Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood
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Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood was a 1996 documentary produced by David Gill and silent film historian Kevin Brownlow.
The six-part mini-series concerned with coverage of the origin of cinema, from its infancy as a novelty created by French inventors Louis and August Lumiere to a serious artistic and commercial contender against America (that is, until the surge of the Nazis).
The entire documentary is narrated by maverick filmmaker and actor, Kenneth Brannagh.
Original music in the film was composed by Carl Davis, Philip Appleby & Nic Raine.
The documentary was shown from time to time on public television stations, usually at late night slots, due to its length and occasional mature content.
In 2000, Image Entertainment released the whole series on a 2-disc DVD (3 episodes on each disc). Because of the medium's high storage capacity, as opposed to VHS (only 2 episodes each; 3 tapes total), the DVD set actually cost much less than the VHS version.
[edit] Episodes
The documentary is divided into the following sections, in order:
"Where It All Began" (Introductory Episode)
Highlighting the world's first public presentation of films in Paris, the comedies by Max Linder, Abel Gance's J'Accuse and the onset of World War I.
"Art's Promised Land" (Sweden)
Including Ingeborg Holm by Victor Sjostrom and Greta Garbo's star-making performance opposite Lars Hanson in Gosta Berling's Saga.
"The Unchained Camera" (Germany)
Featuring The Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein, Metropolis by Fritz Lang, Joyless Street staring Greta Garbo, The White Hell of Pitz Palu featuring Leni Riefenstahl and Louise Brooks becomes a star in Pandora's Box.
"The Music of Light" (France)
Highlighting Abel Gance's masterpiece, Napoleon.
"Opportunity Lost" (Britain)
Exploring the realy career of Alfred Hitchcock.
"End of an Era" (Finale)
Focusing on the arrival of sound films, The Jazz Singer and the onslaught of World War II.
