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Recommend some documentaries

mattie

mattie

missing in inaction
Our local video shop (owned by the bloke who helps sort out the Bath Film Festival) has a small documentary section which has rekindled my interest in fact-based films.

Some decent ones I've recently seen:
One Day in September (saw it at the Sydney Film Festival in 2000, bought it straight after, watched it again a few weeks ago. Superb)
Hearts and Minds
Murderball
Fog of War

Not a fan of Michael Moore, despite him reinvigorating the genre. I agree with him in principle but can't abide his misrepresentations - it's not like he really needs to do it.

I await urban's guiding hand - recommend away.
 
Cuba! Africa! Revolution! - three parter that was shown on BBC4 last year about Cuban involvement in African Liberation struggles.
 
The Genius Of Photography (well it, a TV series)
If you like The Fog Of War, check out Morris' other docs.
Capturing The Friedmans is worth a watch.
Little Dieter Needs To Fly is just brilliant, as is Grizzly Man
 
The Grizzly Man - biography of American nut who thought he could make friends with Alaskan grizzly bears in the wild, and ended up being eaten by one. Includes his own video diary material, some of which is pretty mental. Directed by Werner Herzog. Very watchable.
 
Flashman said:
When the Levies Broke - Spike Lee.
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I saw Confederate States of America, which was unimpressive - I found it pretty clumsy - and perhaps an unfortunate introduction to Spike Lee in a documentary sense. I'll give this one a punt though, the rest of his films have generally been good.
 
Left Turn Clyde said:
When The Levees Broke is an amazing film - definitely worth a watch - prepare to get angry
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I could see Lee getting stuck right in, as there are some pretty strong race issues inherent in the whole thing.

Contacted our video shop, due to some distributor/middle-man going into administration they can't special order any more. May have to try Lovefilm or something similar - anyone any idea of which service is good for documentaries?
 
Visions of Light - fairly old doc about the art of cinematography. Fantastic.

That history of blues Martin Scorsese made (or helped make, I forget).

Battle of the Beanfield - heartbreaking documentary about the traveller situation in 1985...
 
currently watching the power of nightmares....

I also like storytown and dispatches series.
 
does "Into The Wild" count as a documentary? :confused:

hope so cause its brilliant...watch it anyway if you havent seen it. :cool:


ETA- its a docu and its a great film.
 
Watching 'Dirty Dali' on youtube at the moment, about the private life of Salvadore Dali which is really good. I've only watched part 1 so far.

Melvyn Braggs documentary on Francis Bacon is also really good from the South Bank show -its a series of interviews and they get drunk together.

Another good one is the BBC's documentary on Oliver Reeds life. I've seen it a few times.

Another is the making of The Cremaster Cycle, where artist Matthew Barney describes its process very inception to completion - its very good.

also watched an interesting one called 'Black Tar Heroin' which is shocking and spooky compelling viewing about the heroin scene in san franciso - someone from the DF posted it once.

No Direction Home, Martin Scorcese's 2005 documentary on Bob Dylan - another classic.

Also recommend an excellent BBC documentary on Captain Beefheart - the only one I've ever seen - all on youtube.
 
Cheesypoof said:
Watching 'Dirty Dali' on youtube at the moment, about the private life of Salvadore Dali which is really good. I've only watched part 1 so far.

Melvyn Braggs documentary on Francis Bacon is also really good from the South Bank show -its a series of interviews and they get drunk together.

Another good one is the BBC's documentary on Oliver Reeds life. I've seen it a few times.

Another is the making of The Cremaster Cycle, where artist Matthew Barney describes its process very inception to completion - its very good.

also watched an interesting one called 'Black Tar Heroin' which is shocking and spooky compelling viewing about the heroin scene in san franciso - someone from the DF posted it once.

Also recommend an excellent BBC documentary on Captain Beefheart - the only one I've ever seen - all on youtube.
Click to expand...

Gonna take a look at that myself. I'm always looking for good docs to watch online
 
youtube: A brief history of neo-liberalism.


fascinating talk imo, and it instructed me that chile is pronounced chill-eh and not chill e:cool:
 
Annierak said:
Thanks, i've made notes and gonna check them out :)
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good on yer. Other recommendations are the life stories of Bette Davis, Judy Garland and Joan Crawford - all separate and on youtube (there may be one on the rivalry between Bette davis and Joan Crawford when they were filming 'Whatever happened to Baby Jane?' though. Have a look.

And the serial killers - Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer are well put together, and include interviews with the killers themselves. Spooky.

Lots of people have already seen it, but 'Imagine' by John Lennon is probably my favourite ever documentary.
 
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