Heading the path of destruction!

The Man Who Saw Tomorrow (1981)

At the height of the French revolution, 3 men dug the grave of Michel de Nostredame as legend had it that whoever drank from the skull of its occupant will able to predict the future. Upon opening the cast, they found the corpse holding a plaque with the number 1791 - that year they excavated the body! Nostradamus had predicted the year his body would be dug up. Unfortunately, the legend also said they would die - a stray bullet hit the digger!

From the time immemorial, human being have been thrilled by the idea of gazing into crystal ball and looking into future. And that is what Nostradamus is said to have done- looking into the flicker of light of a candle and foresaw events 400 years into the future. As this type of cryptic knowledge was taboo in his era, and he could be charged with liaison with witchcraft, he wrote his prophecies in anagrams, Latin and French.

This film is a documentary where Orson Welles' contribution is only being its host (narrator). In fact, Welles is said not to believe in the supernatural and cryptic! He is, however, known to take in whatever ventures when his finances are low.

Nostradamus was born in a learned family of Jewish and Christian background. His father, a physician, gave him all knowledge in sciences while his mother gave him religious teaching. His first realization of his prophecy came when as a young boy, at random, kissed the robe of a lowly friar. Asked on his intentions, he said it was an honour to kiss the robe of a person who would be Pope. Sure enough, he did become Pope, but after Nostradamus'death.

Nostradamus entered medical school and was a renowned physician who earned his reputation as a famous when plague epidemic set in.  

After marriage, he is said to be attending a dinner party. The hostess tried to trick him by asking which of the two pigs would be slaughtered that night- the black or white one. Nostradamus replied that it would be the black. The hostess secretly told the chef to slaughter the white pig for the night. At the dinner table, to embarrass Nostradamus, the hostess called in the chef to tell which pig was for dinner. The chef relied that he meant to cook the white pig but it was soiled by dogs, hence he had to slaughter the black one instead!

The plague epidemic attacked once again. This time he lost his wife and two daughters. He became an introvert and dwelled into the unknown.

His prophecies, known as quatrains, wrote about many things related to his native country France - The French Revolution and the French monarchs, He mentioned about the three anti-Christ characters whom the scholars believe it could be Napolean, Hitler (even his name is mentioned as Hisler) and a mad leader with a blue turban from Persia who would lead to world annihilation.

He hinted in his poetic ways on a leader named Franco who would lead a revolution in Spain. Pasteur's name is also mentioned as an inventor. His prophecy hints of an English King (King Edward) who abdicates his throne for love.

He even talks about a revolution in a country which was not even existent during his time 2000 miles away -America. Of course, his New Cities is assumed to be referring to USA. He later tells about Abraham Lincoln's rise to fame and assassination by enemies. It is claimed that that Kennedy's assassination is explained in the quatrains. They claim that Lee Oswald is the fall guy and real shooter was in some bushes nearby. He even mentions of a psychic forewarning of the shooting! The prophecy predicted that the brother would reach JFK's status (soon both they would be equal in government). As Robert Kennedy had been assassinated by the time of production of this film (1981), they assumed that it would be Ted Kennedy for 1984. Obviously, it did not happen.

Nostradamus predicted flights, lunar travel and space exploration. He suggested iron fish (submarine) that could start a war and future man's obsession with fine tuning the art of destruction of war. The atom was outlined to end a war.
During World War II, many parties used Nostradamus prophecies for their own propaganda benefits - England, Germany and the US.
The fall of the Shah of Iran by a man from France was scripted - Ayatollah Khomenei was stationed in France before the 1978.
The documentary ends here with the message to learn from the past.

Well, what do you know, in the 21st century, we are still saying that the Twin Tower Incident is indeed mentioned in the prophecies. The problem with all prophecies and things like Vashtu Shastra and Feng Shui are, to me, sciences of retrospect. Only after a mishap do the masters come forward with advice of malady occurring because of non-conformity to their sciences. In hindsight, everybody is of course Albert Einstein. Guess, we never learned or maybe we cannot change what is destined to happen.