Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant documentary on early film
Review: Brownlow & Gill's documentary series was originally broadcast in 1996 by the BBC to celebrate 100 years of cinema. Not only is it incredibly interesting as a history lesson but top marks must go to the archive researchers who have dug up some incredibly rare footage (such as Dietrich's screen test for THE BLUE ANGEL). All 6 episodes are on this 1 disc and although there are no extras, you do get 6 hours of pure magic, masterly narrated by the excellent Kenneth Branagh. The quality of the archive footage is amazing and anyone contemplating studying film for education or academic reasons really should start with this disc, for it starts with footage circa 1895 (including the Lumiere bros) through to the advent of sound over 30 years later. It's all very well to read about this stuff in textbooks but seeing it on your TV really does make a difference. It is truly amazing just how much stuff has survived considering the time that has elapsed and the chemical volatility of early nitrate film stock. All in all this is well worth watching, masterfully put together and nicely presented. It is also worth noting that contrary to the technical information on the page, this disc is in fact not region coded so will play in any DVD player in any country so you really have no excuse not to get it (however the U.S. appears to be the only country where this series is available as a DVD).This disc is must for any film student or historian!.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant documentary on early film
Review: Brownlow & Gill's documentary series was originally broadcast in 1996 by the BBC to celebrate 100 years of cinema. Not only is it incredibly interesting as a history lesson but top marks must go to the archive researchers who have dug up some incredibly rare footage (such as Dietrich's screen test for THE BLUE ANGEL). All 6 episodes are on this 1 disc and although there are no extras, you do get 6 hours of pure magic, masterly narrated by the excellent Kenneth Branagh. The quality of the archive footage is amazing and anyone contemplating studying film for education or academic reasons really should start with this disc, for it starts with footage circa 1895 (including the Lumiere bros) through to the advent of sound over 30 years later. It's all very well to read about this stuff in textbooks but seeing it on your TV really does make a difference. It is truly amazing just how much stuff has survived considering the time that has elapsed and the chemical volatility of early nitrate film stock. All in all this is well worth watching, masterfully put together and nicely presented. It is also worth noting that contrary to the technical information on the page, this disc is in fact not region coded so will play in any DVD player in any country so you really have no excuse not to get it (however the U.S. appears to be the only country where this series is available as a DVD).This disc is must for any film student or historian!.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinario material
Review: Cinema Europe es la serie completa de seis programas dedicados a los orígenes del cine en el continente europeo. A pesar de haber conocido algunos de estos materiales en cinetecas y otras antologías, la extraordinaria calidad (se trata de transfers directos a partir de negativos de 35 mm) de los fragmentos seleccionados es verdaderamente asombrosa. Dificilmente podrá encontrarse en otro lado la calidad fotográfica de tonos y la definición óptica original que tenía la película utilzada en los primeros filmes, como es posible disfrutarla en este DVD. Un reconocmiento a los productores Kevin Brownlow y David Gill. la única objeción a la serie es la muy notable ausencia de un programa dedicado a los cineastas soviéticos, así como la inlcusión de cinematografías de otros paises europeos menos célebres pero muy importantes como por ejemplo Hungría. Por mi parte espero que pronto aparezca Cinema Europe II.
Rating:
Summary: Essential to any person interested in silent films.
Review: Fantastic is the best word that can describe this 6-hour documentary on European cinema prior to World War II. The episodes' content is roughly as follows:1st episode: The beginnings of European cinema. 2nd episode: Swedish cinema. 3rd episode: German cinema. 4th episode: French cinema. 5th episode: British cinema. 6th episode: European cinema after the arrival of sound. This documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, is truly magnificent. It allows us to remember long-forgotten films, actors, and directors. Such classics as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (the first expressionist film), "Napoleon" (remembered for its central performance and for its use of an early version of widescreen technology), "Metropolis" (Fritz Lang's vision of the future), "The Atonement of Gosta Berling" (Greta Garbo's first film, made in Sweden), Alfred Hitchcock's "The Lodger", Fritz Lang's "Die Niebelungen" (one of Hitler's favourite films), and Karl Dreyer's "Passion of Joan of Arc" are described in detail. Forgotten actors and directors such as Victor Sjostrom, Mauritz Stiller, Maurice Elvey, Anthony Asquith, Leni Riefenstahl (now chiefly remembered for her direction of the Nazi propaganda film, "Triumph of the Will"), G. W. Pabst, Abel Gance, Emil Jannings, Ernst Lubitsch, Cecil Hepworth, as well as many others, are remembered for their contribution to the development of European films, which they rightfully deserve. The only flaw I could find in this documentary is that there is no specific episode on Russian films, even though many of them, such as Sergei Eisenstein's "The Battleship Potemkin" (mentioned in the German cinema episode), were influential on European cinema. If one were to try to find the thesis of the documentary, it would be that European cinema has been unable to compete with Hollywood because most of the talented European film people moved to the United States to pursue their career. Even though the arrival of sound forced actors with heavy accents to return to Europe (such as the German Emil Jannings, the first actor to win an Oscar), this loss of talent explains in the most part why Europe was unable to compete with Hollywood (which had larger film budgets). And the Second World War, as is pointed out in the last sentence of the documentary, destroyed that possibility, because European cinema was often reliant on French-British-German co-productions. Obviously, with the rise of the Third Reich, such co-productions were no longer possible.
