A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies

On the occasion of the celebration of the centennial of cinema, the British Film Institute conceived the 'Century of Cinema' series. A number of directors were asked to give their personal vision on the history of cinema in their country. Martin Scorsese was invited to take care of the American episode. The result has not become a treatment of the classical film canon, for Scorsese sets great store by the work of directors who worked in the margins of Hollywood. According to Scorsese, Jacques Tourneur's cat people (1942) has been just as important for the American cinema as Orson Welles's citizen kane (1941). Scorsese illustrates his views by showing scores of convincing examples from the period of the big studios, the Golden Age of American cinema. Despite all the changes, one thing has remained the same: "Every decision is shaped by the money men's perception of what the audience wants."