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The Story of Film: An Odyssey ( now on TCM )
  • jleojleo

    A 15 hour documentary series by Mark Cousins, is the story of international cinema told through the history of cinematic innovation. The series provides a worldwide guided tour of the greatest movies ever made; an epic tale that starts in nickelodeons and ends as a multi-billion-dollar globalised digital industry.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Film:_An_Odyssey

    From Channel 4, U.K.

    NOW SHOWING on TCM in U.S. and Canada,

    http://www.tcm.com/storyoffilm/index.html

    also available on DVD. DVD Review:

    http://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review/the-story-of-film-an-odyssey

    An excerpt on Alfred Hitchcock

    An excerpt on Yasujiro Ozu:

    Also his new movie is: The Story of Children and Film which was just in theatres during festival season...

    http://astoryofchildrenandfilm.com/

  • 6 Replies sorted by
  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    @jleo Yeah this is some killer stuff. Just started watching on Netflix. Narrator is great - actually listenened to it via Netflix app on phone wired into car speakers. Makes for great listening.

  • jleojleo

    @matt_gh2 I just saw Story of Children and Film on the big screen. His narration was a bit odd at first, unlike most documentaries, then he just pulls you in!

    The style of Story of Film, reminds me of a documentary "London" narrated by Paul Scofield, where there's just street scenes throughout the movie.

    Full version:

  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    @jleo Cool - I'll have to check it out. Thanks for heads up. Yeah, he draws you in...because he cares...about the possibility of greatness in film. That passion inspires and draws you in. It's the reason I'm into filmmaking and into watching great films.

  • hempo22hempo22

    I love this series! It's not just what I learned in film history in high school and filmschool, it's like a whole new world outside and adds new perspective to what I already knew. 5 episodes to go :D

  • rockroadpixrockroadpix

    I like the information and history. Not a big fan of the narration. The irish accent is cool, but his cadence is the same for nearly every sentence and sometimes he tails off almost out of breath. It makes it seem like there were no extra takes done in the VO.

  • jleojleo

    Yes, it seems that the narration is the main complaint about the series, on IMDB. Maybe they couldn't afford Kenneth Branagh. Then again, it wouldn't be a personal essay without Mark Cousins. Maybe on the Bluray they can have alternate narration tracks:

    Homer Simpson: Von Stroheim's movie went on for like seven hours! BORING!!

    William Shatner: Carl Theodore Dreyer .....eliminates sets altogether. Just Actors .....against a WHITE background...... Mr. Sulu, take us out of this godforsaken place. Mr. SULU!! Where are you?

    Mr. Spock: He's busy writing bad stuff about you, Captain!

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