Comments on: Cinema Europe

Cinema Europe

feelinglistless — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 08:47:13 -0800

Cinema Europe Extraordinary documentary series from the 1990s narrated by Kenneth Branagh which quietly demonstrates that most of anything you thought you knew about early cinema is wrong (embedded Google Videos).

By: jouke

jouke — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 09:26:12 -0800

Hm, a documentary about silent films sounds rather forbidding. Is it an interesting documentary for anybody who isn't a silent film nut to start with?

By: goatdog

goatdog — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 09:36:43 -0800

It's a great series, and because the narration tells you what to look for and what's interesting about each film discussed, you don't have to be a silent film nut to appreciate it. I'm continually surprised (although I should know better by now) by how great some silent films are. I recently watched Evgenii Bauer's first film, Twilight of a Woman's Soul, and was shocked to find myself so involved that I was yelling advice to the people onscreen.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 09:39:51 -0800

You needn't be specifically a silent film nut to enjoy this series. If you are at all interested in the history of cinema, you will enjoy it.

By: doctorschlock

doctorschlock — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 09:39:57 -0800

Turner Movie Classics shows silent films late Sunday nights. I love the clown tragedies with Lon Chaney Jr.

By: doctorschlock

doctorschlock — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 09:40:40 -0800

Ooops, I mean Lon Chaney Sr.

By: mctsonic

mctsonic — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:11:10 -0800

Wow, wow, wow - great FPP - thanks a lot! I've really enjoyed the Treasures of American Film and this is a good companion.

By: sgt.serenity

sgt.serenity — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:21:59 -0800

so involved that I was yelling advice to the people onscreen. and did they take it ?

By: acro

acro — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:42:56 -0800

1 ㈀ 2 ㈁ 3 ㈂ 4 ㈃ 5 ㈄ 6 ㈅

By: muckster

muckster — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:50:10 -0800

Terrific, thank you.

By: goatdog

goatdog — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 11:11:46 -0800

and did they take it ? Yes, happily, they did. Good thing for them, too.

By: nola

nola — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 12:32:04 -0800

I just finished the first part. This is really good , and I look forward to the next five parts. Wonderful find feelinglistless !

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 12:51:16 -0800

Makes me wonder when Mike & Kevin are gonna get around to the silent film era.

By: Grangousier

Grangousier — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:00:42 -0800

Kevin Brownlow, who made this, is responsible for a number of documentaries about and restorations of silent movies, including Unknown Chaplin, which contains one sequence (an outtake from City Lights involving a piece of wood stuck in a grating) that I rank among my Funniest Things of All Time (rolling on the floor, fighting for breath funny), although YMMV. If this floats your boat, you're best advised to seek out his (formidable) back catalogue.

By: Grangousier

Grangousier — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:12:28 -0800

Also a filmmaker in his own right - It Happened Here, an alternate history in which the Nazis successfully invaded Britain, which began as a collaboration between an 18-year-old Brownlow and Andrew Mollo (at that time a 16-year-old history buff), and Winstanley, about the Levellers during the English Revolution/Civil War/Whatever they're calling it these days.

By: nola

nola — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 15:15:56 -0800

Just finished the second part. This really is wonderful.

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 16:14:58 -0800

For anyone in San Francisco, the Castro is having a Silent Film Festival right now.

By: acro

acro — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 19:55:54 -0800

/off topic, related--- [NyTimes Obituary] Edward Yang, 59, Director Prominent in New Taiwan Cinema, Is Dead.

By: acro

acro — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 20:37:18 -0800

Yi Yi (Yang, 2000) trailer

By: pmurray63

pmurray63 — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 07:50:43 -0800

Seconding Grangousier. Every Brownlow and Gill documentary I've seen about early cinema has been outstanding.

By: MonkNoiz

MonkNoiz — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 10:09:46 -0800

This has made my day!

By: Touch

Touch — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 10:33:15 -0800

I just watched the Swedish section. Astonishingly beautiful although I really shouldn't have been surprised. Thanks for the link!

By: juiceCake

juiceCake — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:47:10 -0800

which quietly demonstrates that most of anything you thought you knew about early cinema is wrong How so? I saw this years ago (on TVO) and yes, it's great, but it didn't at all demonstrate that most of anything i thought I knew (and indeed know) about early cinema was wrong.

By: jimmyjimjim

jimmyjimjim — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 21:53:25 -0800

Here's the really great thing. Many silent films are now public domain. And the Internet Archive has a really great selection, downloadable in various resolutions/formats. So if this documentary whets your appetite, you can go beserk at: http://www.archive.org/details/movies