The century's films offer an insight into social changes. They both demonstrate and reflect our attitude to sex, religion, politics and racism, as well as reveal our shifting tastes in fashion, architecture, interior design, travel and language. Starting with 1893, when Thomas Alva Edison built the first film studio, this book takes a year-by-year look at new developments in cinema and how world events were reflected by the year's films. It also records the cinematic events that made headlines and examines the films that were popular with the public and those admired by the press.