Perry Kate Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Justina The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Martin Teller I often praise the visuals of a film, but I generally do it in very vague terms without being able to express why I think the photography looks great. I just know what looks good or interesting or striking to me. So I had hopes that this documentary would shed some light (ho ho!) on the art and craft of cinematography. Unfortunately, I didn't get much out of it. It's mostly very basic, surface stuff, more of an exercise in Appreciation 101 than detailed technical analysis. I also wished for a few more esoteric examples. Most of the films discussed are the really obvious ones, especially as the discussion gets closer and closer to contemporary times. The first half of the film is the best part, getting into some of the history, and I particularly enjoyed the look at John Alton and film noir. As a whole, it's a nice compendium and there are a few interesting insights, but it really lacks the depth I was hoping for. I also found it odd that a movie about cinematography would occasionally show clips in the wrong aspect ratio.

MisterWhiplash No reason really to give the film a typical rating as its not really a typical movie. It's compilation of many, many film clips that illustrate the power of cinema, as corny as it might sound, over the past century or so. It gives almost all of the key times of- at least American- film, and it gives the main players in as much director-wise and cinematography as can be. The big editing techniques are established as well, stretching across from the early silents to modern times (as far as 1992 anyway). As an introductory lesson you could do a lot worse I'm sure, though it pales in comparison to, for example, the Scorsese documentaries on American and Italian cinema. It runs through the basics pretty clearly, gives some very excellent clips (one or two perhaps unexpected, and maybe a few never seen), and then leaves in its relatively short running time. For film professors (the one I had the first time at any rate), this is a keeper as one of the films to show, I suppose. It gives the students and other casual film viewers its due, though it could've been more.

gagewyn I watched this to hopefully get some ideas on what movies would be interesting to watch. From this point of view I was disappointed.The movies used as illustration are fairly mainstream. I had heard of almost all of them even though I hadn't seen them all.One thing that I very much have a problem with is that I think that the frame speed was accelerated on some of the silent film clips. The alternative would have been to repeat some frames so that events would play at the intended speed, but would have a slight skipping irregular pace. (24 frames per second was not a standard film speed during the silent period, so many films were done in 16, 18 or even occasionally 12 frames per second) I believe that the latter solution to the frames problem is preferable to comically fast pacing.Also the silent period was some what gypped in that it got the same amount of time and focus as each subsequent decade. It should have gotten twice as much time as a decade, because it includes 1910's and 1920's and all prior movie history. Other than this minor disparity, the amount of time spent on each decade is about equal. This is good because the documentary isn't skewed toward any era.Even bias is a prerequisite for a film documentary, and this documentary has it.Keep in mind that this documentary is very general. It would be impossible to go into a great deal of depth in only 1 1/2 hours. It is not for an extreme film buff. The film is not going to be a revelation, but if you are looking for a very general introduction to cinema this is a good documentary to watch.

twltzone This is a great, I repeat great, documentary on the history of cinematography. No film student should be without it!! It covers all the changes in technology and techniques and its impact on film.It brilliantly shows the freedom of camera movement during the silent period and how things became more restricted when sound was added later and the transition from B/W to Color. But most importantly, clearly depicts how Directors of Photography over came these limitations and created new techniques which changed film history forever. Brilliant!!!! You'll never look at a film the same way after seeing this.Covers many different aspects of "the Hollywood look" and the different "Studio looks" throughout time. Also uncovers the secrets of many DP's and how they made their "Stars" look so incredible!!I especially like the section on Film Noir and the plethora of absolutely breath taking film clips!!! Included in this gem of a documentary are great clips from classics like the 1947 version of "Oliver Twist" and examples from some of the greatest DP's of all time!!! Arthur Miller...etc...Very entertaining!! Even for non-film buffs!!! I've showed this documentary to friends and relatives and they all seem to watch with amazement!!!I liked it so much I just had to buy it!