An epic analysis of the American motion picture industry that combines rare archival film, key scenes from immortal movies, interviews with leading filmmakers and commentary from noted film scholars and critics.

From 1958 to 1963, American actor Rick Dalton knew the height of fame and fortune as the lead in the television series Bounty Law. Yet, Rick wasn't satisfied with the work and used his popularity to try to become a movie star. By 1969, Rick's career has stalled so much that he takes jobs as a guest star on various shows. He even starts wondering if the only way he can make a comeback is by acting in Italian productions. Cliff Booth, Rick's long-time...

As if the result of some strange mass-media fluke, the popular radio program "A Prairie Home Companion" somehow managed to survive the television age to entertain its audience every Saturday night from the stage of the historic Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minn. Week after week, hangdog host G.K. serves as unflappable emcee to an amiable hodgepodge of radio-friendly acts that include the likes of popular country duo Yolanda and Rhonda Johnson and...

Young and beautiful actress Ann Darrow is from the world of 1930s vaudeville, who is down on her luck. She meets Carl Denham, an over-ambitious filmmaker, who brings her on an exploratory expedition to Skull Island where she finds compassion and the true meaning of humanity with an ape named Kong. Together, beauty and beast finally meet their fate in New York, where the filmmaker has taken and displayed the ape in the quest of finding his fame by...

HBO presents a fascinating portrait of two charismatic Oscar-winners who share, along with a last name, a passion for movies, women, family, and taking risks. An extraordinary glimpse into the private side of Kirk and Michael Douglas.

A former Western icon re-evaluates his life, his image and more importantly his heart after a surprise diagnosis.

"A passionate filmmaker, creating a film based upon a true crime, casts an unknown mysterious young woman bearing a disturbing resemblance to the femme fatale in the story. He finds himself unsuspectingly drawn into a complex web of haunting intrigue, obsessed with the woman, the crime, her possibly notorious past, and the disturbing complexity between art and truth."

Andrew is a moderately successful TV actor living in Los Angeles. He hasn't been home to the Garden State in nine years. Even the 3,000 miles has not seperated him from the domineering father Andrew left. Stunned to find himself home for his mother's funeral, "Large" finds old acquaintances around every corner, even as he does his best to avoid the inevitable confrontation with his father. By a twist of fate Large meets Sam, a girl who is everything...

John Wilmot, a 17th century poet, is the Earl of Rochester and from the beginning he treats his wife cruelly, drinks to relentless excess, abuses his friendships, and generally wallows in dissipation, much to the dismay of King Charles II. The king hopes that Rochester will write a play glorifying his reign. But Rochester finds his true inspiration when he sees a young actress named Lizzie Barry. Rochester sets out to make her the greatest actress...

A trip through the world of cinema comedy includes scenes from the slapstick of the silents, through comedies of the 1930s to today. Profiles current and classic comedy stars and looks at some lesser known comedians of the silent and talkie era.