Everyone’s favourite Oscar-winning silent film historian, the erudite and tireless Kevin Brownlow, is bringing his mega-restoration of Abel Gance’s Napoléon back to London later this year. You already have your tickets, right? Ahead of that screening there is a timely chance to see one of his finest silent film TV documentaries at BFI Southbank this July – introduced by the man himself.
All silent film fans are familiar with Brownlow and David Gill’s landmark 1980s series Hollywood, crammed with legendary interviews with silent film stars and film-makers from the US. The documentary showing at the former NFT is from the followup 1995 series focusing on the other side of the Atlantic: Cinema Europe. This episode, The Music of Light, is all about French Cinema – and in particular the genius and ambition of Napoléon director Abel Gance.
The screening is paired with Barrie Gavin’s 1967 TV documentary The Movies: The World of Josef von Sternberg, which also features a contribution from Brownlow.
The Music of Light screens on Friday 26 July at 6.10pm in NFT2, with an introduction by Kevin Brownlow. Click here to read more and book tickets.
This news seems like the perfect excuse to post this 1980 clip of Brownlow talking about Abel Gance, just to whet your appetite:
Silent London 
The greatest cinematic experiance of my life at the Oakland Paramount last year. I only wish I could come to the London screening.
Some kind soul has now posted all of Brownlow/Gill’s 1908’s series on youtube… ep 1 is here