Share Your Favorite Documentaries Thread!

Only seen Pilger mentioned once here but below is a link to all his films.

Only watched a few but they're excellent. Year Zero: The Silent Death of Cambodia is stunning.

http://www.johnpilger.com/videos

Another one I really enjoyed off the top of my head is this one about the attempted coup on Hugo Chavez by some Irish guys who were filming with him around the time it was going on. I think they were intending to make something else and then turned it into this as they got caught up in it all.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144#

Enjoy.

The Red Chapel

  On 4/26/2011 at 7:56 PM, Rambo said:

Ray Kurzweil isn't the guy that came up with the technological singularity btw

lolol i was wondering how that went unchallenged

  On 4/12/2011 at 10:46 PM, Z_B_Z said:

last one ill post as ive clogged up this thread enough, but i found this to be really interesting. the late richard "the iceman" kuklinski was an infamous and incredibly effective hitman for the mafia for a number of years. here hes interviewed by a forensic psychiatrist about his life and crimes.. its absolutely chilling (ha) how incredible intense and coldblooded (haha) this guy was>>

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psoq8qYvx18

I've seen interviews with him before and the combination of his tone of voice and the way he talks with that hard candy in his mouth is nothing short of hypnotic to me. plus I loved when he was talking about being in tbe gay club and not wanting to offend gay people but was acting "swishy"

So here's some more

More to come as I find the time

just saw the doc 'boyd rice: iconoclast' the other night and was pleasantly surprised at how funny/entertaining it was. heres an excerpt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT2jPyJ97E0&feature=player_embedded

Little Dieter Learns to Fly was already mentioned, but I watched it a second time recently and it's so good that it should be mentioned again. I couldn't find a trailer online, but here's an excerpt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvhYWN3nW2E

It's documentary by Werner Herzog about Dieter Dengler. Herzog later made the movie Rescue Dawn, also excellent, which is based on Dieter's story. Here's a brief synopsis taken from IMDb:

  Quote

In 1966, Dieter Dengler was shot down over Laos, captured, and, down to 85 pounds, escaped. Barefoot, surviving monsoons, leeches, and machete-wielding villagers, he was rescued. Now, near 60, living on Mt. Tamalpais, Dengler tells his story: a German lad surviving Allied bombings in World War II, postwar poverty, apprenticed to a smith, beaten regularly. At 18, he emigrates and peels potatoes in the U.S. Air Force. He leaves for California and college, then enlistment in the Navy to learn to fly. A quiet man of sorrows tells his story: war, capture, harrowing conditions, escape, and miraculous rescue.

  On 4/12/2011 at 10:46 PM, Z_B_Z said:

last one ill post as ive clogged up this thread enough, but i found this to be really interesting. the late richard "the iceman" kuklinski was an infamous and incredibly effective hitman for the mafia for a number of years. here hes interviewed by a forensic psychiatrist about his life and crimes.. its absolutely chilling (ha) how incredible intense and coldblooded (haha) this guy was>>

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psoq8qYvx18

wow. this was great... i watched it while afk from thread.

My solitary contribution to the thread is Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould. synopsis: "As the title suggests, this dramatised documentary about the eccentric Canadian pianist Glenn Gould is broken up into thirty-two short films (mirroring the thirty-two part structure of Bach's 'Goldberg Variations', the recording that Gould made famous), each giving us an insight into some aspect of Gould's life and career. Out of respect for the music lead actor Colm Feore is never seen playing the piano, merely reacting to Gould's own recordings, which are extensively featured."

Mein Liebster Feind - By Herzog, about Kinski

Probably already mentioned in this thread, but it's quite good!

wow... just finished "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" mentioned earlier and FUCK ME it was good.

This thread has been AWESOME.

DANIEL TAMMET: THE BOY WITH THE INCREDIBLE BRAIN!

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About an autistic savant who experiences synesthesia and is basically a genius, yet has the social skills of a normal person. Some of the things he does are fuckin mind blowing.

  On 4/9/2011 at 5:12 PM, Space Coyote said:

You want a good documentary? Watch Einstein's Brain instead

this was hilarious. awesome doc. whats up with william burroughs popping up near the end? i was reading the wiki entry and apparently there is some controversy as to whether or not this whole film was staged. i can see how (especially from burroughs inclusion) that people could think this is fake, but the dude is apparently an actual professor.

fantastic docu about vinyl nerds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bjx5BjTICQ

You See Me Laughin'

dolphin boy

  Quote

When Morad was suspected of trying to seduce a girl, her relatives kidnapped and brutally tortured him. The attack was so brutal, and the emotional scars so deep, that Morad, suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, disconnected himself from the world around him.

 

When doctors tell his father that dolphin-assisted therapy is the last option to prevent Morad being committed to a psychiatric institution, his father knows what he has to do.

 

He sells everything, and leaves his job and family to move to Dolphin Reef on the Red Sea, vowing not to return unless the boy achieves full recovery.

 

This is the tale of a parent's patient and tender love, and the friendship between a teenage boy and the group of dolphins intended to help him heal.

crack house (next tues on more 4)

  Quote

In 2001, Darrell 'Duck' Davis recruited a group of young men from the South Side of Chicago to help him take over the drug trade in Rockford, Illinois. For four years they sold a kilo of hard drugs each week, terrorised neighbourhoods and intimidated witnesses.

 

The Rockford Police Department made a string of arrests but were unable to curtail the violence. And, in 2005, when gang member Bradford Dodson attempted to execute a rival drug dealer in a busy McDonald's, the Police Department called in the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) who set the gang up in a 'surveillance house' and gathered over 1000 hours of footage as evidence.