Rating:
Summary: Essential to any person interested in silent films.
Review: Fantastic is the best word that can describe this 6-hour documentary on European cinema prior to World War II. The episodes' content is roughly as follows: 1st episode: The beginnings of European cinema. 2nd episode: Swedish cinema. 3rd episode: German cinema. 4th episode: French cinema. 5th episode: British cinema. 6th episode: European cinema after the arrival of sound. This documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, is truly magnificent. It allows us to remember long-forgotten films, actors, and directors. Such classics as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (the first expressionist film), "Napoleon" (remembered for its central performance and for its use of an early version of widescreen technology), "Metropolis" (Fritz Lang's vision of the future), "The Atonement of Gosta Berling" (Greta Garbo's first film, made in Sweden), Alfred Hitchcock's "The Lodger", Fritz Lang's "Die Niebelungen" (one of Hitler's favourite films), and Karl Dreyer's "Passion of Joan of Arc" are described in detail. Forgotten actors and directors such as Victor Sjostrom, Mauritz Stiller, Maurice Elvey, Anthony Asquith, Leni Riefenstahl (now chiefly remembered for her direction of the Nazi propaganda film, "Triumph of the Will"), G. W. Pabst, Abel Gance, Emil Jannings, Ernst Lubitsch, Cecil Hepworth, as well as many others, are remembered for their contribution to the development of European films, which they rightfully deserve. The only flaw I could find in this documentary is that there is no specific episode on Russian films, even though many of them, such as Sergei Eisenstein's "The Battleship Potemkin" (mentioned in the German cinema episode), were influential on European cinema. If one were to try to find the thesis of the documentary, it would be that European cinema has been unable to compete with Hollywood because most of the talented European film people moved to the United States to pursue their career. Even though the arrival of sound forced actors with heavy accents to return to Europe (such as the German Emil Jannings, the first actor to win an Oscar), this loss of talent explains in the most part why Europe was unable to compete with Hollywood (which had larger film budgets). And the Second World War, as is pointed out in the last sentence of the documentary, destroyed that possibility, because European cinema was often reliant on French-British-German co-productions. Obviously, with the rise of the Third Reich, such co-productions were no longer possible.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant History of European Silent Film
Review: I saw this series when it first appeared on television on TCM. Its filled with excerpts from both classic and less well known films from this genre. The commentary by Branagh is both well informed and interesting. I highly recommend it to all lovers of world cinema.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant History of European Silent Film
Review: I saw this series when it first appeared on television on TCM. Its filled with excerpts from both classic and less well known films from this genre. The commentary by Branagh is both well informed and interesting. I highly recommend it to all lovers of world cinema.
Rating:
Summary: incomparable documentary on European silent film
Review: If you are interested in film and want to learn more about the early days, you will be enthralled, from start to finish, by this remarkable six-hour documentary, the last joint project by film historians Kevin Brownlow and David Gill. Intelligently written and wonderfully narrated by Kenneth Branagh, each hour is filled with rare film clips and fantastic interviews. The only weakness here is a lack of extras. A documentary or commentary track about how these clips were found, etc., would have been wonderful. Also, a documentary package like this would be made even more valuable with the addition of a comprehensive index of the actors and films.
Rating:
Summary: Another Must From Brownlow and Gill!
Review: Kevin Brownlow and David Gill created wonderful documentaries together, and this, their last work together is no exception! Amazing archival footage and lively narration that will make the most jaded film buff salivate. The only problem here is omission-the pair wanted to make this a 13-hour epic like their "Hollywood" (wonderful!), but were forced to do it in 6. For example, Russian silents are hardly mentioned. But what is here is astounding.
Rating:
Summary: Another Must From Brownlow and Gill!
Review: Kevin Brownlow and David Gill created wonderful documentaries together, and this, their last work together is no exception! Amazing archival footage and lively narration that will make the most jaded film buff salivate. The only problem here is omission-the pair wanted to make this a 13-hour epic like their "Hollywood" (wonderful!), but were forced to do it in 6. For example, Russian silents are hardly mentioned. But what is here is astounding.
|
