Watch Vertigo Years

Vertigo Years is a fascinating documentary series available on the popular streaming platform CuriosityStream, that traces the cultural, social, and political changes that swept across Europe and America in the turbulent post-World War I era. This engaging and insightful six-part series is directed by award-winning filmmaker Bo Landin and narrated by actor Sam West. It draws on archival footage, rare photographs, and interviews with experts and historians to create a vivid and immersive portrait of a time of great upheaval, innovation and creativity.

The series begins with an introduction to the political and economic landscape of the time, with a focus on the challenges faced by Europe and America in the aftermath of the Great War. The first episode explores how the war changed the social order and upended traditional power structures, leading to the rise of new forms of expression, including art, music, and literature. The program sheds light on how the cultural zeitgeist of the time was shaped by a deep sense of disillusionment, inner turmoil, and a search for new ideas and new ways of seeing the world.

The second episode focuses on the artistic movements that emerged during this time, including Cubism, Dadaism, Futurism, and Surrealism. We are introduced to some of the key artists of the time, including Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, and Salvador Dali, all of whom pushed the boundaries of traditional art forms and challenged conventional notions of beauty and aesthetics. Drawing on rare footage from the period, this episode takes us on a fascinating journey through the artistic landscape of early 20th-century Europe.

The third episode takes a closer look at the music of the time, with a focus on the Jazz Age and the emergence of new musical forms such as ragtime, blues, and swing. We learn how music became an important form of expression for young people during this time, as they sought to rebel against the strict moral codes of their parents' generation. The program also explores the important role that African American music played in shaping the culture of the time, and the impact that radio broadcasts and new technologies had on the spread of musical innovation.

The fourth episode shifts its focus to the world of cinema, exploring how this new art form became a powerful medium for reflecting the changing attitudes and values of the time. The episode delves into the works of pioneering filmmakers such as Buster Keaton, Luis Bunuel, and Sergei Eisenstein, and shows how their movies reflected the anxieties, hopes, and fears of the era.

The fifth episode of the series explores the feminist and women's rights movements of the time, and the impact they had on women's lives and the culture they created. From the suffragette movement to the emergence of new forms of female expression, such as the flapper, we are introduced to the women who shaped the cultural landscape of the era and challenged conventional notions of female behavior and identity.

The final episode of the series brings us full circle, looking at how the culture of the 1920s and 1930s gave rise to the horrors of World War II. The program explores how the fractious politics, cultural upheavals, and economic instability of the era contributed to the rise of fascism and totalitarianism, and shows how the seeds of conflict were sown even as artists, musicians, and intellectuals were exploring new forms of expression.

In summary, Vertigo Years is a masterful exploration of a period of great change and creativity, offering a nuanced and engrossing take on the social, cultural, and political movements that swept across Europe and America in the years after World War I. With its evocative visuals and expert analysis, this series is sure to appeal to viewers interested in history, culture, and the ways in which the past continues to shape our present.

Vertigo Years is a series that ran for 1 seasons (3 episodes) between April 7, 2021 and on CuriosityStream