Newman

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  • Newman

    Newman (2016), available on Amazon Prime, is a documentary that tells the story of Joseph W. Newman, backwoods inventor of a perpetual motion machine that would purportedly revolutionize the world's energy needs.
    “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

  • #2
    Re: Newman

    That does sound interesting, albeit scientifically far-fetched, but hands up those who are disappointed this wasn't a Seinfeld spin-off. You'd think the producers might have taken this into account when naming their documentary.

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    • #3
      Re: Newman

      Yes. It was the man's actual name, though. I ought to add that the interesting thing about this documentary, at least for me, was not about Newman's revolutionary energy-saving machine, but to watch this genius of a man devolve on camera in keeping with other geniuses of his calibre. That is the story, and producer/director Jon Fox recognized it and served it well. Among all the technical experts interviewed to add color, authenticate, and explain the science, one person was an expert on the psychological profiling of geniuses. He has the last word, for the most part, and offers the most interesting punctuation to the documentary.
      “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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      • #4
        Re: Newman

        Would it be considered "spoilery" if I asked which vested interest group suicides him without actually watching the doco?
        I heard the starting gun


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        • #5
          Re: Newman

          Originally posted by Southern_land View Post
          Would it be considered "spoilery" if I asked which vested interest group suicides him without actually watching the doco?
          The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Joseph Westley Newman felt, prevented him from going forward with his machine when he first applied for its patent in 1979. He fought them for 7 years over it, then took to public demonstrations of the machine, once renting a stadium as a venue.

          Most of the documentary is archival footage from news stories blended with modern-day (2014) footage filmed for the documentary. To see and hear the man in the ’70s and ’80s video footage (he disappeared from public view for 26 years, then resurfaced) and then see and hear him again in 2014, is a veritable character study. It’s easy to imagine how his mind became overwhelmed by his eccentricities compounded by old age, possible dementia, and possible coprolalia.
          “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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