# The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011)

> A globe-spanning, presenter-led tour of cinema's greatest films and the innovations that shaped them.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/41349

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 15
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: documentary
- Created by: Mark Cousins
- Network: Channel 4
- Cast: Mark Cousins, Mario Cordova, Agnes de Mille, Claudia Cardinale, Lars von Trier, Paul Schrader, Aleksandr Sokurov, Norman Lloyd
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2044056/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: enthusiastic, curious, reflective, warm

## What critics say

Viewers broadly acclaim the series as an erudite, passionate and wide-ranging guided tour of cinema history, though its audience base is small.

## Synopsis

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011) is a British documentary series created by Mark Cousins for Channel 4. Cousins presents and narrates the fifteen hour-long episodes himself, guiding viewers on a worldwide tour of the most important movies ever made and the history of international cinema. Rather than a single protagonist, the engine of the series is the chain of cinematic innovation: each episode follows how filmmakers in different countries discovered new techniques, from early experiments with motion and editing to the emergence of distinct national styles. Interviews and appearances by filmmakers and critics, including Lars von Trier, Paul Schrader, Jane Campion and Claudia Cardinale, add first-hand perspective, while Mario Cordova provides additional narration. The tone is enthusiastic, curious and warmly opinionated, with an emphasis on wonder at what images can do. Clips and stills are assembled into a sweeping essay that recalls the film-criticism spirit of Martin Scorsese's personal journeys through American movies and the global sweep of Civilisations. It is a single-season, self-contained survey, ideal for patient viewers who want an illuminating education in film.

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