Why would a chronicle of our century make pointed digs at Hollywood, but lovingly focus on an Oscar acceptance speech by Simone Signoret? Because it's made by French filmmakers, of course (who hate the fact that American movies are the main staple of French cinema). Covering the period from 1900-1990, this 5-tape set containing 9 episodes--each spanning a decade--combines newsreel and archival footage with overlaid narration, and looks at the key historical, political, cultural, and artistic events and personages of the past 90 years. We watched the volume covering the period 1958-1980, which had some--to me--odd inclusions and omissions. But that's what makes this a fascinating and instructive series: we are so used to seeing "our century" through an American lense, that it's eye-opening to discover that others see world history very differently. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)
Our Century
(Central Park Media, 5 videocassettes, 495 min., $19.95 each, $89.95 series price, avail. Aug. 6) Vol. 11, Issue 4
Our Century
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