ABSTRACT
Hollywood, which would later become a mythical city, was initially chosen to make movies because it was a convenient place in a wonderful location. The European film-makers contemplated the idea of building their movie studios on the coast, in Brighton, or Nice, or Naples,1 but the capital cities prevailed and the fate of European films was very soon linked to London, Paris and Rome. And also to Berlin but, when the city was isolated inside the German Democratic Republic, Munich took over its function, and the attempts to create other studios in Wiesbaden or Freiburg were not successful. In Europe cinema has always been an urban activity. Actors said they could not earn their living unless they were close to the most important theatres, but distances were not so big in the Old World that it was impossible to move quickly from studio to stage. In Britain or France the centralization of theatrical activities could be an explanation but not in Germany or Italy where many provincial cities are, and were, culturally as important as Munich or Rome. In fact, politics provide the only real reason; film producers constantly need the help of the state and have to be in close contact with governments. Nor is Germany an exception, since in this decentralized country rich Bavaria is the Land most likely to give cinema substantial help.
