Documentaries

[happyfilmluvguy]

What's your favorite documentary, and why? What's it about? Is the story educational? Any reccomendations?

The one documentary I own is Alaska: Spirit Of The Wild, which was produced by IMAX, and was narrated by Charlton Heston.
Believe me when I say it, but I wanted to and still want to visit Alaska after seeing that documentary.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

I have so many.

Any documentary aired on TCM! It also goes without saying that Hollywood (1980) and Cinema Europe (1996) are two of my all-time favourite docs.

My very favourite, though, is The Race To Save 100 Years (1997) about film preservation. Film Preservation fascinates me and the doc is rich in before-and-after clips and examples of film deterioration. I love that kind of stuff!

 

[Steve]

One of my favorites is th NOVA documentary on "Hitler's Lost Sub," the lost U-Boat that was found off the coast of New England. It was amazing.

 

[BeBopBaby]

One of my favorites is Theramin: An Electronic Odessy. It's about the inventor of the theramin, Leon Theramin. His life is like something out of a science fiction novel. He started to develop and play the theramin in the 20s, along with with Clara Rockmore (a theramin virtuoso herself and Leon's lover). In the mid-30s, he was kidnapped by the KGB, sent to Siberia, and made to work for the KGB as an inventor for nearly 5 decades. His sudden disappearance off the streets of New York where he lived was legendary and remained a mystery for a long time. I especially enjoyed the reunion at the end of the documentary between Leon and Clara, they hadn't seen or talked to each other since Leon's disappearance in the 30s.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

The Ken Burn's "Civil War" series on PBS. PBS seven part film series of "The Blues" by Martin Scorsese. History channel's "Dog Fight" computor animated series(outstanding!).
HD

 

[BegintheBeguine]

The inventor of the documentary, Robert Flaherty

Nanook of the North (1922)
and everything else Robert Flaherty did. My mom and dad taught graduate classes on documentary film so I got to see a lot of documentaries.
Also,
The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter
Quilts in Women's Lives
Fit to be Untied
Document of the Dead

 

[Shearer]

I love, love, love documentaries.

Grey Gardens
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Paradise Lost
A State of Mind
Capturing the Friedmans
Brother's Keeper
Last Days
Mr. Death: Fred A. Leuchter Jr.
The Thin Blue Line


I keep a lot of this genre in my Netflix queue.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Good topic! Great question!...

Without a doubt, the most compelling and fascinating documentary I've seen was produced by a man named Aaron Russo. Aaron Russo is the producer/promoter who first brought Led Zepplin to America, discovered and managed Bette Midler and made the films 'The Rose', 'Trading Places', amongst others. Aaron Russo is no hack like Michael Moore or Morgan Spurlock; he is a professional experienced film-maker who knows how to tell a story and, underscoring the truth and the facts, puts the message across in language that everyone can get!

His recent release 'America: From Freedom to Fascism' is perhaps the most important American documentary film ever made. I've seen it many times now and have given away several copies to friends and family. It is one of those wake-up calls that will shock the viewer out of their apathetic stupor and make them think about our future - and our present. (Present being a double-entendre; our present moment in time and the gift of Liberty that is presently being squandered.)

I won't post a link as I don't want to be viewed as a political promoter in our Lounge environment. This documentary film is out there now - in the stores, on the web, and probably, in your neighbors home. Seek it out yourself for the personal exhilaration of discovering a profound and moving truth.

-Dixon Cannon
who truly believes the words below...

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Truth??..partly....balderdash..mainly.
HD

 

[Quigley Brown]

Some oddballs that I own:

East Side Story - silly documentary about East German musical films during the 1950s.

Crumb - cult documentary about underground cartoonist R. Crumb (Keep on Truckin' and Fritz the Cat).

The Nomi Song - about (dead) 1980s cult new-wave performance artist Klaus Nomi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELknoJC2WEQ&mode=related&search=

 

[HadleyH]

"Berlin Symphony of A City" (1927) by Walther Ruttmann

In my opinion this is a masterpiece that took the documentary to new heights. It shows the 24 hours of a day in a city, normal everyday things from morning till night, the busy restaurants, the sidewalks, nightclubs, etc...
This truly is a must for lovers of the 1920s!!! :eusa_clap

 

[Parallel Guy]

Don't know if you can really call it documentary, it's probably more of a high-brow reality show, but I love the PBS Frontier House, 1890 House, etc. Such a kick to watch people who think they want to live in the past, actually get to live in the past.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Ken Burns' "Jazz"

Pretty much every WWII one that's been on the History Channel
(really looking forward to Burns' forthcoming one)

 

[BegintheBeguine]

After the Fall is a tune that's stuck in my head

Wasn't That a Time
Say Amen, Somebody
Thought someone would mention Crumb and Quigley Brown did
Haven't heard of the Klaus Nomi one, thanks for the info, Quigley Brown, I love him

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

What sort of world related documentaries have you seen? One's about a country, a contintent. Travelling type documentaries? Did it encourage you to want to visit that particular location?

 

[Lady Day]

These are the ones Ive seen in the last 6 months:

The Scottsboro Boys and American Tragedy
The Life of Emmit Till
Beyond the Color Line (life of African Americans since the Civil Rights Movement)
Africans in America
Slavery, an American Tradition
4 Little Girls
When the Leeves Broke

LD

 

[Dixon Cannon]

What sort of world related documentaries have you seen? One's about a country, a contintent. Travelling type documentaries? Did it encourage you to want to visit that particular location?

I once saw a Michael Palin documentary/travel film on train spotting in the U.K. He visited railroad landmarks and museums as he traveled north to an undisclosed location.

Upon reaching his destination he claimed ownership of the old railroad station sign; a place called Kyle of Lochalsh, the exteme northwest coast of Scotland. To a desert dweller like me, that seemed as far away as the dark side of the moon.

I made a point of driving up there all the way from Liverpool just to see it for myself. I took the ferry to the Isle of Skye and saw things that I couldn't have imagined ever existed.

That is the power of the documentary film isn't it?

-dixon cannon

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Inspiring story Mr. Cannon. Very inspiring. Yes it is the power. Makes me want to visit Alaska even more.

 

[Flivver]

I have so many.

Any documentary aired on TCM! It also goes without saying that Hollywood (1980) and Cinema Europe (1996) are two of my all-time favourite docs.

I have Hollywood (1980) on VHS tape. I watch it so often I'm afraid I'll wear it out. The best part of this series is that many of the silent era stars were still alive at the time this documentary was made. It's SO wonderful to hear Colleen Moore, Gloria Swanson or Louise Brooks take you through some of their most famous scenes!

 

[Amy Jeanne]

I have Hollywood (1980) on VHS tape. I watch it so often I'm afraid I'll wear it out.

Better not do that -- I just heard that the VHS set is going for $450 from sellers!!! Individual tapes are going for pretty high prices, too! I'm glad I got mine back in the day when it was only $70!! lol

My favourite tapes are the one about scandals, the one about Clara Bow & John Gilbert, and The End Of An Era. I LOVE the early experimental sound clips on the last tape. Anything to do with the technology of film is really interesting to me.