Customer Reviews

The Secret of Nikola Tesla

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

It's beyond doubt that Nikola Tesla was a genius. Equally it's beyond doubt that this entertaining movie is without question the most appalling transfer onto the DVD medium ever! It's not just the diabolical colour saturation or the abhorrent audio that should give this movie transfer 0 out of 1000 but on one scene the movie turns to B&W, pauses, rewinds (exactly like a VHS movie) before continuing again!!

I wish it were possible to give this DVD a negative rating as its transfer is beyond a joke. Charging $USD26.96 makes this a horrendous criminal nightmare!

This version of the 1980 Zagreb film production is altered from its original form. A "new-age" introduction featuring a rotund Priestess presiding over a wedding and some interview excerpts with a few psuedo-science quacks spoils the openning. The original Serb language introduction and other Serb language scenes do not have subtitles as in the earlier US release prints. There has also been some reorganization of footage which doesn't improve any aspect of the film. "UFO Films" who now control the distribution rights should be condemned for this travesty. The original was a modest but successful first attempt at a biographical film about Tesla. It certainly won't be too long before some hopefully capable filmmaker revisits the subject.

This film is an overview of the great and hidden life of a man who has probably contributed more to humanity than any other being in "recorded" history. It cronicles the period of Tesla's life and associations with Edison, Morgan, Westinghouse, Twain and other notable contemporaries. It doesn't go into any great detail about this complex character, but is quite informative about who the man was, and what we as humanity and our "Spaceship Earth" have been cheated out of. It stars Orson Wells as J.P. Morgan and Struther (sp?) Martin as George Westinghouse, other than that mostly unknowns. I hesitate to give it 5 stars mainly because of the film quality, but it is absolutely a must-see for all, ESPECIALLY children of all ages! Oh, this is a foreign film, and there are subtitles in the first 5 min. or so, but not to worry, the rest is in english.

The movie story itself is great. But the poor video quality made it difficult to watch. The sound was off most the time and the video had a reddish/orange tint the second half. The DVD stops at a certain point about 3/4 the way into the movie and just freezes. VERY BAD COPY!!! No English subtitles for the scenes in another language.

I give this film five stars because it stays very focused on Tesla--the man, his ideas, and his interactions with important contemporaries of the time. The film has a brooding feel to it which captures the blend of genius, vision, eccentricity and mental instability that was Tesla. There are lots of night scenes which dramatically set off the electric "light-up" effects. I also liked the camera's frequent emphasis on Tesla's rapport with Nature--water, wind, lightning, the earth. The performances of the major characters (Tesla, Edison, Westinghouse, and Morgan) are all very enjoyable.

I recommend this film about the man who was behind the first alternating current power system ( what we all have in our homes ), the induction motor, and other inventions. This is probably the only dramatization available about Nicola Tesla. I have seen one other, also a foreign movie, made somewhere in eastern europe, but not as good as this one. There was some talk about making a more expensive version of Telsa's life with Jeff Goldbloom staring, but so far nothing has come of it. Nicola Tesla wasn't all genius, he had some mental problems and entertained some ideas that seem absurd today.

All of the other reviews have already touched on the subject of the flawed transfer of this terrific story detailing a handful of significant events in the life of the ever elusive Nikolai Tesla, but, in perfect honesty, it is worth noting once again: this transfer's audio and video quality are atrocious, with the sound alternating between 'tinny' and 'bass' and the picture flickering with what appears to be a horrible video original. Tesla has always been a subject gravitating between 'myth' and 'legend,' and, while this screenplay does try to do some justice to the man's life pursuits, it chalks up much of his discoveries as unexplainable inspiration -- fleeting fancies of genius never explored or understood. There's always far more to genius than that (as one could surmise from Tesla and Thomas A. Edison's disagreements), but, unfortunately, this story doesn't offer much. Also, the film's sole explanation provided by the character of Tesla is, sadly, presented in German ... WITH NO SUBTITLES FOR THOSE OF US WHO CAN'T SPEAK IT! The film's greatest strength is presenting Tesla as a subject who deserves greater study; besides that, RENT it, if you can find it, and don't make the investment. A better transfer would be necessary to justify this purchase price.

I had to try three different DVD players just to get my copy to load. When it did, there were many pauses with very poor video and audio quality. I think marketing something of this "non-quality" for $26.99 is just short of criminal!

"The Secret of Nikola Tesla" is a film about a man that was so far beyond his time in the field of electronics that people today still haven't understood what impact his discoveries have on their lives today. Things in this world would be radically different if Tesla was allowed to complete his work. In this video, you will get a feel for the passion and incredible intellect that Tesla possessed. Don't be surprised if you get a little "peeved" after finding out that many of our world's problems have already been answered, but because of the "Almighty Dollar" our welbeing has been neglected. Tesla forsaw all of it. This film is a must for everyone. We can learn from history, and this film details important little known facts. Though it is not perfect in it's portrayal, "The Secret of Nikola Tesla" stands as a landmark film...it's well worth your time to view it.

I was veeerrry disappointed. This movie was awful! It put Tesla in a most unflattering light and distorted historical facts and dates. The beginning is really flaky cult new-agey, then it gets down to the fact scrambling stage. It ignored everything wonderful about Tesla is IS SO WRONG about history. DON'T BUY THIS. IT IS NOT WORTH YOUR TIME. Just because Orson Welles is in it does not mean that it is a good movie. It is not worthy in form or content. :(