London TV Award nomination Paul Merton: '[Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood] does it very well, with a buff's enthusiasm, but also with the raised eyebrow of a sarky bastard. So the Kinetoscope footage of two men waltzing together 'was made before the invention of women'."

The Guardian: "[Paul Merton] does it very well, with a buff's enthusiasm, but also with the raised eyebrow of a sarky bastard. So the Kinetoscope footage of two men waltzing together 'was made before the invention of women'. And during my favourite clip, an early film called Rescued from the Eagle's Nest, he says: 'Stand amazed as he [the hero] fights a battle to the death with an eagle that's clearly been dead for some time.'"

If you weren’t aware of Merton’s love of film, then shame on you, he’s been making documentaries about them for a while now, for the BBC. Paul Merton’s Birth of Hollywood perfectly demonstrates his understanding of the visual language of film, and studies the rise of Hollywood in a tongue and cheek manner. The phenomenon of Hollywood had an outstanding effect on cinema, changing it forever and helping to change the world along with it. Despite the undertones of darkness, villainy, backstabbing, decadence, drugs and sex, Hollywood was a powerful force of good, liberating the formally conservative West and encouraging Babylonian-like glamour, which has helped shape a more liberal society. Merton's passion brings this story to life, introducing the fascinating facts about early film to an audience who are unfamiliar with the subject. The key here is to present something important in a way that fits the casual nature of television, and Merton pulls this off admirably.