AllMovie

Hollywood has long been revered as the mecca of the movie world, and many people have forgotten -- if they ever knew -- that a thriving cinema scene developed in Europe during the great silent film era. British film historians Kevin Brownlow and David Gill, who years ago made a comprehensive survey of those days in Hollywood, now remind film lovers of that fact, with this six-part look at the "other Hollywood" of Europe's silent film era. The cinematic works of France, Sweden, Germany, and Great Britain are presented, using archival film footage and interviews with actors and directors, from Sir John Gielgud to Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock to Simon Feldman. The documentary shows how many of the artistic devices that are standard in the industry were first developed in Europe, including the use of color and special effects, soundtracks, and the now ubiquitous chase scene. The second volume in the series, narrated by Kenneth Branaugh, follows the fortunes of silent film in Sweden. The works of cinema giant Ingmar Bergman owe their inspiration to lesser-known masters, including Victor Sjostrom and Maurice Stiller, whose works are showcased. The influential role of Swedish cinema in social policy is also examined.