Back in January, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) premiered an all-new original documentary series, The Power of Film, which explores some of the most popular and memorable American films of all time. The six-part series was hosted and curated by renowned UCLA professor emeritus Howard Suber. He’s the founding chair of UCLA’s Film and Television Producers Program and one of the founders of the UCLA Film Archive. Each of the 40-minute episodes dives deep into the art of storytelling by examining the defining principles and inner workings of beloved films, i.e. Citizen Kane, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, etc.

As a cinephile, naturally I’m intrigued by this series, which promises to uncover the mysteries surrounding what makes a film not only popular but also memorable across generations. Please note that I’ve only seen three out of the six series available, which shows Suber talking directly to the camera as a plethora of movie clips are featured to support his point. It reminds me of a film class I took in college as part of my Mass Communications major requirements, except that at the time I hadn’t seen as many films as I have today.

Suber had written a book on this topic in 2006, also titled The Power of Film, so he drew from his own book as well as lectures for the series material. While the episodes I watched did present some intriguing things to ponder, I find them a bit flat and even tedious. Most of the time it feels like a virtual class I’m watching via Zoom, except there’s no opportunity to ask a question or clarification.

The Power of Film is directed by Laura Gabbert, and written by Suber and Doug Pray, who also serves as supervising editor. Interestingly, both Gabbert and Pray are Suber’s former students. Having taught film for over half a century, Suber is clearly an influential film teacher with an incredible wealth of knowledge on the subject matter. He comes across as warm and trustworthy, and his passion for film is palpable. There are a few things about the Hollywood classics that I find enlightening, but for the most part, the information given is pretty basic.

Perhaps involving a few more film experts, or talking heads as they’d say, might make the series more interesting and dynamic. I kept thinking about how interesting it would be to hear from some acclaimed directors or producers who can shed insights from the filmmaking perspective. Overall. the series feels like a missed opportunity as it could’ve been much more um, powerful and engaging than it currently is.

That said, I’d say this is well worth a watch for film fans, and it makes me reminisce on some of my old favorites, and a reminder to watch some of the most famous classics I’ve missed.

The following is a complete schedule for The Power of Film:

Thursday, January 4 at 8pm ET | Part 1 – Popular and Memorable  

A large proportion of the most commercially successful American films are quickly forgotten. A tiny fraction, however, are truly memorable, lasting from one generation to another. Using iconic scenes from many of these classic films, this series explores films that were both popular and memorable. In this episode, Howard Suber asks why this small minority continues to have such power.

Thursday, January 11 at 8pm ET | Part 2 – Trapped

Nearly all memorable stories, whether told in movies or in real life, are about traps. The most memorable are generally about the loss, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph the central character must engage in to escape their trap.

Thursday, January 18 at 8pm ET | Part 3 – Character Relationships

There’s no such thing as an interesting character; there are only interesting character relationships. But, as is true for religions, myths, and the longest-lasting dramas, the structure of most memorable dramatic plots centers on a single individual, around whom all the most important action and the other characters revolve.

Thursday, January 25 at 8pm ET | Part 4 – Heroes and Villains

Memorable films tend to be a compensation for what we don’t see much of in the real world— justice, commitment, and altruism. Film drama frequently treats the central characters as if they were heroes or villains, but often the two are very much alike.

Thursday, February 1 at 8pm ET | Part 5 – The Power of Paradox

In almost every memorable film, things are not what they seem, and learning the truth about characters and situations creates much of the tension in the film. Often, the truth of the film is quite paradoxical, which is what makes us want to keep watching.

Thursday, February 8 at 8pm ET | Part 6 – Love and Meaning

Although it’s often said that in order to succeed, a Hollywood film has to have a happy ending, when you look at the most memorable love stories it’s astonishing how many of them end with the separation or death of one or both lovers. Often, the paradox underlying the film helps explain why they stick in our memories.

Have you seen The Power of Film doc series? What did you think?