man on his deathbed as he passes away quite peacefully (Da Vinci goes on to say “I immediately moved the old man to cut into the cadaver to see what caused such a sweet death”). DVD extras include a well-written study guide; featurettes on the rise of renaissance Italy, Da Vinci's masterpieces, his inventions, and the rivalry between Da Vinci and Michelangelo; and a timeline showing the works of the master. An excellent production, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)