Last Night's TV - The Borgias, The Story of Film An Odyssey Part 3
This week Mark Cousins explored the filmmakers around the world who were pushing the boundaries and challenging the romantic cinema of Hollywood. Filmmakers in cities such as Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Shanghai and Tokyo offered 8 different alternatives to Hollywood.
The Borgias Episode 7 Death, On A Pale Horse
Saturday night The Borgias rolled into Episode 7 with its usual high standards and expensive set designs. As The King of France marched his armies into Italy and decided to blow holes in the city of Luca, despite their surrender, Cardinal Della Rovere began to question whether or not his decision to side with France was the right one. The French continued on to Florence and again the city surrendered. The news reached Rome and The Pope sought to divulge a plan with his Cardinals, but is struggling to win them over. He searched for help and guidance from fellow Holy Men as he struggles to hold onto his Papacy. The news also reached Duke Sforza and when his bride Lucrezia questions his motives it appears he too will not put up a fight to the French despite his promises. When the King of Naples died there was also a question mark over who will reign in his land. Things look to be going from bad to worse for The Borgias and war is almost at their doors. The Pope needs to find new friends and allies quickly if he is going to fight the French. It appears that the show is about to explode into life and action could well take precedent over story. The Borgias continues to dazzle with all its glitz and ancient glamour.
The Story of Film An Odyssey Episode 3
This week Mark Cousins explored the filmmakers around the world who were pushing the boundaries and challenging the romantic cinema of Hollywood. Filmmakers in cities such as Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Shanghai and Tokyo offered 8 different alternatives to Hollywood. Across the world filmmakers were trying to bring a different edge to cinema and like expressionist painters some added an edge to their films. Cousins examines the famous Impressionist film The Cabinet of Dr Caligari , by Robert Wiene, with its jagged set designs and shadows painted on the walls. Fritz Langs Metropolis is another great film explored by Cousins. The Dada movement and other experimental filmmakers pushed the stranger side of cinema with weird set designs, new ways of editing and by linking images so that the subconscious thinks something different. These filmmakers worked on tricking the mind and planting thoughts through suggestive filmmaking. Big impressions were left on the world of cinema by Russian filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein, who invented montage. In Battleship Potemkin he shot a chaotic scene on the Odessa steps with the army firing at a crowd of people. As bodies fall down the steps and a baby pram runs away also the audiences hearts are in their mouths. Eisenstein made audiences put 1 and 1 together to make 3. Japanese filmmaker Yasujir Ozu is described by Cousins as possibly the greatest director all time and he too is examined by the programme. Ozu broke so many rules that were considered the standard in Hollywood and with the Japanese studios being director, rather than producer, led Ozu could do what he wanted with film and he brought a beautiful order and elegance to cinema with his compositions and camera work. Another informative and beautiful look at the history of cinema. Along with this series of documentaries More 4 are also showing some of the classic films that influenced the world of filmmaking. Battleship Potemkin can be seen tonight at 12.10am. This episode and previous two of the series are also available on 4OD.