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Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams - Watch Legally and Safely

Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams

Countries: United Kingdom,
Release Date: June 3, 2013
Year: 2013
Runtime:60 min
IMDb Rating:

Excellent one hour documentary narrated by Professor Simon Schaffer which explores the fascinating and rarely told story of automata, those intricate clockwork devices built hundreds of years ago with the intent to mimic and recreate life. Of particular interest are Jaquet-Droz’s ‘The Writer’ (1774) and Merlin’s ‘The Silver Swan’ (1773) which beautifully illustrate the degree of technical mechanical sophistication achieved by artisans over 240 years ago. There is also a funny aside: the record Prof. Schaffer places on the turntable at the end (columbia LX466, 1935 impression) is the Beethoven String Sonata Opus 132 and not the Symphony 7 so BBC used any old record and overlaid the sound track.

How to Watch Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams Legally and Safely

If you want to stream Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams through reputable and legal services, there are a few good options depending on where you are. Subscription platforms like HBO Max, Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ sometimes carry Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams films or related DC titles—though availability depends on your country.

If you’d rather not commit to a subscription, there are ad‑supported, free (but legal) platforms such as Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock or Crackle (where available in your region) that occasionally host superhero films.

Lastly, don’t forget about library‑linked streaming options like Kanopy or Hoopla (if your library or university is registered), and official uploads by film distributors on YouTube—these can also give you legal access to classic movies.

Laura Heath     , Ilan Goodman     , Simon Schaffer     , Jonathan Betts