Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By History Channel

Editorial Review
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 15th century Italian opulence DA VINCI AND THE CODE HE LIVED BY follows the original Renaissance man through glittering palaces of merchant princes accusations of blasphemy and whispers of betrayal and romance--all to satisfy a limitless desire for knowledge. From the producers of Nation of Islam and Barbarians and available on DVD for the first time ever DA VINCI AND THE CODE HE LIVED BY tells the remarkable story of one man's boundless talent towering legacy and courage in the face of powerful adversity.System Requirements:Features: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette Interactive Menus; Scene Selection Running Time: 91 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961745252 Manufacturer No: AAE-74525
Cached date: AWS Called=true

Customer Reviews

Da Vinci Review

2008-06-09
I had hoped to use this in an advanced glass for gifted students, grades 2-6, but couldn't--too much violence, did not focus enough on Da Vinci's art.

Painfully De-Gayed, but Generally Good

2006-12-28
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.