Typically British

This text celebrates 100 years of British film-making with a personal vision from one of the country's most successful directors and a chronicle from an eminent film historian. The book coincides with Frear's programme on British cinema which launches a Channel 4 series, "A Century of Cinema". Stephen Frears, director of "My Beautiful Laundrette", "Dangerous Liaisons" and "The Grifters", offers a personal exploration of British film history. He traces his experiences of film from his schooldays during British cinema's "golden age", to the 1960s and the "new wave" of British film-makers (including Frears) - and on to recent films such as "The Commitments". In "conversation" with key figures from British cinema - the late Alexander Mackendrick, Michael Apted, Alan Parker and critic Gavin Lambert - he reflects on how British cinema has changed over the years. Historian, Charles Barr, provides an overview of 100 years of British cinema which looks both at fondly remembered films and movie milestones.