Titans: The Rise of Hollywood

As far too many reviewers have noted, the acting is mediocre at best. No one is going to win an Oscar or Emmy for their acting here (although I don't think it's nearly as terrible as many seem to think).

But, if you're focussed on how good (or bad...) the acting is, you're going to miss out on what this series really is: History.

As a historical account of Hollywood and the major studios and stars, it's excellent.

Ignore the acting quality, focus on the history, and you'll appreciate this series more.

There were four Warner brothers, not three. Co-founder Albert is nowhere to be found or even mentioned. It's as if he didn't exist. Albert Warner headed all of Warner Bros. Distribution in New York with my grandfather Samuel Schneider (who was vice president and treasurer on the board). Albert and Sam were the first of the brothers to get into the movie business, before Harry and Jack joined them. A major mistake in this series.

United Artists was founded by four movie icons, not three. In addition to Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin, all shown in the series, they entirely left out D. W. Griffith. His career, impact, and legacy are completely gone. No "Birth of a Nation" or "Intolerance." None of his legendary work with Lillian Gish (who is also conspicuously absent). But to spend a good amount of time on the forming of United Artists and not even mention Griffith's name isn't just an error, it's revisionist history. It's just plain wrong.

The budget is low, except apparently for purchasing cartons of cigarettes. The younger actor playing Adolph Zukor was never without a cigarette in any shot or scene. EVER. It went beyond a chain-smoking vice or character trait into completely distracting and amateurish, like a bad joke or exaggerated nervous tick.

I appreciate the effort, and it's a story worth telling, so I'm glad this series exists. Many fascinating people, tales, and details are presented, but with some huge, glaring errors (mentioned above), it makes me doubt and question the truth in all of it.

As a life long cinephile I will watch anything related to the history of the movies.

For the most part, I enjoyed this, particularly the stuff with Carl Lemmle and Universal, but to not mention D. W. Griffith even once, (not even as of the four creators of United Artist) is just weird. Not to mention paring down the Warner Brothers from 4 to only 3.

I'm also not sure how "Tess of the Storm Country" (1922) could ever be considered the first feature film, when "Les Miserables", "Cabiria", and of Course, "Birth of A Nation" (1915) all precede it by many years.

But overall there is more good than bad and still worth a watch for film buffs.

I was really worried when I started this that it would be cheesy and shallow. Now as many others said. The recreations were horrible and wooden. But especially the early episodes are very very interesting about the exchanges and how Edison had somehow created a monopoly. Edison was well known for suing the hell out of anyone that he thought was not paying him for his inventions. But luckily he over reached with the movies and ended up losing. The music was so bad through out especially the music for the introduction for each episode. But this is a definite watch for anyone that likes movies.

Clearly the inspiration for this was "Movies and Money" by David Putnam, a book which I heartily recommend for anyone interested in the subject.

I heartily loved this show. Even though I'm no fan of the French I do have to say however it's pretty cruel to not acknowledge that it was the Lumiere Brothers who invented the projector to Eddisons "viewing box".

Proper "features" also needed funding and it was Credit Suisse who made the first. But when it gets into the story of Carl Laemmle I became hooked.

It is also ultimately very uplifting as it shows what entrepreneurs and imagination and energy can achieve. Really loved this.