Anytime Martin Scorsese talks film I’m glued to the screen. If you’ve seen his own documentaries “A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies” (1995) and “My Voyage to Italy” (1999) you know what I mean. Though he didn’t direct “Made in England: The Films of Michael Powell and Emiric Pressberger” (David Hinton did), the fact that he is narrating it makes it a must-see for any film lover.

It’s well known that Scorsese is a fan of the work of the UK filmmaking team who were almost forgotten about until he and his peers cited Powell and Pressberger as major influences on their own films. He saw them first on black-and-white TV as a child in New York. Hollywood wasn’t licensing films in the 1950s to television so imported films from England and Italy were often shown instead. Long after Powell’s 1960 solo-directed film about a murderous voyeur, “Peeping Tom,” met with such derision (later to become a cult favorite) it effectively ended his career, Scorsese sought him out for advice with his own films. His long-time editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, would become Powell’s last wife. Martin’s long friendship with one-half of the great filmmaking duo gave him a unique understanding of his life and artistry.

Powell and Pressburger began a production company called The Archers and made a string of British classic films, including “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp” (1943), “A Matter of Life and Death” (1946), “Black Narcissus” (1947) and “The Red Shoes” (1948). Pressburger was responsible for the writing and Powell the directing but they decided to credit themselves jointly.

“To me,” Scorsese says early on, “the overwhelming impression of their films has always been to do with color, light, movement and a sense of music.” The film, he claims, that may have created his own fascination with filmmaking was “The Red Shoes.” Based on a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, this story of a ballerina (played by a radiant Moira Shearer) forced to choose between her art and a romance, includes a dazzling 17-minute impressionistic ballet sequence.

It would be years before Scorsese got to see that film in color. His championing of the duo’s work played an important factor in the restoration of many of their greatest films. One of my favorite Archer films is “I Know Where I’m Going!” (1945) which Martin calls “the second episode in the Archer’s crusade against materialism.” A huge hit upon release, included on top ten film lists by many critics, it’s the story of a young English woman (Wendy Hiller) stuck on an island in the Hebrides waiting for her rich fiance because of a storm. In the meantime, a series of adventures and meetings with the island inhabitants leads her to reconsider the value of money.

Scorsese offers up examples of how the Archer films influenced his own work by analyzing scenes from “Mean Streets” and “The Age of Innocence.” The documentary is a powerful introduction to anyone new to the work of Powell and Pressburger and a splendid valentine to those who already love their films. It is now playing at the Quad Cinema in Manhattan. Go here for showtime and ticket information.