Movie Review: Benjamin Franklin: Scienist and Inventor

Benjamin Franklin: Scienist and Inventor, Nest Hero Classics, Living History Productions Inc.
This is Ben Franklin a the inventor, who worked with electricity.  There was much we didn't know about electricity.  Study of electricity started as a way to do some tricks.  But Franklin was sure there was something useful that wold result form his studies.  His big realization came when he determined that lightning was electricity.  There were many fires as a result of lightning. 
However there must be opposition to every bit of progress.  Those who felt that lightning was God's way of giving out punishment thought such an idea was heresy.  Franklin, after realizing the link, next became determined that he could control the electricity to prevent house fires.  However he still needed proof to back up his theory.  This is where we see Franklin with the kite, trying to prove there was electricity in the lightning.  His son helped him.

His test was a success.  The result was the lightning rod.  This allowed tall buildings to be relatively safe as the lightning would strike the rod, and the electricity would be channeled away form the home or building and into the ground. 

Historical Movie Review: Thomas Edison and the Electric Light

This is an animated movie from Nest Entertainment and Rich Studios.  It tells the story of Mr. Edison, and the discovery of the light bulb.  It includes some famous Edison quotes, "I have not failed.  I have just 10,000 ways that won't work."  and when asked are you a genius.  "Invention is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.  What you may say sir is I am a genius of perspiration."
This shows the struggle to invent the light bulb, and creating an environment where it will work, and then a filament that will burn and not burn up.  They try any number of different things, including horse hair.  It is finally ordinary thread that works for a filament.
This is an enjoyable history, although dramatized.

Movie Review: The Wright Brothers

Next Entertainment, Rich studios, Animated hero Classics: The Wright Brothers, 1996.
This animated feature tells the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright as the develop the first motorized flying machine.  The made two major discoveries in the quest to fly.  The first was that they needed to have a rotating rudder, so the could correct for small errors the way a bird does.  The next is that their starting data was wrong.  They had to rework the information the were provided as to what would make something fly, and come up with their own data.
This presentation gives a humorous tone to the competition between themselves and thee French, in the race to be the fist to fly.  The Wright's were patient, before sharing their success with the world.  However, when they did share and publicly present their plane, they did so in France.

Their father was supportive of their work, but asked that they not fly together until they were sure it was safe.  he did not want to lose both sons at one time.  The presentation concludes with them flying together.