This episode begins with Al Jolson and "The Jazz Singer" and works its way backward in American silent films. I didn't mind this style of doing this, though I was surprised how little attention was actually given to the earliest American films. They were VERY quickly mentioned, as if in passing--so you get almost nothing about the early Edison films as well as many of the other early filmmakers. To me, this is a mistake and the show should have talked MUCH more about these pre-Hollywood American films. After all, American silents did NOT begin in Hollywood and episodes 1 and 2 make you almost think that--or that very, very, very few films were made before filmmakers moved to California. This is NOT the case.
Now that I've completed my rant, I will say that I still thoroughly enjoyed this first episode. Like the rest of the series, I was impressed by the number of clips, interviews and information. Plus, I did appreciate how it talked about the impact of "Birth of Nation" while NOT downplaying what a racist film it was! Well worth seeing-- and the series only gets better!
Now that I've completed my rant, I will say that I still thoroughly enjoyed this first episode. Like the rest of the series, I was impressed by the number of clips, interviews and information. Plus, I did appreciate how it talked about the impact of "Birth of Nation" while NOT downplaying what a racist film it was! Well worth seeing-- and the series only gets better!