The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory

March 1895 •French

Working men and women leave through the main gate of the Lumière factory in Lyon, France. Filmed on 22 March 1895, it is often referred to as the first real motion picture ever made, although Louis Le Prince's 1888 Roundhay Garden Scene pre-dated it by seven years. Three separate versions of this film exist, which differ from one another in numerous ways. The first version features a carriage drawn by one horse, while in the second version the carriage is drawn by two horses, and there is no carriage at all in the third version. The clothing style is also different between the three versions, demonstrating the different seasons in which each was filmed. This film was made in the 35 mm format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and at a speed of 16 frames per second. At that rate, the 17 meters of film length provided a duration of 46 seconds, holding a total of 800 frames.

Auge in Auge - Eine deutsche Filmgeschichte

July 2008 •German

This is not merely another film about cinema history; it is a film about the love of cinema, a journey of discovery through over a century of German film history. Ten people working in film today remember their favourite films of yesteryear.

Blade of a Father, Soul of a Sword

January 2005 •Japanese

A documentary about the making of the Lone Wolf and Cub film series.

The Latino List

September 2011 •English

Documentary film interviews leading Latinos on race, identity, and achievement.

Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz: A Mega Movie and Its Story

November 2007 •German

A documentary about the making of the television mini-series by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, including interviewees with the principal actors.

Robert Redford: The Golden Look

July 2019 •French

More than anyone in the cynical film industry, legendary artist Robert Redford embodies the United States' brightest side: perseverance, independence, idealism, and integrity. A champion of active environmentalism and the right to openly criticize any institutional abuse, he has put his artistic work at the service of his political commitments, whether as an actor, director, producer, or founder of the Sundance Festival, a formidable forum for his struggles since 1985.

In the Lost City

February 2009 •Spanish

The city of Madrid as it appears in the Spanish films of the 1950s. A small tribute to all those who filmed and portrayed Madrid despite the dictatorship, censorship and the critical situation of industry and society.

Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire

July 1991 •English

Actress Sally Field looks at the dramatic life and successful career of the superb actress Barbara Stanwyck (1907-90), a Hollywood legend.

Dog Days: The Making of 'Cujo'

September 2007 •English

Documentary about the making of the 1983 thriller "Cujo"

Spielberg

October 2017 •English

A documentary on the life and career of one of the most influential film directors of all time, Steven Spielberg.

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films

October 2014 •English

A documentary about the rise and fall of the Cannon Film Group, the legendary independent film company helmed by Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus.

Private Screenings: Robert Osborne

January 2014 •English

TCM host Robert Osborne discusses his life and career with guest interviewer Alec Baldwin in commemoration of Osborne's 20 years with the network.

Death in Venice: The Sinking Palazzo

January 2008 •English

Short behind the scenes making-of documentary about the filming of the sinking house palazzo and the Venetian piazza chase from the James Bond movie Casino Royale (2006).

James Bond in the Bahamas

October 2008 •English

A documentary about James Bond in the Bahamas.

Ian Fleming: The Secret Road to Paradise

October 2008 •English

A documentary about Ian Fleming.

Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation

October 2008 •English

A documentary about Ian Fleming.

Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic

April 2004 •English

Documentary about the legendary American film director from his introduction to the film industry in its early years to his death in 1959.

Omnibus: François Truffaut

December 1973 •English

Hitler's Hollywood

February 2017 •German

Film journalist and critic Rüdiger Suchsland examines German cinema from 1933, when the Nazis came into power, until 1945, when the Third Reich collapsed. (A sequel to From Caligari to Hitler, 2015.)

Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light

February 2000 •English

Actor/director Sidney Poitier discusses his life and career. He tells of his upbringing in Jamaica; the difficulties he encountered in New York City at the start of his career; his involvement in the US civil-rights movement; and efforts to end apartheid in South Africa. Friends and acquaintances, as well as other performers, give their insights about what makes him so special.