From Jacquet Droz DVD/automata

Below is an excerpt with URL; Enjoy!

On http:///www.automates-boites-musique.com you will find a DVD named "The Jaquet-Droz androids". This documentary tells the story of Pierre Jaquet-Droz a swiss clockmaker who created around 1770-1772 a little mechanical family : a writer, a draftsman and a player of organ:

La Chaud-de-Fonds circa 1760...
A clockmaker's workshop, lost in the Swiss countryside...
Pierre Jaquet-Droz, the renowned Swiss master clockmaker...
A book that travels time...memories that accumulate...
A small mechanical family...
"The Androids Jaquet-Droz", part of the official selection at the 25th International UNESCO Festival of Art and Educational Films....

Between 1770 and 1773, after the disappearance of his young daughter and wife, Pierre Jaquet-Droz, clockmaker by trade builds a "small mechanical family".

A worthy successor to the famous Vaucanson, he created with his son Henry-Louis, and Jean-Frédéric Leschot, androids whose size, faces and movements closely imitated real life.

The birth of the automatons writer, draftsman and musician illustrate an important step forward in medical research that led to the fabrication of artificial organs and prosthesis's, resulting in the favorable replacement of missing limbs. Similar to Vaucanson, Jaquet-Droz´s goal wasn't merely to entertain but also to educate the public and advance science.

The end of the 18th century a time of "android fever" and it was at this moment that these and other extraordinary creatures were created. Including the famous chess player Baron von Kempelen, the talking head by the Abbey Mical and, later the Maillardet brothers' famous magicians and psychics, were a few of these mechanic curiosities.

This film is an invitation to take a voyage across time, where dreams and reality are firmly intertwined.

Automaton DVD bonuses: two slideshows (Jaquet-Droz's androids- Automatons of the 19th century ) -- Little story of the singing bird --the cave of Jaquet-Droz -The Versailles anecdote -- The clockmaker, automaton and the 3 mysteries -- The enigma of the writer-draftsman -- The tympanum player --Automaton portraits - Magicians Automatons -- The trailer for "Robert-Houdin, a magician's life ".

Technical details about this DVD: DVD Pal video zone 2 for Europe --French and English Version - 90 minutes.