 

This film uses the footage to provide a fascinating insight into what happens in a drug house, revealing the wide range of people who came to the house to buy drugs, and the truth behind the gang members' extravagant boasts of violence and wealth.

Crack house sounds good, will try to remember that. Did you watch Dolphin Boy though? I was about to flick it on last night but someone told me it was badly made?

yeah i watched it. i had no issue with how the story was told at all and enjoyed it. the father's perseverence, undying love and sacrifice for his broken son was really touching. although not as entertaining as morwencol, it explores similar themes - how the human mind can shut down or rewire itself in order to cope with severe trauma. had a nice happy ending too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc6474KUBV8

  Quote

Available now on YouTube is the 2006 made 70 minute documentary about Richie Hawtin. In it you'll learn all about the Canadian techno producer behind Plastikman, F.U.S.E, and key Detroit electronic music figure with 'testimonials' from people such as Daniel Miller etc. The film is the first of the "Slices: Pioneers Of Electronic Music" series originally released on DVD.

 

 

www.side-line.com

  On 5/17/2011 at 5:14 AM, Z_B_Z said:

  On 4/9/2011 at 5:12 PM, Space Coyote said:

You want a good documentary? Watch Einstein's Brain instead

youtube.com/watch?v=-XMKUEZn1Cs

 

this was hilarious. awesome doc. whats up with william burroughs popping up near the end? i was reading the wiki entry and apparently there is some controversy as to whether or not this whole film was staged. i can see how (especially from burroughs inclusion) that people could think this is fake, but the dude is apparently an actual professor.

It has been over 5 years since I watched this one and I haven't had the heart to revisit it in case it wasn't as awesome as I first remembered. But yeah as you read, the Japanese guy ended up confirmed to be real and I received a strange email from someone advising that Dr. Thomas Harvey had died (this was some time between 2005-2007, I can try find a copy of the strange email). This guy apparently use to work with him, read my review of the documentary, and felt I'd be interested to know. The email runs about two paragraphs or more from memory and is one of my stranger experiences on the internet. He might have mentioned his own experience with the brain, but my memory fails me.

There wasn't any dispute as to the veracity of Dr Harvey but every time I think of this doc, that memory also follows.

i just watched 'hated', the doc on gg allin again for the first time in a while, and its just as shocking as i remember it being. the guy was obviously incredibly disturbed, but it remains a fascinating piece of work.. i stumbled upon this interview with the director, todd phillips, who went on to direct 'the hangover' and the sequel thats coming out soon. its fascinating hearing such a hollywood big wig talk about such a depraved subject, but its cool that he still acknowledges his roots. the women interrupts far too much but its still a fascinating interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9In4SB8DxE0

clip from the doc, gg singing warren zevons 'carmellita' lol wtf i love it. notice the syringe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E496MSz4keU

i wont defend this guys sadism, but the whole thing is weirdly alluring.

  On 5/20/2011 at 2:09 AM, Space Coyote said:

  On 5/17/2011 at 5:14 AM, Z_B_Z said:

  On 4/9/2011 at 5:12 PM, Space Coyote said:

You want a good documentary? Watch Einstein's Brain instead

youtube.com/watch?v=-XMKUEZn1Cs

 

this was hilarious. awesome doc. whats up with william burroughs popping up near the end? i was reading the wiki entry and apparently there is some controversy as to whether or not this whole film was staged. i can see how (especially from burroughs inclusion) that people could think this is fake, but the dude is apparently an actual professor.

 

It has been over 5 years since I watched this one and I haven't had the heart to revisit it in case it wasn't as awesome as I first remembered. But yeah as you read, the Japanese guy ended up confirmed to be real and I received a strange email from someone advising that Dr. Thomas Harvey had died (this was some time between 2005-2007, I can try find a copy of the strange email). This guy apparently use to work with him, read my review of the documentary, and felt I'd be interested to know. The email runs about two paragraphs or more from memory and is one of my stranger experiences on the internet. He might have mentioned his own experience with the brain, but my memory fails me.

 

There wasn't any dispute as to the veracity of Dr Harvey but every time I think of this doc, that memory also follows.

lol i must read this email

All Louis Therouxs Weird Weekends, and well most of his stuff is generally of high calibre.

Also:

No masterpiece but very entertaining all the same

I forgot about Winnebago Man! That's a classic.

Louis Therouxs deals with some interesting/ridiculous people, but his interactions with them are often almost unbearably awkward... I suppose that is in part what makes it so entertaining. He's like the Spenny of documentary series.

  On 5/18/2011 at 12:19 PM, keltoi said:

crack house (next tues on more 4)

 

  Quote

In 2001, Darrell 'Duck' Davis recruited a group of young men from the South Side of Chicago to help him take over the drug trade in Rockford, Illinois. For four years they sold a kilo of hard drugs each week, terrorised neighbourhoods and intimidated witnesses.

 

The Rockford Police Department made a string of arrests but were unable to curtail the violence. And, in 2005, when gang member Bradford Dodson attempted to execute a rival drug dealer in a busy McDonald's, the Police Department called in the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) who set the gang up in a 'surveillance house' and gathered over 1000 hours of footage as evidence.

 

This film uses the footage to provide a fascinating insight into what happens in a drug house, revealing the wide range of people who came to the house to buy drugs, and the truth behind the gang members' extravagant boasts of violence and wealth.

This was good. The surveillance footage wasn't as interesting as I thought it might be but a lot of the other shots were really well done. I found it a bit strange that the police seemed surprised to find that drug dealers are ‘ordinary people’. The grandma who raised one of them was amazing, and I felt for that Bradford guy who was on the phone to his son and whose hands got mashed ‘like hamburger’. It couldn’t seem to come to any decision about whether their childhoods destined them for crime or not.